Guided visit Usquare

Join us for a guided visit to Usquare Feder, the conversion of the former "Fritz Toussaint" police barracks.

ABOUT THE VISIT

During this visit, we will explore how six heritage buildings out of the 30+ structures on the site were carefully retrofitted. The design approach was rooted in "maximum impact with minimal intervention," aiming to preserve the spatial qualities and existing concrete and brick structures of the 1930s buildings while completely upgrading their thermal envelopes. 

A major focus of the tour will be the project's groundbreaking approach to sustainable building. Usquare Feder stands as a pioneer project for circular construction, with an impressive recovery of materials.

We will take a close look at the application of bio-sourced and geo-sourced materials utilized throughout the buildings:

• Earth: Discover how excavated earth from the site itself was transformed by BC materials into beautiful clay plasters and Compressed Earth Blocks (CEB).
• Hemp: Learn about the implementation of hempcrete, used extensively for its excellent insulation properties.

This visit offers a unique opportunity to walk through a realized example of how urban mining, heritage preservation, and raw earth architecture can come together at a large, institutional scale.