In Notre-Dame-du-Laus, Quebec, a new public artwork crowns a rocky promontory on a small island in Poisson Blanc Regional Park. Conceived as the first in a series of art interventions across the reservoir, ‘Faire le vide’ positions the park as both outdoor destination and cultural itinerary. Access is only by water, canoe or kayak, so the approach becomes part of the experience: shoreline, paddle strokes, and a gradual reveal through trees.
ART
From the lake, the installation reads as a precise wooden cube, minimal, almost monolithic. Inside, the geometry shifts. A curving, carved chamber opens with soft contours and deep reliefs, turning a compact volume into an acoustic, light-catching interior. The project won a design competition and comes from a team led by artist-architect Luca Fortin with Atelier mock/up, who anchor their proposal in site conditions rather than spectacle.
Island constraints drove the construction strategy. The piece was entirely prefabricated off-site, transported by boat in manageable slabs, then carried and assembled by hand, no heavy machinery, no ground disturbance beyond what was necessary. That approach reduced impact on the outcrop and allowed a tight fit with the terrain.
Laminated cedar components were CNC-milled and stacked into two legible systems: an orthogonal outer shell and an organically modeled inner room. Vertical exterior slats pick up the cadence of surrounding trunks, while the interior keeps the tool marks visible, grooves and flutes that catch light like wind ripples on water. Rather than hide fabrication, the team turns machining into texture, so process becomes ornament and orientation.
The route compresses and releases. A semi-shadowed threshold gives way to a carved core, where sound softens and views frame sky, canopy, and water. The object acts as a small landmark from afar and a meditative chamber up close. Set on Island No. 22, it invites visitors to pause, empty the visual field, and tune to the site’s rhythm, rock, resin, breeze, before re-entering the park’s larger expanse.
‘Faire le vide’ links place and craft without overstatement. It demonstrates how prefabrication, careful siting, and digital tooling can support low-impact public art in fragile settings. As a pilot for future island works, it establishes a clear brief: minimal footprint, legible form, and an experience calibrated to the scale of a paddle landing and a quiet afternoon.
Project ‘Faire le vide’
Location Poisson Blanc Regional Park, Notre-Dame-du-Laus, Quebec, Canada
Design Luca Fortin + Atelier mock/up
Type Public art installation
Completion 2025 (installed July 22)
