anno is a true urban loop that reconnects and unifies Champ-de-Mars Park, Place Vauquelin, City Hall and the Champ-de-Mars metro station. Place des Montréalaises serves as a link between the old and the new city and becomes a place of life, an introduction to the historic and heritage district of Old Montreal. anno achieves this by developing three spatial strategies: (1) iconic connection, (2) landscape of discovery, and (3) flexible, expressive and welcoming place. This three-pronged strategy gives users the opportunity to discover and maximize the potential of this long-neglected urban space.
Iconic Connection
anno's circular pathway offers a sensitive and harmonious solution, provides multiple connections, unifies, and promises an experiential passageway for all (universal accessibility, safe at all times).
As a whole, the walkway forms a ring divided into two lanes: One is fast and functional, serving as an express and efficient link for commuters; The other is an experiential route, gently rising, gradually elevating the pedestrian above Saint-Antoine Street, curving to connect with the Champ-de-Mars. It approaches and pauses delicately on the covering slab, blends into the landscape, ends in steps, and gives rhythm to the steps... towards the Place des Montréalaises.
Circular, the footbridge offers a highly accessible, inclusive and comfortable route in all seasons. To this end, the two lanes are equipped with a heated surface, and will be used year-round, even during the winter season.
The walkway is a clear extension of the public space, thus reinforcing the spatial sequence towards the Old Port. The ring offers visitors to the Place des Montréalaises a multitude of observation points of the different monuments and viewpoints of Montreal. It attracts interest, and the eye is drawn to the downtown core, City Hall, Place Vauquelin and Champ-de-Mars Park. Inward, views turn to a grass and tree garden that softens the presence of the highway ramp. The walkway allows one to project up to the tree tops giving the impression of floating in the foliage. This garden is a beautiful showcase of the natural diversity of Montreal. The mix of deciduous and coniferous trees colors the place, according to the seasons.
The reflective texture of the walkway, its contrasting shape and its natural integration into the site, give the Place a strong, memorable identity and give the Champ-de-Mars sector that famous iconic connection it so richly deserves.
Landscape of discovery
anno's landscape design is inspired by the stories of twenty-two Montreal women: eight pioneers and fourteen victims to be commemorated. The pioneers are eight women who have made significant contributions to the city of Montreal through their lives and work. They are : Jeanne Mance, Marie-Joseph Angélique, Myra Cree, Agnès Vautier, Jessie Maxwell Smith, Ida Roth Steinberg, Idola Saint-Jean, and Marcelle Ferron. The Quartorze are the women victims of the 1989 Polytechnique Montreal massacre. anno proposes to weave history, to illustrate the Square with their stories, to create a landscape of discovery based on the City's past.
The first seven women pioneers are represented by seven tree species from the Quebec plant palette. These woman/tree associations link Montreal's historical and natural heritage. The trees are found on the square, filling the space with a rich green palette with regenerative virtues.
The eighth woman is the artist Marcelle Ferron, who inspired the concrete colors on the ground, in homage to her glass roof of the Champ-de-Mars metro station; the abstract forms shape the place, give a dynamic tone, the urban carpet is created.
Women of character, the eight pioneers have had a significant impact on the lives of entire generations of Montrealers. The commemoration of these women is deliberately individual. In seven distinct locations, each of the seven pioneers is celebrated by a unique tree grid - engraved with their names, the names of their associated tree species, and their specific teachings for Place des Montréalaises. Marcelle Ferron and the 14 victims also have their commemorative plaques, the first one at the entrance of the metro station, the other in the center of the footbridge.
Flexible, expressive and welcoming place
In addition to the footbridge, which provides a safe connection to the site, the Place is connected at the ends of the quadrangle, to facilitate the fluidity of visitors' movements. Bicycle racks are installed near the activity spaces. A larger concentration of bike racks is located near the Champ-de-Mars metro exit.
The multifunctional bleachers fulfill three functions: support, reception and access. They support the experiential pathway of the bridge, they provide the public with a convivial space with a southwest view of downtown Montreal, and they also form a wide staircase accessing the experiential pathway. Combined with engineering, layout and logistical solutions, the spaces can be realized at a lower cost, while maintaining a high quality of design and materials.
The lawn borrows the existing conditions of the site. anno proposes to reshape the lawn surface, by adding a small hill, offering a gentle slope. The top of this hill becomes the ideal place for sunbathing, while its edge favors a more conventional seating area. The terraces accentuate this effect of appropriation of the place and become the heart of the square. The commemorative tree of Marie-Joseph Angélique, the Eastern Hemlock, marks this area by its singularity and reinforces the identity of the adjacent Marie-Joseph Angélique Square.
The windowless facades of the CHUM Hospital buildings are softened by the addition of an innovative playground inspired by Marcelle Ferron's artworks. Children are invited to run, jump, climb, and wander around the sloping surfaces. Nearby, parents gather around picnic tables, sheltered from the sun. On the other side of the playground, chess and ping-pong tables complete the north side of the square. This provides an energetic mix of intergenerational activities.
The layout of the Place des Montréalaises is optimized by the creative use of surfaces. The hard surfaces delineate high-frequency movement areas and facilitate access for emergency vehicles. With the potential to accommodate crowds, it invites the programming of intimate concerts, art exhibitions, film screenings, fireworks, or street food trucks. Soft surfaces, such as the playground and lawn, invite relaxation and exchange.
Montrealers' squares
anno is defined by its exhilarating circle, its invigorating curves. Visitors to our beloved city will be introduced to it as soon as they arrive by plane, whose route regularly passes over downtown. anno joins the iconic spheres of Montreal: the Olympic stadium, the biosphere and the Ferris wheel.
The iconic connection, the landscape of discovery and the flexibility of the site give anno a bold vision for the Champ-de-Mars area. anno is the bridge between the old and the new city. anno is a gathering space that pays homage to the past, present and future of Montreal. Finally, anno is intended to be Montreal's new cultural jewel.
(From competitor's text)
(Unofficial automated translation)
This proposal presents a strong signature, in contrast with its environment. The idea of reweaving in a marked way the link broken by the presence of the highway, the relationship to the Champ-de-Mars and the framed view of the city hall are the strengths of the concept.
The proposal also shows a good urban analysis and the proposed approach to functional and experiential connection is interesting. This strong gesture linked to the double connection must not, however, be done at the expense of the quality of the square's design. In addition to the treatment of the ground, whose language borrowed from the glass roof was appreciated by the jury, the layout of the site must be given more thought in the second phase, both in terms of form (identity) and function (use).
The colored walkway that unfolds like a ribbon in the space suggests a lot of potential. However, it is somewhat massive and its structure needs to be refined in phase 2. The jury would also like to point out that the landing of the footbridge on the Champ-de-Mars is largely outside the intervention zone authorized by the Ministère de la Culture et des Communications and by the Division du patrimoine de la Ville de Montréal, which presents a risk/challenge with regard to the future acceptance of this aspect of the project. The jury will want to hear from the team about the possibility of having to evolve the design of the footbridge in respect of the Champ-de-Mars site.
Another major issue resulting from the configuration of the ring is the fragmentation of the space, which can lead to problems of appropriation and safety. The team will have to refine its proposal to ensure that it does not create isolated, unusable islands that are hidden from view.
In terms of commemorating Montreal women, the basic idea is interesting (among other things, it implies a link with Aboriginal roots), but will have to be developed further in Stage 2.
(From jury report)
(Unofficial automated translation)
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