Perched atop a rocky promontory on a remote island, the Faire le vide public art installation sits within the expansive Poisson Blanc Regional Park in Notre-Dame-du-Laus, Quebec, Canada. As the initial artwork in a series on the park’s islands, this project—started by Poisson Blanc—seeks to turn the reservoir into a lively outdoor destination and a cultural hub.
The work takes the form of a wooden cube: a minimalist, almost monolithic exterior that hides an interior sculpted with flowing curves and intricate textures. It is the winning entry of a design competition, conceived by a team composed of artist and architect Luca Fortin and Atelier mock/up.
Born from a deep sensitivity to the site, the monolith was crafted to blend effortlessly into its isolated environment. Only accessible by water — via canoe or kayak — the installation reveals itself like a well-kept secret tucked away in the heart of the reservoir. Seen from the lake, its shape and materiality serve as a subtle landmark, sparking curiosity and inviting exploration of Island No. 22.
The site’s constraints turned into opportunities for design innovation. Entirely prefabricated off-site, the structure was installed without heavy machinery. Each wooden slab was transported by boat, then carried and assembled by hand. “Faire le vide” was intentionally designed and positioned to minimise its impact on the rocky outcrop and surrounding landscape.
Made from laminated cedar and CNC-milled, the structure was assembled on site. It features two geometries: an orthogonal outer shell and an organic inner chamber. The exterior has vertical slats matching the forest’s stance, while the interior shows milling marks resembling wind ripples. These textures stem from careful experimentation, turning industrial techniques into poetic, perceptual experiences.
Faire le vide is an encounter between place and craft, where art and fabrication intertwine. It weaves a dialogue between gesture, material, and the rhythm of the landscape — a threshold between the visible and the invisible that celebrates the poetics of place and time. The work reminds us that art can emerge where we least expect it: at a bend in a path, on an isolated island, between two breaths. In the simplicity of the present moment, it reveals its power to shift how we see the world.
Faire le vide
Location : Island no.22, Poisson Blanc Regional Park, Quebec, Canada
Client : Poisson Blanc Regional Park
Architects/designers : Luca Fortin + atelier mock/up
Manufacturing team : Luca Fortin, Hugo Thibaudeau, Véronique Côté, Thierry Thibaudeau, Daphée Cantin, Raphaël Pellerin, Tom Hallett
Financial partners : MRC d’Antoine-Labelle, Government of Quebec, Poisson Blanc Regional Park
Materials : Cedar
Suppliers : Cèdre JD Sirois
Photographs : Maryse Béland, Karma Photographie, Behind Création, Maika Nadon, Irvin Burel, Luca Fortin