MONTRÉAL, DESIGN OF THE CITY / CITY OF€¦ · educational institutions, and well-known exhibition...

TOWARDS DESIGNATION AS A UNESCO CITY OF DESIGNAPRIL 2006

MONTRÉAL, DESIGN OF THE CITY /CITY OF DESIGN

L’Actualité, novembre 1967

FOR THE PRESENT PURPOSES,DESIGN IS DEFINED IN ITSBROADER SENSE, INCLUDINGALL THE CREATIVE DISCIPLINESTHAT SHAPE AND HAVE THEPOWER OF QUALIFYING AND ENRICHING OUR LIVINGENVIRONMENT: LANDSCAPEARCHITECTURE, URBANDESIGN, ARCHITECTURE,INTERIOR DESIGN, INDUSTRIALDESIGN, GRAPHIC DESIGN,FASHION DESIGN. RRR

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FOR THE CITY OF MONTRÉAL,DESIGN IS AN ACTIVITY OFIDEATION, CREATION,PLANNING, PRODUCTION AND MANAGEMENT THATINFLUENCES THE QUALITY OF ITS LIVING ENVIRONMENT,MAKES ITS ECONOMY MORECOMPETITIVE, PARTICIPATESIN ITS CULTURAL EXPRESSIONAND STRENGTHENS ITSIDENTITY AND THAT OF ITSBUSINESSES.

EXECUTIVESUMMARY

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Founded in 1642, Montréal has been a city of immigrants for four centuries.The only French-speaking city in North America where its population ofmore than 1,500,000 is predominantly bilingual and many of them speak athird language, Montréal comprises representatives of both the French-speaking and English-speaking communities, augmented by some 150other communities of diverse origin making up 34% of its population. l A modern metropolis that burst onto the international stage with theExpo ’67 World’s Fair, Montréal is now a knowledge city and Canada’sleading investor in university research. It is home to two French-speakingand two English-speaking universities, representing a total of 11 universityinstitutions, along with approximately 50 Canada Research Chairs involvedin developing a multitude of international networks. l Montréal has ahealthy economy, and optimism is the name of the game for the 2007–2010period with an average expected annual economic growth of 2.9%.Montréal’s cutting-edge economic sectors are aerospace, informationtechnology and biopharmaceuticals. l Design in Québec is a developmentsector full of promise, and Montréal is where its economic impact is beingfelt the strongest. The latest statistics show the economic impact of designin Québec to be $1.18 billion, representing 31,173 jobs and making it theprovince’s largest cultural sector. The Greater Montréal area is where65.3% of design workers call home, representing 20,356 jobs and eco-nomic benefits of more than $750 million. l Montréal’s emergence ontothe international scene as a city of design is confirmed by the sustainedactivity of the past twenty years, starting back in 1986, when design wasrecognized as a top-priority development sector. Design has thus becomeone of seven strategic directions guiding the region’s economic develop-ment, and governments have mobilized to make Montréal a world-classdesign centre. l Montréal is the only city in North America that created adesign office (Commissariat au design) in 1991 devoted exclusively to thedevelopment and promotion of design in the city. Montréal also has anextensive network of institutions dedicated to promotion and dissemina-tion, and designers from all disciplines are increasingly making their markas a driving force of cultural and economic life. RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

