May 5, 2026
Centre Sanaaq has received a 2026 Award of Excellence from the Ordre des architectes du Québec (OAQ), recognizing the project’s architectural quality, complexity, and contribution to Montréal’s public realm. Designed following a multidisciplinary competition launched by the City of Montréal, the project is a major cultural and community destination located at the base of a private residential tower in downtown Montréal. Architecture49 delivered the project in partnership with Pelletier de Fontenay and Atelier Zébulon Perron, with engineering services provided by CIMA+.
In its comments, the jury highlighted the project’s integration of diverse public amenities within a privately owned building, noting the particular complexity of incorporating a full public library into the structure. The jury also commended the quality of the interior planning and the care given to detailing, resulting in a welcoming and refined atmosphere achieved through a restrained and carefully controlled material palette.
Centre Sanaaq brings together a wide range of public programmes, including library, cultural, performance, and community spaces. Organised as a series of interconnected yet distinct environments, the interior supports both informal gathering and more focused activities, reinforcing its role as a “third place” within a dense downtown context.
Derived from Inuktitut, the name Sanaaq reflects the idea of collective creation—a principle embedded throughout the design. The project positions architecture as infrastructure for participation, learning, and community life, underscoring the value of collaborative, multidisciplinary approaches to complex urban projects.