Sun Youth is a charitable organization that has been providing services to the community for over six decades. Its mission spans multiple emergency services and programs in the community to meet the basic needs of underprivileged individuals and families to preserve their integrity and dignity. The offer covers emergency assistance in terms of food, clothing, material, financial and medical care, while the different programs provide access to recreation, sports, day camps and groups for seniors. Sun Youth is now renting five different locations in the city to house emergency services as well as various sports and recreation programs. The organization is therefore at a turning point in its history where it would like to consolidate its activities to better help the community. The appropriation of a building as owner makes it possible to meet the present needs and to create a new pole of services to the community which will become a social anchor gathering the whole of the services in the Villeray-Saint-Michel-Parc-Extension district.

The project, aiming to present the 7501 and Sun Youth as a new landmark within the neighbourhood, sets the table for the programmatic and social intentions of the project's occupation. The reconstruction allows the architecture to be based on the original 1924 building by bringing back the characteristic architectural elements that have disappeared and continuing the pattern established at the beginning.

In order to address and promote the influence that the use of the building can have on society, the emergency services are placed as close as possible to the public thoroughfare by being inscribed in a two-level masonry basilar that takes up the industrial character of the original building. The preventive component, including the sports activities, is inscribed in a contemporary volume imbricated in this two-level basilaire. This architectural gesture links the two components of the organization and symbolizes the elevation of youth and future generations through solid foundations and values. The visual connection to the urban context allows for a didactic notion as well as an awareness of the immense positive impact that the Sun Youth organization has on the community.

The project also aims at reconciliation with its environment. This notion is reflected in the desire to obtain the Zero Carbon Building (BCZ-V3) certification for all stages of the project and thus align with the objectives of the City of Montreal's 2020-2030 Climate Plan. The use of geothermal wells and solar panels will allow the building to significantly reduce its electrical demand and dependence. In addition, the desire to promote urban agriculture and rooftop greening will not only benefit the organization and the community but also significantly reduce heat islands in the area. Another important objective of the project is to provide a neutral and inclusive place by implementing strategies for people with reduced mobility, hearing and vision impairments. The proposed building thus becomes an accessible and connected model for the community.