l Design is now a rallying point that is rather unique in Montréal sincedesign quality became an objective in all municipal policies and strategies(Economic Development Strategy, Urban Plan, Heritage Policy, CulturalDevelopment Policy, Strategic Plan for Sustainable Development). Thisobjective is also an integral part of the plan known as Imagining – BuildingMontréal 2025 – A World of Creativity and Opportunities, launched inSeptember 2005, which states: “Montréal wants to be one of the mostattractive cities in the world because quality of life is a critical factor in thesuccess of cities serving as beacons of the 21st century. As a consequence,to make Montréal an outstanding place to live, the City will be paying muchcloser attention to design and to the quality of urban planning, all with thegoal of sustainable development.” l On the strength of this recognition ofdesign, the arrival of International Design Alliance’s head office in 2005,Commerce Design’s outstanding performance over the past ten years, andthe New Design Cities symposium and book, which inspired the Montreal,Design of the city/City of design integrated strategy and prompted creationof the Design Montréal Task Force, the City now wants to do everything inits power to ensure the success of its future activities and, in that regard,the potential designation of Montréal as a UNESCO City of Design arrivesat a strategic time. l Indeed, being named a UNESCO City of Design willprovide extraordinary leverage for rallying Montréalers around a commonvision, fuelling new partnerships and facilitating the implementation of itsdesign action plan. At the same time, membership in the UNESCO CreativeCities network is a unique opportunity for asserting Montréal’s leadershipas a pole of design excellence and reinforcing its vocation as an interna-tional city. Because of the innovative nature of its design action plan, itsdesigners and institutions who make up the exceptional human capital,and its long tradition of co-operation and sharing of knowledge and know-how, Montréal is poised to make a significant contribution to the develop-ment of the UNESCO Creative Cities network.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

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BACKGROUNDRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

09INTERVIEW WITH THE MAYOR OF MONTRÉAL12THE CITY OF MONTRÉALLAUNCHES THE BOOKNOUVELLES VILLES DE DESIGN / NEW DESIGN CITIESRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

MONTRÉAL IN GENERALRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

14MONTRÉAL, METROPOLIS20MONTRÉAL: AN OVERVIEW22MONTRÉAL DESIGN IN NUMBERSRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

MONTRÉAL DESIGN, FROM YESTERDAY TO TODAYRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

24THE EMERGENCE OF MONTRÉAL MODERNITY26OLD MONTRÉAL28CREATIVITY AS A SIGN OFMONTRÉAL HOSPITALITY


DESIGN: CORE DRIVER OF THEIMAGINING. BUILDINGMONTRÉAL 2025 PROJECTRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

60MUNICIPAL STRATEGIESRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

MONTRÉAL, SEEKING DESIGNATION AS A UNESCO CITY OF DESIGNRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

69MONTRÉAL, ACTIVE AND INVENTIVERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

APPENDIXRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

OF APPLICATIONFORMONTRÉAL,UNESCO CITYOF DESIGN

BACKGROUND

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DO YOU CONSIDER MONTRÉAL TO BE A NEW DESIGN CITY?First of all, I believe that to be a design city it is not enough simply toannounce it. You have to be very careful when you adopt slogans like“Montréal, capital of” this or that. Although it may be useful and importantfor consolidating a city’s reputation, it must nevertheless reflect reality.I would therefore prefer to call Montréal a young design city, an emergentdesign city on the international scene. Why? Because design and design-ers represent a dynamic force in the culture and economy of Montréal, andthe city is constantly gaining a better understanding of how this creativepower can be used to serve the quality of its living environment. lPropelled onto the international stage by the 1967 World’s Fair, Montréal isa modern city that draws both the curious and those interested in cultureand design; they move here or come as tourists. People who choose tomake Montréal their home like the access to a high-quality life style, whilevisitors are stimulated by the ambient creativity or attracted by the diversi-ty of the retail offerings. All of these factors led to the recent decision by the International Design Alliance (the joint secretariat of ICSID andICOGRADA) to establish its head office in Montréal. This choice was madefrom among some thirty candidate cities, and we are very proud of it.Montréal has some major assets to offer—numerous designers, high-qualityeducational institutions, and well-known exhibition centres—but I thinkthat our main strength, and our distinction as a design city, is linked to thedissemination of creative design and architecture throughout the city, withoutregard to the size or nature of the project. There is a subtle omnipresenceof creativity —discreet or dazzling—resulting from the increased accessi-bility of design, which in too many cities is reserved for the elite or confinedto downtown areas. Thanks to initiatives such as Commerce DesignMontréal and similar awareness-raising campaigns by a number of partners,DESIGN IN MONTRÉAL IS NOT SIMPLY FOR SHOW BUT A SOURCE OF DAILY WELL-BEING, AND IT IS BECOMING A BASIC VALUE FORMONTRÉALERS. AS ITS CITIZENS BEGIN TO ACCEPT THIS FACT,MONTRÉAL WILL INEVITABLY ASSERT ITS STATUS AS A DESIGN CITY.

