Chibougamau-Chapais Airport Terminal Building

Located in the Nord-du-Quebec region, the Chibougamau-Chapais Airport was established in 1982 and is known as the gateway to the Eeyou Istchee James Bay region. It serves the Chibougamau, Chapais, Ouje-Bougoumou, and Mistissini regions and is used for passenger air travel as well as freight, medical evacuations, and forest firefighting.

This growing amount of traffic, however, necessitated a new terminal building constructed to the latest airport standards, but also with a design flare inspired by the culture of local Cree communities.

Project architects EVOQ and ARTCAD designed the new terminal with a central glazed concourse sandwiched between two smaller structures. This glazed concourse, which serves as a central hub for passengers, ensures all airport functions and services are easy to identify and access thanks to its bright, open-concept architecture and Unicel Architectural’s stunning timber curtain walls spanning its entire length.

The curtain walls, which flank the passenger waiting area on three sides, establish a visual connection from the airport’s runway to the parking lot and feature artwork by Québec artist Emmanuelle Gendron. Uniquely, the artwork pays homage to the Eeyou Istchee region and is integrated into the glazing transparency itself.

Alongside the curtain wall, much of the terminal’s glazed concourse is fabricated from wood glulam and cross-laminated timber (CLT) slabs made of locally produced wood. The waiting area’s raised roof structure combines this engineered wood with strong steel components, allowing the architects to create sweepingly large spans for open public spaces.

Unicel Architectural is an official fabricator and installer of RAICO THERM+ timber curtain walls, which offer unmatched stepless insulation along with superior airborne sound insulation, water tightness, air permeability, wind resistance, and resistance against impacts.