The red ribbon on Sainte-Catherine
Our proposal is characterized by three key components:
-The reinforcement of the coherence of the site in transformation, at the urban scale, by a large ribbon linking a series of temporary public spaces;
-The reversal of the construction stages to prioritize the pedestrian experience, on a street that has been accepted as being in construction as well as at the end of the work;
-The creation of a dynamic signage system, modulated by the construction site, the commercial life, the seasons and the different visitor profiles.
The large ribbon and its suite of public squares
Depending on the evolution of the construction site, a series of 6 squares will punctuate the experience on the site. Each one will be marked by a distinctive design and a giant aerial installation, used as a visual cue in the signage. For the purposes of this presentation, and according to our experience in Saint-Denis, we recommend an intervention on the whole site for an optimal development of the work.
The Bleury observatory platform
As we approach the construction site, a platform will rise above the street to offer an observatory on the latter. From this unique point of view, one will discover the curve of the street revealing the suspended markers identifying the temporary places...
The Saint-James square
The square will be laid out as a flowerbed extending towards the construction site. During the break, which will be synchronized for the construction site and the residents, the place will be an oasis where the quality of the architectural heritage can be seen.
The construction site observatory and the two temporary squares in Phillips Square
A construction site observatory will be set up in the heart of the construction site. It will move according to the two main phases of the construction site. A street frontage on Sainte-Catherine and an elevated observation point will be created. Two temporary squares, like large terraces, will compensate for the public space lost on the square and the garden, by creating terraced spaces and a quality circuit from the metro.
The Ville-Marie Pier
In the axis of McGill College, the City expects to have redeveloped the space of the promenade before the Sainte-Catherine project begins. In order to compensate for the loss of public space and to enhance the route to the metro to the south, we propose to landscape the area that is intended for vehicles.
The Mansfield Cinema Stage
Echoing the Bleury pole, a second stage will rise above the area under construction. In synergy with the Scotiabank cinema, the western sector of the construction site will be both a portal and a public space.
The phases of the site
We propose to prioritize the pedestrian experience and ensure a quick return to continuous traffic on the sidewalks of St. Catherine.
Phase 1 would be devoted to sidewalk areas and preparation of connections. The street surfaces will be more strongly transformed by durable markings as they are resurfaced. Walkways will be systematized.
Phase 2 will be in the center of the street and will quickly reveal to Montrealers the quality sidewalks and access to businesses. Temporary longitudinal conduits will be integrated into the bins in anticipation of the final connection.
The preparatory phases will be treated as small worksites with a more neutral identity and a cladding system respecting the principle in place in the city. The scale of the worksite in phase 1 and phase 2, gives a scale to the intervention that makes it an urban experience, beyond a punctual decoration.
A dynamic visual identity
The visual identity will be developed according to principles that will ensure a coherent content of information on the public space including:
-The red of the city on the hand will cross a complementary color marking the 6 sites;
-The typography, from the Frutiger family, will be able to be designed both on a 3D scale, by simple marking on the street, in print and in digital.
By reaffirming the importance of the sites and businesses through 5 temporary installations and festive signage, Sainte-Catherine will make this moment of change an urban experience.
(From competitor's text)
(Unofficial automated translation)
What particularly appealed to the jury in the proposal presented in phase 1 was the strong, emblematic gesture on the scale of Sainte-Catherine Street. The performance of phase 2 was streamlined according to the jury's comments while maintaining the strong identity of the concept. The team also did a detailed analysis of the types of users, which translates into a fairly varied user experience. This is a great strength of the design," said the jury.
In terms of signage and communication, the concept also evolved well between the first and second phases. The graphic signature is more sober, effective, adaptable to several platforms and suggests possibilities of appropriation for merchants.
As for the functional and operational issues, the service does not meet the project's objectives. The heavy and massive structures do not have the modularity and flexibility necessary for an evolving site. The installations do little to reduce the negative impacts of the construction site and are not designed taking into account the restrictive and changing context associated with an artery under construction. It is in fact more a proposal of several ephemeral public places arranged around the construction site. This project could just as easily have been created in another context and does not meet the expectations set out in the competition program.
(From jury report)
(Unofficial automated translation)
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