A cohesive strategy creates continuity and an enhanced student experience at a Montréal secondary school.
École Irma-LeVasseur is a masterclass in imaginative school design. Created to support a population of 1,900 students, the school was conceived as a series of educational wings organized around a central gathering hub. Lumenwerx was commissioned to develop a lighting strategy to intuitively guide students throughout the building, support personal connections, and establish a cohesive visual language throughout.
The plan establishes itself at the school’s entrance, where an overhang is outfitted with Via Seal and Via Wet fixtures. Installed in a staggered pattern to direct attention toward the doors, Via’s linear design guides movement inward, opening onto wide, window-filled hallways. Inside, circulation zones feature Via 2 luminaires recessed into ceiling drywall, further expanding on the linear motif. In the school’s open auditorium, Via 2 luminaires in a recessed T-Bar configuration add light and drama to raw wooden ceiling panels that run parallel to the bench seating below.
In all cases, thanks to their ability to integrate directly into architectural surfaces, Via luminaires reinforce design continuity without overpowering the architecture. Thanks to their comfortable low glare LED illumination, they also avoid overpowering the school’s abundant natural daylight. In select locations, Cubito LEDs further complement the overall plan, adding another layer to the architectural composition.
Overall, the lighting plan supports learning, movement and community, while giving the school a distinctly contemporary identity. If only every school was this thoughtfully and artfully designed. A+.
