A Museum at the Crossroads of Landscapes | Loïc Lefebvre Studio
The aerial photography series A Museum at the Crossroads of Landscapes celebrates a one-of-a-kind site and the architectural richness of the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec (MNBAQ) against the backdrop of Canada’s brilliant autumn—a beloved season renowned for its spectacular display of vibrant colors. The museum is portrayed here as a pivotal link connecting three distinct landscapes: the urban fabric of Quebec City, the natural expanse of the Plains of Abraham, and the riverine panorama of the St. Lawrence River.
The architecture of the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec (MNBAQ) embodies a subtle harmony between history, art, and landscape. Its pavilions, like chapters of a timeless narrative, unfold elegantly at the heart of the Plains of Abraham. Each boasts a unique identity while integrating harmoniously into the landscape: the classical nobility of the Gérard-Morisset Pavilion, the bold modern light of the Pierre Lassonde Pavilion (OMA+Provencher Roy architects, 2016), the transparency of the Central Pavilion—currently under demolition (Dorval et Fortin architects, 1991)—and the transformed serenity of the Charles-Baillairgé Pavilion (Charles Baillargé architect, 1867), a former prison reimagined as a museum space. Together, they compose an invitation to immersive contemplation, where memory and innovation converge in an exceptional natural setting.
This series also captures a pivotal moment in the museum’s architectural and identity evolution. The former Central Pavilion, inaugurated in 1991, is being demolished to make way for the future Riopelle Pavilion (Architectes FABG, 2026), which will reshape its horizon. Stripped of its once-iconic glass roof, the hexagonal concrete structure stands bare, revealing its raw brutality amid a sensitive environment—a crucial step in this ambitious project, steeped in history and renewal.
