Transformed by a transdisciplinary and sustainable approach, it’s now the first office building in Quebec to achieve Canada Green Building Council’s ZCB-Design v3 certification.
Built 50 years ago, the Montreal headquarters for United Auto Parts (UAP) now looks ahead to another 50 years in the automotive industry by emphasizing greater sustainability for the environment and well-being of its employees. Its complete 70,000 square feet redesign was ZCB-Design v3 certified by the Canada Green Building Council.
On the exterior, the structure balances an internationally resonant look and feel with a distinct design. Its form responds to its history and context with curved lines, cuts, and articulations reminiscent of those of an automobile. The surrounding grounds and parking lot were regreened to create a more inviting approach from the street level, with exterior rest areas for employees, better access to public transportation, and a reduction in the property’s heat island effects.
Inside, UAP’s headquarters features a bright, open array of collaborative and concentrative workspaces to foster innovation, learning, research, and development. Its campus-style layout accommodates as many as 260 users, skylit from one end of the building to the other, illuminating activity and bathing its central atrium in light.