Beautiful Riversides
Located in the Mercier--Hochelaga-Maisonneuve borough, Promenade-Bellerive Park is one of the largest parks in the eastern part of the Island of Montreal. Highly valued by residents for its direct access to the St. Lawrence River, it serves as a true urban oasis.
However, the park faces major challenges, particularly shoreline erosion, exacerbated by climate change. The City of Montreal has planned significant restoration work for the coming years to address this situation.
This initiative presents a unique opportunity: the reuse and revitalization of the stadium roof to encourage neighborhood residents to visit the park. This approach aims not only to raise residents' awareness of shoreline erosion but also to highlight the importance of the St. Lawrence River to Montrealers.
Our proposal invites Montrealers to gather with their families under multiple structures, offering protection from the sun and/or rain. A symbolic nod to the origin of the material used.
The arrangement of the elements and a simple V-shaped gesture that echoes the silhouette of the stadium tower while encouraging users to observe the riverbank and its horizon.
The structures blend harmoniously into the landscape and gradually evoke the silhouette of the sailboats of yesteryear once in the water, symbolizing the connection between the park and the St. Lawrence River.
Formally, we sought to preserve the brutalist aspect of the structural elements as much as possible in order to constantly remind park visitors of our approach to repurposing existing structures. This approach makes the park's furniture both distinctive and bold, while minimizing the costs of transforming recycled materials.
The natural tension of the canopies draws direct inspiration from the stadium's dynamic, suspended character, lending a sense of lightness to the installation and gradually evoking the sails of sailboats on the open water.
(From competitor's text)
(Unofficial automated translation)
