By North American standards Montréal is an old city. Its central area squeezes between the island's shoreline and Mont-Royal. It is a city with a sequence of topographic inflections drawn out like folds in a great sheet across its urban core. Up, then down, then up again from the river, then to its flat "Plateau" which seems to careen slightly off the edge of the mountain before spreading off North and East to the Island's edges. To this natural topography has been added that of the underground city (the cities finest and biggest building?) which tunnels and surfaces in response to the island's topography. Many of the cities most interesting buildings (or missed opportunities) straddle these folds, attempting to reconcile topography with form and circulation.

Its most defining urban housing is a row-house typology of 2 and 3 floors. It is two-sided housing involving a public street front (where we place our best masonry) and an inner "lane-way" side where we relax a bit and despite our harsh winter climate build with a pallet of materials that would make California proud. It is a typology that puts doors and balconies on the streets and laneways and everyone tries to have their own address.

In the '50s it was a party town. In the '60s it was the city of the future. In the '70s the Olympics cast a shadow over architecture that was to last... (perhaps we are still in it). The '80s and '90s were a time to think about what to do (although not much happened). Now is the time for action.

TEAM
Anne Cormier, Randy Cohen, Howard Davies

Atelier Big City

Atelier Big City is known for its innovative and often gregarious approach to architectural design. Their work, both built and un-built, tries to push the envelope of what they might imagine to be possible in the architectural project, converting restrictions and limitations into work that celebrates the latent potential and optimism of everyday life.

Atelier Big City, Unity 2, Montreal, 2005.
Photo courtesy of Atelier Big City.

Their work combines metaphorical/interpretative themes, with innovative organizational ideas, material use and construction. The projects are structured on a strong conceptual approach based on the interpretation of programme and citing strategies. Of particular interest to the group is the notion of public space in buildings and the importance of the architectural promenade, a spatial journey animated by relations established between elements of the programme, and between the built project and its environment.

Each project is an exploration in generating an architectural milieu of grand sensual stimulation through the use of very simple means: color, volume, material and structure. The work of Atelier Big City explores the potential for the creation of spaces in which the various themes of movement, structure, function, materiality, and form are dynamically employed.

atelierbigcity.com

Urban Arts Architecture's work explores innovative and sustainable uses of wood — the major building material of the region.

This exhibit concept uses wood as a significant building material in the development of the city. It is inspired by the view of the city from a unique position: sitting on a log at one of the many Vancouver beaches. This exhibit seeks to create community, transforming the Vancouver singular beach experience into a communal event, mirroring the density and the intensity of the downtown peninsula.

The linear beach logs are rearranged, pressed and wrapped to form a public gathering place. A topographic bench enfolds the viewer in a sinuous wood wrapper creating facade, threshold, and enclosure, recreating the defined boundaries of the city, while simultaneously forming an enclosed gathering area: a vibrant space of interaction.

The topographic bench is an innovative construction — built from cross laminated timber (CLT) — a manufactured wood product constructed in layers. The design demonstrates a variety of uses of the CLT product and features different connection details, including butt, rebate and lapped joints, as well as mitred corners and splined flush face connections.

ARCHITECT TEAM
Shelley Craig, Jennifer Marshall, Megan Chalmers, Natalie Harris and David Cromp

STRUCTURAL CONSULTANT
Equilibrium Consulting Inc. — Eric Karsh and Robert Malczyk

MATERIAL COLLABORATORS
Special thanks to Canfor, Acorn Wood Design, Forestry Innovation Initiative, and Oscar Faoro

Urban Arts Architecture

Urban Arts Architecture is an architectural firm specializing in community and cultural projects. We aim to create meaningful community experiences through the art of architecture.

Formed in 2006, from their predecessor firms of Urban Forum Architecture and Marshall Arts Architecture, Urban Arts is a natural outflow of many years of collaboration. Partners Shelley Craig and Jennifer Marshall combine their expertise in design innovation to explore each project’s potential to the fullest.

We:

• Create engaging architecture that gives form to our client's goals
• Create sustainable buildings with healthy environments that minimize their impact on the environment
• Root each project firmly in its context — tying the architecture to its site, inhabitants, purpose and culture.

 

Embedded in its region, our work is inspired by the natural environment, resources, and people of the diverse regions of the Province of BC.

urban-arts.ca

Urban Arts Architecture, Southlands Equestrian Estate, Vancouver, BC. 2006.
Photo courtesy of Urban Arts Architecture.