How does the landscape integrate color, texture, chiaroscuro for inclusion?
Inclusive design has the power to transform the journey to a stadium into a rich, emotionally meaningful, and truly shared sensory experience. In our proposal for CEPSUM--the multi-sport complex at the Université de Montréal--we reimagine the path from the urban surroundings to the heart of the stadium as an accessible, fluid, and coherent sequence where landscape, light, and color act as tools for orientation and emotional well-being.
From the very first point of contact--whether arriving by metro, street, or bus stop--visitors are guided by a visual and tactile language inspired by the geometry of the university's logo. This system unfolds rhythmically along pathways, street furniture, lighting elements, and seating areas, forming an intuitive wayfinding strategy that requires no additional interpretation.
The spatial sequence alternates light and shadow to create soft transitions and welcoming atmospheres. The color palette, based on Paul Tol's principles of Color Universal Design, enhances spatial legibility, especially for individuals with perceptual or cognitive differences. Each color is paired with a specific material texture, reinforcing orientation through touch.
A key element of the project is the renovation of the bridge connecting two main buildings. This structure has been redesigned with an inclusive slope and consistent materials that match the sensory language of the route, ensuring continuity and accessibility. One of the buildings has also been adapted to allow the path to continue seamlessly toward the stadium and cafeteria. A spacious, fully accessible elevator supports comfortable, autonomous vertical circulation.
Inside the stadium, seating areas have been redesigned to include ramps and rest zones. Here, inclusion is no longer treated as an add-on but as an essential design quality--one that ensures all individuals can participate equally, experiencing the event from start to finish with dignity, clarity, and shared emotion.
(From competitor's text)
The proposal is not equity-oriented and further accentuates the separation of the paths.
(From jury report)
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