Conceptual approach - The McGill College esplanade; from the mountain to the river.
Le grand verger transforms the avenue into an urban esplanade and moves away from the commonplace, re-edited according to the trends of the moment, by proposing a contemporary and perennial edition of the public space anchored to the spirit of the place.
Due to its privileged location, McGill College Avenue is connected to many significant urban landmarks, such as the McGill University campus, the Place Ville-Marie Esplanade and Sainte-Catherine Street. Its dense, heterogeneous built interface, often set back from the property line, leaves a dilated public space. The Grand Orchard is a unique opportunity to realize a contemporary urban restructuring project of interest in all seasons and of great quality for Montreal; an innovative project in its simplicity and coherence on an emblematic site of downtown.
The genius of the site and the landscape dimension
The typomorphological and iconographic analyses of the site are evocative of strong images allowing the new esplanade to be rooted in a spirit of historical continuity. The orthogonal grid of the avenue designed in 1856, in perfect alignment with the central axis of the McGill University campus, becomes a pedestrian walkway structuring the project from north to south. In the 19th century, the avenue was lined with terraces of grey stone houses and rows of trees offering a prestigious character; without taking literally the right-of-way of the Terrace Houses, this residential grid is a pretext for deploying a unifying compositional sequence at 9m on the entire esplanade, evoking the scale of the urban landscape of the time. The 36-meter wide avenue is composed of topography, monumentality and a clear view to the north towards Mount Royal Park - a natural emblem of Montreal - and the former Royal Victoria Hospital - a rich architectural heritage -, but also to the south towards Place Ville Marie and its esplanade in the process of being re-qualified. The accentuation of the pedestrian perspectives and the enhancement of the topography are magnified in the proposed project.
The founding lines and the topography reinterpreted in a contemporary manner with sobriety and simplicity, but also the will to create a significant pedestrian link from the mountain to the river represent the foundation stone of the project.
The composition of the esplanade is created by a diagonal drawn between the entrance of the university campus and the new step of Place Ville Marie; the urban gesture explores the duality between nature - reference to the Mountain - and the mineral - link with the city. The geometrical play allows to preserve and enhance the visibility cone on the Mount Royal and to accentuate the perspective effects.
On one side of this diagonal, the large orchard forms the parterre and spreads over four vegetated plateaus in reference to Mount Royal Park. In the cycle of the seasons, the current avenue is distinguished in the imagination by its simple alley of crabapple trees. Magnified in Le grand verger, the crabapple trees take their place on the unifying grid and offer Montrealers a canvas of flowers in the spring, an island of coolness in the summer, a source of red fruits in the fall and a field of texture in the winter.
On the other side, the mineral surface gradually decomposes from a quiet mountain stream to a waterfall, then to a tamed river, culminating in an urban fountain of water jets adjacent to the bustle of St. Catherine Street, providing a place to cool off and play. Some of the water features become pedestals for works of art that add to the collection already present on the site and accompany the users' journey; an artistic signature in reference to the nearby museums. The presence of water is a form of reverence to the St. Lawrence River; water acts as a breadcrumb trail that accompanies the stroll of passersby and is a source of animation in all seasons.
A conceptual pivot between the city and the mountain and all forms of mobility, the large circular wooden platform bench acts as a performance space with a strong potential for spontaneous animation; it can be a meeting point, a place to sit and be used as an improvised stage.
A soft mobility axis, the 6m wide walkway is bordered from north to south by a 3m wide vegetated and functional service strip that allows a fair balance of vegetation on both sides of the public space. This strip also allows for a 3.3m obstacle-free corridor in front of the buildings and, from the city to the mountain, accommodates a series of animated terraces alternating with rain gardens enriched with lush vegetation.
(From competitor's text)
(Unofficial automated translation)
Stage 1
General appreciation
The jury appreciates the great simplicity of this development proposal, which relies on a diagonal axis dividing the entire space of McGill College Avenue and which ensures a gradual programmatic change between the mineralized spaces to the south and the green spaces to the north. While not conceptually innovative, this approach responds in a skillful and elegant manner to the requirements of the program, notably by emphasizing and even amplifying the visual perspective towards Mount Royal. Despite the qualities attributed to the simplicity of this proposal, the jury considers that it has nevertheless remained very schematic in its expression. The jury hopes that the proposal will be improved in the development of the diversity and richness of the experiences it offers.
Conceptual and environmental quality of the plant strategy
The parterre offers abundant vegetation of the public space and allows the recovery of the crabapple trees. The jury invites the finalist team to develop the design concept so that the square can offer a more coherent plant ensemble. The jury also identifies design issues related to the water feature and wishes to communicate its concerns regarding the responsible use of water in this proposal.
Landscape and Heritage Quality
The design concept fits well with the iconic character of the site. The diagonal line and the differentiated treatment of the two resulting surfaces allow the implementation of a single unifying gesture that contributes to reconciling the mountain and Place Ville Marie by amplifying the visual perspective towards the mountain.
Functional quality - Use
The functional principles of the proposed space are in line with the structure stated in the program, that is to say a strongly vegetated space linked to the McGill University campus to the north and a mineralized space linked to the more commercial and tourist functions of the downtown area to the south. Aside from this large general structure, the proposal lacks articulation. The use of water as an element of animation of the mineralized space is very relevant. However, it raises the issue of the role of this space in winter as well as in the fall and spring (October to May) when the fountains are not in use.
Functional Quality - Mobility
In general, the walking space in this proposal appears to be too narrow, given the anticipated traffic. Safety and accessibility issues around the water features were also raised by the jury members.
Stage 2
Conceptual and environmental quality of the plant strategy
There is great elegance in the way the vegetation is installed from north to south in the square. The presence of the crabapple trees sets the scene. The planting seems to have been thought out mainly from a scenographic perspective in order to magnify the setting. On the environmental level, the jury reiterates its comment from the first stage regarding the very strong presence of water for recreational purposes on the site.
Landscape and heritage quality
The design concept of this project shows a great deal of thought and a fine analysis of the site. The diagonal that shapes a receding space is clever, the proposal is simple and effective. The project is successful in terms of the enhancement of the avenue and the accentuated visual perspective towards Mount Royal. On the other hand, despite the elegance of the proposal, it remains uninviting, particularly during the many months of the year when the mineral surfaces are not inhabited by terraces and the presence of water.
Functional Quality - Use
The configuration of the space resulting from the large diagonal generates mineralized spaces to the south and vegetated spaces to the north, as recommended in the program. The longitudinal paths allow for a good reading of the site. The evening experience is appreciated by the jury members. Although the spatial organization is effective overall, the design concept has not been sufficiently developed in terms of appropriation and use. The jury also has a reservation about the possibilities of appropriation under the crabapple trees, which offer little clearance under the branches.
Functional quality - Mobility
As with other services, mobility is an aspect that was not very well developed in Stage 2 of the competition. However, the proposed layouts seem to apply the main principles of accessibility. The circulation space for access to the Eaton Centre parking lot is clearly delineated in the design and appears to generate few conflicts.
Material quality, durability and maintenance of materials, furniture and equipment
The materials are of good quality and fit for purpose. Jury members note the high maintenance and labor costs associated with the fountains and mechanical room.
Consideration of phasing issues, management of risks related to innovation and feasibility
All the members of the jury consider this project as one of the most risky. The presence of water is central to the project while technical considerations related to the shallow depth of the underground slabs could compromise its realization. The animation strategy of the square relies heavily on the playful presence of water; the reduction, or even the disappearance, of this element in the Sainte-Catherine section would be considered a significant modification to the concept.
(From jury report)
(Unofficial automated translation)
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