International Architectural Design Competition
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INTERNATIONAL ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN COMPETITION Presentation of the architectural proposals received as part of this contest for boldness and innovation CULTURAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLEX OF MONTRÉAL Front cover: competitors’ scale models Back cover: models in the urban environment 1 3 1. Opus 4 / Busby + Associates, Proscenium Architecture, Beauchamp Bourbeau Réal Paul, Arcop, architects 2. Saucier + Perrotte / Menkès Shooner Dagenais, architects 2 3. De Architeken Cie. + ÆdificaTPL Architecture 4. Cohlmeyer Architects Limited / Provencher Roy et associés architectes / Jodoin Lamarre Pratte et associés architectes / Cardinal Hardy et associés architectes 5. NOMADE + Lemay 4 5 La Société immobilière du Québec wishes to thank all those who contributed in any manner to the production of this document. TABLE OF CONTENTS Message from the president of the jury . 2 Competition jury . 4 Architectural proposals . 5 Laureate De Architekten Cie. + ÆdificaTPL Architecture . 6 Finalists Cohlmeyer Architects Limited / Provencher Roy et associés architectes, Jodoin Lamarre Pratte et associés architectes, Cardinal Hardy et associés architectes . 10 NOMADE + Lemay . 12 Opus 4 / Busby + Associates, Proscenium Architecture, Beauchamp Bourbeau Réal Paul, Arcop, architects . 14 Saucier + Perrotte / Menkès Shooner Dagenais, architects . 16 Honourable mention recipients 3XNielsen A/S . 18 Hal Ingberg architecte / Birtz Bastien Architectes. 19 Hillier . 20 Lea Zeppetelli, architect / O.I. Jean Beaudoin . 21 Massimiliano Fuksas Architetto . 22 Participants in the first stage of the competition. 23 1 MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE JURY Merits and Legacy of the Competition Georges Adamczyk, Jury President A Clearinghouse of Original Ideas and Solutions sible for staging this event, the Société immobilière du Québec discharged its mission efficiently, fairly, and to lasting benefit. The international architectural design competition for the Cultural and Administrative Complex of Montréal generated In their respective capacities as competition advisor and sec- considerable enthusiasm from the time of its launching in retary of the event, Mr. André Leguerrier and Mr. Roch Maltais summer 2002, as it was the first international competition of brought enlightened leadership to the project, a contribution its kind to be held in Québec. Through this initiative, the which proved decisive to successfully organizing and running Government of Québec reasserted its determination to grant this major competition, an initiative of the Government of architectural innovators a leading role in the province’s cul- Québec. With the support of the members of the technical tural development. committee, the competition advisor and the secretary ensured strict enforcement of the competition rules, absolute equity A veritable clearinghouse of original ideas and solutions, this among participants, compliance with the principles respecting competition represented an opportunity for pooling the the confidentiality of the authors, and transparency in the research and viewpoints of architects and experts active in selection process. In addition, they provided the president Québec and around the world, along with those of young and the members of the jury with invaluable, insightful assis- firms that have staked out more radical positions concerning tance and kept the project on target with its stated objectives. technical, practical, aesthetic, and planning-related inno- vations. This competition will thus have made an invaluable The make-up of the jury is always a highly sensitive affair, as contribution to the promotion of architecture in Québec. the members should give no indication of harbouring any par- ticular leanings. In the present case, the jury selection process The competition was based on a program having three main attested to a spirit of openness and a steadfast determination objectives: providing the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal to foster animated debate and balanced judgment among the (OSM) with a permanent “home” and a world-class concert jurors. Moreover, the prospect of lively deliberations over the hall, offering the Conservatoire de musique et d’art dramatique major issues of urban planning, architecture and culture raised du Québec à Montréal (CMADM, or Montréal music and theatre by innovative architectural approaches was an additional arts conservatory) a building equipped with specialized equip- argument in favour of eliciting the participation of noted archi- ment in keeping with the institution’s needs, and erecting a tects Oriol Bohigas and Toyo Ito. While their ideas and government building in the Montreal area. The scale of this achievements offer a study in contrast, both authorities share program and the characteristics of its components were con- a distinguished record of actions and influence in urban archi- sonant with the planning issues surrounding the site, located tectural design. The quality of the jury, as a group, served to in the heart of Québec’s cultural metropolis. These particular enhance debates and shape the informed, if occasionally con- requirements, coupled with the objective of meshing com- tested choices that stemmed in all cases from open discussion, ponents so as to produce a coherent yet heterogeneous urban as well as the majority decisions that provided the ultimate whole, compelled finding inventive, innovative solutions. basis for the final consensuses and unanimous decisions. An Organization Equal to the Challenges at Hand As the result of its performance, in terms of organization and implementation alike, this competition has established norms The conduct and management of the competition were equal and criteria that are likely to be looked to as models whenever to the challenges of this ambitious initiative, as was the work international competitions, whether public or private, are of the members of the technical committee and jury, whose launched in Québec in the future. role was advisory. Furthermore, as the organization respon- 2 The Selection The Laureate In the first stage, the selection criteria fell into two different De Architeckten Cie. + ÆdificaTPL Architecture was categories based on the project’s conceptual and technical awarded top honours owing to its ability to bring together, aspects. The first category included the urban planning and within a single typology, the features appropriate to a multi- conceptual approach; the expression of the architectural function building while also satisfactorily responding to the scheme; and the response to symbolic and functional expec- architectural and urban issues surrounding the proposal. The tations, as well as the clarity and detail of the project presentation. seeming simplicity of the proposed construction turns out, The technical aspects covered budget, compliance with the upon closer examination, to possess a more complex geom- architectural design program, technical feasibility, and the etry. Both the drawing and the scale model reveal a polymor- potential for spatial organization in relation to planning objec- phous construction of interior horizontal and vertical spaces tives. It should also be noted that the identity of candidates offering a surprising degree of diversity and potential. was revealed only once the period of candidacy had ended and the jury’s recommendations had been officially approved A Legacy for the Promotion of Architecture and accepted. The value of architectural design competitions extends In the second stage of the competition, the jury’s deliber- beyond their contribution to education, research and experi- ations, taken as a whole, brought out the range of difficulties mentation, their concern for transparency and the dissemin- involved in making choices, given not only the quality of the ation of information, and their invitation to open public entire set of proposals but also the specific, distinct aspects of debate. There is also, at the very outset, the contribution of each. The criteria used to evaluate proposals at this stage also the many architects who responded to these invitations and fell into two categories: architectural aspects, on the one who, so doing, were prompted to question their own hand, and general evaluation and compliance-related approaches and delve into their technical and creative aspects, on the other. More specifically, the architectural resources. Such, in short, are the merits on which this event is aspects consisted of the formal intent and resolution of archi- likely to bequeath an enduring legacy. tectural composition; the insertion in context (site and build- For these merits and this legacy, I should like, in my capacity ing); the quality of spaces, particularly in public areas; the as chairman of the jury, to express my deep appreciation to organization of space, traffic, connections between project the many people who replied to our invitation and who, components; the response to symbolic and functional expec- thanks to the quality of their proposals, helped make this tations; the choice of materials (durability and upkeep); the competition a major professional event. My thanks go, as strategies for inception of sustainable development; and the well, to the members of the jury and the technical commitee clarity and detail of the project presentation itself. General for their contribution to this resounding success. aspects of evaluation and program compliance included the functional and operational approach adopted in respect of the As professor and director of the Université de