Promising growth and vitality to the museum and its environs, the expansion of The Pierre Lassonde Pavilion at the Musée National des Beaux-Arts du Québec features a stacked box, cantilevered massing that deferentially frames the adjacent courtyard of the historic Saint Dominique church cloister and orients the building towards the park. Generous roof terraces, an urban plaza, and an auditorium, create ample space for public functions and outdoor exhibits, while the new exhibition space allows for priceless works of art that were previously in storage to be displayed. The permanent exhibition and temporary exhibition spaces are linked by a maze of mezzanines and overlooks, and strategically placed windows and skylights provide carefully framed views of the park.

Front developed the design for the façade systems including technical system details and specifications. Special consideration was given to address the need for natural day-lighting while also providing thermal insulation from the harsh winters of Québec. The resulting façade systems utilize triple-glazed insulating glass throughout the project. For translucency, a combination of 2d printed frit and 3D embossed glass are incorporated into the insulated glass units to provide diffuse even day-lighting to the museum interiors. For enclosed galleries, opaque insulated walls are offset behind the exterior glazing system, with lighting incorporated into the interstitial space. At the base of the building, large insulated glass units are supported by long-span vertical laminated glass fins, resulting in a highly transparent facade that invites picturesque views of the Charles Baillairgé pavilion.