[ LOOP ] Réalisons Montréal, Ville Unesco de Design

The proposal “LOOP” by three emerging architects, Kim Pariseau, Étienne Pelletier and Dominic Poncelet, has been named 1st Prize Winner of the “Réalisons Montréal, Ville Unesco de Design” initiative which proposes an audacious new project that transforms the public space above the Ville-Marie Expressway into a dynamic contemporary light and sonorous experience. Currently, this residual space is an eye sore that divides the touristic Old Montreal from the bustling downtown core. The goal of this project is to re-connect the fabric of urbanity and create a meeting place for public bodies. This creates a convergence of not only these two districts, but also the third, underground Montreal world. In effect, neglected underground life (metro, highway, shopping complexes) is transformed in order to compliment the urban, exterior public space.

Here’s a detailed description of LOOP we received from the architects:

The originality of this project lies mostly in its refiguring of our perception of underground sound. Noise created by the metro and the highway are generally considered as nuisances in urban life, something to be pushed away, eliminated or avoided. Under LOOP, these nuisances are seen in a new light: one of leisure, integration and entertainment.

The name of the project, LOOP, represents in one sense a new pole that is the synergy between these two poles (underground and above ground). And in a second sense, represents an attempt to reclaim the void that has been created by the Ville-Marie expressway’s concrete body.

This new space re-connects touristic sites and cultural attractions (Palais de Congres/ CHUM, Place Jacques-Cartier/Quartier des spectacles, to name a few), thus creating a seamless downtown. Furthermore, this site also improves street flow, usage and access to public and Montreal underground. Briefly, this new pole will allow for valuable reordering of urban infrastructure and their surroundings.

A pleasant, intriguing and playful site

By vertically linking the underground with the ground level via audio terminals and access points, the public space engages pedestrians and stimulates communication. City sounds (conversations, metro, highway, shows) are captured from lower strata in order to be partially re-emitted and superimposed at the surface. The decibel levels captured are retransmitted as sound but also as light via a lighting mechanism that harmonizes sound and light and changes based on the intensity of the sound. So when an underground train passes through, its path briefly illuminates the space in an ephemeral passage of movement, sound and light.

This new space would henceforth become an urban melody, a contemporary industrial urban visual experience . Inspired by the colours of Marcelle Ferron’s glassworks, the play of light, modulated by the intestinal sounds of the city, would result in a new eclectic, animated environment. The show would never end so long as public bodies are in flux. Their infinite capture, modulation and re-issue, would create a ceaseless renaissance of urban luminescence and sonorous delight. An inspiring challenge The “Shuko Montreal: Ideas Competition for the Redevelopment of the area around Champ-de-Mars métro station” has been a wonderful opportunity for us, as young architects, to reflect on urban issues. Our sincere thanks goes to members of the jury who provided very thought-provoking commentary on the «Réalisons Montréal, ville unesco de design» website, and the City of Montreal for creating the competition with the objective to “dream” our city.

from  bustler