Photo credit: KANVA
IMAGO is the winning entry of the City of Montreal?s two-phase competition entitled ?Vivre le chantier Sainte-Cath!?.
St. Catherine Street, an important commercial artery in downtown Montreal, is undergoing a four-year infrastructure improvement plan along several blocks, including underground infrastructure upgrades, incorporation of new public transit systems and increasing pedestrian sidewalk area and access. The project seeks to ameliorate the streetscape?s overall appeal, improve its functioning and promote economic growth over the long term.
During the construction, different segments of the street will be closed to car traffic, however, pedestrian traffic and access to all stores will remain functioning. It is inevitable that this period of transformation will have an impact on people?s daily routine and the operation of the city. Photo credit: KANVA
The competition therefore seeks creative solutions to minimize the negative impacts of an on-going construction site. The competitors were asked to address the following: change the users? perception of the work, create an innovative urban experience within the work site, direct the flow of people, reduce disruptions associated with the work, disseminate information regarding the work and its progress and finally, inform users of future developments.
Inspired by a theme of natural sciences and the transformation of an organism from its embryonic state to its final stage, imago, the project proposes a ...