At a press conference yesterday at the Oratory Basilica, Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal revealed the winner of the multidisciplinary architectural competition launched last December. The jury followed a rigorous process to evaluate the offers from the four finalists according to well-defined selection criteria. The concept behind the winning project incorporates physical, historical and spiritual elements into the reconfiguration design for the inside of the Basilica’s dome and the museum spaces, which will give access to Montréal’s highest vista.
Inside the museum. Photo via Architecture49 and Atelier TAG
The proposed experience features a pathway through the museum and inside the dome, extending the Oratory’s pilgrimage experience during an ascent that is physical, historical and spiritual. The proposed architectural layout will take the form of a drapery that reveals the Oratory’s different construction periods, and defines while unifying the experience throughout the pathway. The staging, materials and architecture will work together to guide the visitors through the various stages of the ascent, creating an intimate experience with the space that will be interpreted in a personal way for each visitor and act as a tool for discovering the self and the world. “The selected project honours the importance of having a design that aligns with the historic mission of Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal and finds an exemplary...