Light Beneath the Pavement - In the Heart of the Latin Quarter
"From the clash of ideas springs light." Nicolas Boileau, 17th-century French philosopher
A place of learning, a place of culture and underground counterculture, a place of social protest, and a place of creativity. With the presence of Berri station and UQAM, the Latin Quarter is also the place where everything converges. To the intense activity on the streets, one must add an underground life that is just as intense.
Revealing the underground human activity and the energy that emanates from it, a force that lifts the ground from which springs a light revealing the identity of the Latin Quarter.
Whether symbolically or literally, through an intense glow or by creating light wells and visual connections to the underground neighborhood, these slits foster links between the parallel worlds of the street, the metro, and UQAM. A strip of wood, supple and flexible, is shaped by these slits and human activity, giving way to the expression of a distinctive urban culture.
Gastronomic, artistic, and political, this linear plaza is a space of freedom where the diverse identities of this neighborhood--which it would be a great pity to reduce to a single one--find expression.
Site Selection
A major urban intersection should emerge from the convergence of two key, defining urban thoroughfares: St-Denis and Ste-Catherine--a bustling hub of activity in the heart of the Latin Quarter. However, in their current configuration, these two thoroughfares cross paths without truly meeting at a single point, causing their distinct identities and characteristic vibrant commercial activity to lose momentum.
Urban Concept
We propose extending the activity of St-Denis southward, all the way to Ste-Catherine and beyond, by establishing a strip of development on the space reclaimed by eliminating on-street parking. On the sunny side, a continuous ribbon of wood unfolds, serving as a carrier of identity and activity.
In addition to revitalizing street life and restructuring this key intersection, the development of the program facing Place Pasteur restores the square's rightful importance at the heart of the neighborhood.
(From the competitor's text)
(Unofficial automated translation)
Light Beneath the Pavement
The jury appreciated:
The conceptual image of a force lifting the ground, revealing underground human activity.
The potential offered by the quality of the ground-level design.
The potential for connections between underground activities and spaces and the street.
The boldness of the design, which encourages major institutions (including UQAM) to make use of outdoor spaces.
The quality of the interventions while respecting existing buildings.
The jury raised the following concerns (reservation):
The proposed materials in light of concerns regarding durability and maintenance.
The quality of the ground-level landscaping in terms of treatment.
The jury suggested (as a direction for the follow-up to the competition):
To consolidate the work around the perimeter of the key site that is UQAM.
To further develop the vertical connections called for by the conceptual image revealing human activity emanating from the ground.
To clarify the mixed-use nature and utilization of traffic routes and their sharing among different users.
(From the jury's report)
(Unofficial automated translation)
14 scanned / 14 viewable
- Presentation Panel
- Perspective
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- Perspective
- Plan
- Section
- Axonometric Drawing
- Axonometric Drawing
- Axonometric Drawing
- Axonometric Drawing
- Photograph of Model
- Sketch
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