INTERVIEW WITH THE MAYOR OF MONTRÉAL,GÉRALD TREMBLAYExtracts from the interview in the book Nouvelles villes de design, Éditions Infopresse, septembre 2005 pp 124-127

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WHAT HAS YOUR PERSONAL CONTRIBUTION BEEN TO FACILITATING THE EMERGENCE OF YOUR DESIGN CITY?First, I would say that I believe profoundly in the importance of design. Andthis conviction was not born yesterday. When I was minister of industry,science, and technology of Québec, from 1989 to 1994, I instituted the taxcredit for design, a fiscal measure that was decisive in stimulating privateinvestment in research and innovation in design; it is still in force today.This incentive expanded the market for Québec designers, almost two-thirds of whom are concentrated in Montréal. Under the initiative ofBernard Lamarre, I also supported the creation of the Institut de DesignMontréal, whose mission is to promote design as an economic value andto make Montréal an international-calibre design centre. As mayor, I makedecisions every day that have an impact on design in the city. It is myresponsibility to be aware of this and to surround myself with people withthe skills necessary to inform my judgments. We have therefore created anumber of bodies that have this advisory role, including the Heritage Counciland, especially, the Design Commission. Montréal is the only Canadian cityto have a commissioner devoted exclusively to promoting design. Thisposition, created by my predecessors fifteen years ago, has greatly con-tributed to the development of design in Montréal. My own contribution, nodoubt, will have been to immediately recognize the strategic importance ofthis position within the municipal government and to support its actionsand interventions. The challenge now is to broaden the scope of the com-mission’s involvement with design in the city for an integrated approach tohighlighting design in all our actions within our borders. The city, as aninstitution, must provide an example and be innovative in what it does.Being a better client for designers can help us better shape the city.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

WHY DO YOU BELIEVE THAT POSITIONING YOUR CITYTHROUGH DESIGN IS IMPORTANT?Design has meaning only when it enables human beings to live well andthrive. Design is important because it has an immense impact on our lives.Think, for example, of the design of products of all sorts, work environ-ments, houses, parks, streets. l Thus, aspiring to become a design citymeans above all being concerned with the well-being of the citizens. Itmeans advocating a better quality of life in a perspective of sustainabledevelopment. IN FACT, DESIGN IS AN EXTRAORDINARY TOOL OFSOCIAL INCLUSION. WESTERN CITIES ARE IN A PHASE OF RESTORINGQUALITY (RECYCLING, REUSING, RESTORATING, REHABILITATING) IN A CONTEXT OF UNPRECEDENTED SOCIO-CULTURAL CHANGE,WHICH IMPLIES A COMPLETELY NEW COHABITATION OF POINTS OFVIEW AND A PLURALITY OF VALUES. l

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WHAT SHOULD THE ROLE OF THE CITIZEN, THE DESIGNER AND THE POLITICIAN BE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A DESIGN CITY?Citizens must be critical and demanding. They must know how to recog-nize, appreciate and ask for high-quality design and architecture. Theymust also have a sense of responsibility for their living environment.Designers must initiate new ideas and be mediators. They are experts whomust inspire and fully assume leadership. They must know how to trans-late, put into concrete form and project the aspirations of the elected offi-cials and citizens. As for elected officials, they must have a unifying visionand take the risk of innovation both in choosing projects that are presentedto them and in the implementation of processes.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Recently, a design workshop was organized to choose a team of designersto develop an identity for the Quartier des spectacles de Montréal. Thisexercise in contextual design, which led to the selection of Swiss designerRuedi Baur and Montréaler Jean Beaudouin of the Intégral internationalnetwork, was more than simply a process of selecting professionals.Above all, it offered a forum for enriching the reflection on the expectationsand needs of the different, sometimes divergent, interest groups that existin the city, which generate an inclusive common vision indispensable to theproject’s success. To see design as essential to the future of Montréal is toseize the opportunity that this powerful design process offers us to[re]shape the city and everyone who lives in it.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

