The Cloud Factory: A Surrealist Rehabilitation of the Downtown Ottawa Library and Tower

In 2019, as a result of the spread of Covid-19, public spaces were closed, office towers were evacuated and workers had to adapt to a new sedentary way of working. As a result of this rapid change, most office towers in Ottawa are currently empty, and in some cases, unlikely to serve anytime soon, since many large corporations are now considering keeping their employees at home because this model would seem to be cost-effective. This major change in mentality and style of employment management has raised new social and financial questions. On one hand, the demand for affordable housing has become a problem; the cost of housing is growing exponentially while availability continues to decrease. On the other, office management companies and building owners are worried about the fate of their empty floor plates. This thesis imagines a solution that would benefit both parties.