Place Dumas

Affordable housing and local shops in the heart of Nominingue, Hautes-Laurentides

In the center of the bucolic village of Nominingue, a plot of land had lain abandoned since the Dumas grocery store burned down over  twenty years ago. Today, the Association de Développement de Nominingue (ADN) is working to revitalize this strategic space. By combining commercial vitality with a response to the affordable housing shortage, the Place Dumas project is born: a mixed-use concept offering three commercial suites and seven accessible housing units for the community!

The architecture is rooted in the local built heritage and revisits certain elements of the early 20th-century resort establishments that marked the history of the area. The architects drew inspiration from the former Rochon Hotel, once located on the site, as well as the Ardouin Hotel, still standing nearby on the street. The exterior walkways and covered galleries wrapping around the facades are evocative of the grand inns of yesteryear, where architecture fosters social encounters and community life.

Crowned with a pitched roof featuring livable attic spaces, the building blends harmoniously into the village skyline. The ground floor is universally accessible and houses a doctor’s office, a catering space, and an 8-space daycare, directly meeting the essential needs of Nominingue families. At the rear, generous outdoor spaces open onto a stand of tall pines, offering residents a peaceful haven and a privileged connection with the Laurentian nature.

Financed by the Société d’habitation du Québec (SHQ) and Novoclimat certified, Place Dumas combines affordability, durability, and environmental performance. The project demonstrates that architecture can play a structuring role in village development, integrating architectural quality, residential dignity, and a sensitive integration into the context to offer a sustainable future at the heart of village life.