WHAT EXAMPLES OF DESIGN PROMOTION STRATEGIES DEVELOPED IN OTHER CITIES HAVE INSPIRED YOU?Montréal is a member of various international networks of cit ies(Metropolis, Association Internationale des Maires Francophones [AIMF],United Cities and Local Governments [UCLG]), and we have signed part-nership agreements with cities all over the world. These relationships con-stantly feed into our thoughts and enhance our practices. Design has across-disciplinary aspect that touches many dimensions of municipal life,so we were inspired by the many actions taken by our colleagues in othercities, such as the lighting plan for Lyon. The Biennale InternationaleDesign in Saint-Étienne has also been an important source of inspirationfor us. Because we are highly motivated to make design accessible, wewould like to use certain basic principles of Saint-Étienne’s concept to cre-ate a similar biennale in Montréal focusing on the Americas. More recently,as we have been looking for ways to provide Montréal with an integratedstrategy for highlighting design articulated around the idea of an “innova-tive platform in design,” the British CABE (Commission for Architecture andthe Built Environment) model has inspired us enormously. We are con-vinced, among other things, that it would be very useful to form “designchampions” as essential conduits through which to promote design qualityin all boroughs of Montréal.

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CITY OF MONTRÉAL LAUNCHES THE BOOK NOUVELLES VILLES DE DESIGN / NEW DESIGN CITIESRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

PRESS RELEASEMontréal, September 22, 2005 –The City of Montréal todaylaunched the book Nouvelles villesde design/New Design Cities, whichis based on the proceedings of thesymposium held in Montréal onOctober 6, 7 and 8, 2004, as part of the Dix-septièmes Entretiens duCentre Jacques Cartier. This eventcoincides with the introduction ofthe city’s new design action plan. lThe book Nouvelles villes de design/New design Cities is a second step,after the symposium, in the imple-mentation of a network of synergyand awareness among emergingcities of design, initiated by thecities of Montréal and Saint-Étienne.The symposium has greatly influ-enced the book’s editorial approach,under the supervision of Marie-JoséeLacroix, Design Commissioner forthe City of Montréal, as well as its lively graphic design, signed byMontréal-based orangetangoagency. l Anvers, Glasgow, Lisbon,Montréal, Saint-Étienne, Stockholmand New York’s Times Square are at the heart of this 330-page, richlyillustrated, bilingual book. The book,just as the symposium from which it stems, involves case studies; i.e. actions or events that are at the foundation of the emergence of these seven cities as cities ofdesign. These concrete examplesare supported by reflections bythree imminent thinkers of the

modern city: François Barré (Paris),Saskia Sassen (Chicago) and JohnThackara (Amsterdam andBangalore). l The historic charac-teristics and major assets of designare used as an introduction for eachcity/territory. The texts by sympo-sium-attending experts (promotersand design thinkers) enrich thecities’ portraits through the opinionsof mayors, renowned or emergingdesigners and some of the cities’dedicated residents. l The bookNouvelles villes de design/NewDesign Cities is a tool for reflectionas well as a source of inspiration forall the key players involved in urbandevelopment, including elected cityofficials and municipal employees,urban planners, policy managersand managers of design promotionprograms, experts involved in international marketing and travelpromotion, designers of all fields,teachers and researchers as well as urban tourists and city dwellers.l This book, which was publishedin Québec by Infopresse with thecollaboration of Éditions Pyramyd,in France, will be available in book-stores throughout Europe and NorthAmerica. In Canada, the book willbe sold for $39 with a reduced price(subscription) of $29 until October 31.l Nouvelles villes de design/NewDesign Cities is a publication ofCommerce Design Montréal, aninitiative of the City of Montréal inassociation with the Government of Québec and the Ville de Saint-Étienne, in partnership with itsÉcole régionale des Beaux-Arts.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

MONTRÉALIN GENERAL

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l “WHAT IS MONTRÉAL?” ON WINNING OFFICE IN NOVEMBER2001, MONTRÉAL’S NEW MAYOR, GÉRALD TREMBLAY, INVITEDTHE MUNICIPAL PUBLIC SERVICE AND REPRESENTATIVES OFCIVIL SOCIETY TO THE MONTRÉAL SUMMIT (2002) TO SETTLEON A COMMON VISION FOR THE CITY’S FUTURE. l THE SUMMIT SURFACED FIVE STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS,VERITABLE ACTION AND PLANNING GUIDES, TO SERVE ASREFERENCE POINTS FOR EACH OF THE PARTNERS COMMIT-TED TO IMPLEMENTING THE FINDINGS OF THIS MAJOR EVENT.

