Beyond the Podium
The roof of the Montreal Olympic Stadium is beginning to crumble; having been pushed too hard, it can no longer compete. Its structure is worn out, its surface wrinkled and damaged. Despite its condition, it continues to have a significant impact on its surroundings. Subject to intense pressures within the urban fabric, the site on which the roof stands appears dysfunctional. The Olympic Park is hemmed in by two major thoroughfares: Sherbrooke Street and Pierre-de-Coubertin Avenue. These barriers prevent dialogue, interaction, and movement between Maisonneuve Park to the west, the Olympic Park, and the Hochelaga neighborhood to the east. The character of these three zones also fuels discord. On one side, large open spaces give way to nature within the city. On the other, diverse housing types reflect neighborhood life. Finally, in the center, immense, massive buildings dominate a barren site that has undergone the same treatment. The project emerges from a series of control points. Each of these points features a pillar. Like stitches, a deck connects the whole, then heals the relationships between the different sites. In total, three footbridges allow people to escape the monumentality of the Olympic facilities. The path taken by each footbridge serves as a shortcut, a visual landmark, and facilitates transitions across the rugged topography. On the upper level of each, there is a circulation axis from which visitors can observe the Olympic Park and the city. At ground level, several modules or "folies" serve as venues for the many events held in the Olympic Park. Once the system is in place and the urban wounds have healed, the neighborhood's heterogeneity is no longer synonymous with tension, but rather with connection. Four categories of "folies," inspired by events held at the Olympic Park site, are situated beneath the footbridges. A rest area can host events like Lolë White Yoga. A play area can host the Pierre Lavoie Challenge. A screening area can show StarCité films. Finally, a stage can host various music groups and orchestras.
(From competitor's text)
(Unofficial automated translation)