01 City of Montréal

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MONTRÉAL,METROPOLIS


STRATEGIC DIRECTION 1 — MONTRÉAL, A CITY OF CREATION AND INNOVATION, OPEN TO THE WORLDCreation, innovation and openness, this is Montréal’s economic engine,which has also become the symbol of the City. Montréal occupies a naturalplace at the heart of Québec’s development. It is an economic driver andcreates wealth for Québec’s entire economy. This is the vision chosen at theMontréal Summit, a vision where culture, research, technology, economicsand knowledge are intimately related and mutually enriched, makingMontréal one of the world’s most desirable and most attractive cities.THIS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTION ENCOMPASSES CULTURE, KNOWL-EDGE, INNOVATION, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, STRATEGIC TRANS-PORTATION INFRASTRUCTURES, OPENNESS TO THE WORLD ANDTHE STRENGTHENING OF ECONOMIC SECTORS.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR


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STRATEGIC DIRECTION 4 — MONTRÉAL, A DEMOCRATIC, FAIR AND TRANSPARENT CITYMontréal wants to be known for how it puts democracy, representation andparticipation into practice. Vast and populous, formed of strong, deeplyrooted communities, the City is structured to support local vitality andmeet its citizens’ specific needs. This participation is based on a practiceof information, consultation and participatory democracy. l The projectsgrouped under this strategic direction rest on the values of democracy andtransparency. The established directions aim at creating a dynamic andpractices that strengthen the ties between the City and its citizens.THIS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTION COVERS CITIZEN REPRESENTATION,CONSULTATION AND PARTICIPATION (DEMOCRACY) MECHANISMSAND SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY LIVING.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

STRATEGIC DIRECTION 5 — MONTRÉAL, AN EFFECTIVEADMINISTRATION SERVING ITS CITIZENSThe City of Montréal serves its citizens and businesses. Performance is acore driver of the project to make Montréal a major North American metrop-olis. Summit participants stressed that, given the situation of decliningresources, the City must develop new ways to fulfill its responsibilities byleveraging best practices in efficiency building. They must attach importanceto the contribution of City employees and motivate them commensuratewith their skills. l Establishing the “Connected City” will enable thousandsof citizens to communicate faster and more effectively with their represen-tatives. However, maintaining and improving the City’s performance alsoraises the crucial issue of recurring funding for municipal operations. Sincethe Summit, the City has been committed to maintaining it while seeking asustainable, all-encompassing solution.THIS STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTION ADDRESSES RESPONSI-BLE MANAGEMENT BASED ON A PARTNERSHIP WITH EMPLOYEES ANDTHE FINANCIAL FRAMEWORK TO BE TAILORED TO THE CITY’S NEEDS.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR


STRATEGIC DIRECTION 2 — MONTRÉAL, A CITY OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENTSustainable development is a key element in the quality of life of Montréal’sinhabitants and an undeniable positioning asset. Sustainable developmentassumes effective as well as socially and ecologically equitable economicdevelopment driven by a new form of governance that urges all membersof civil society to make a choice to get involved in the decision-makingprocess. l Affirming that an accountable, responsible city must combinedevelopment and progress with respect for the environment and resources,Montréal Summit participants attached major importance to the milestonesto be proposed so Montréal could develop policies and apply measures thatwould reflect this vision today and lay the groundwork for moving forwardinto tomorrow.THIS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTION INCLUDES INTEGRATED MANAGE-MENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT, THE INTEGRATED VISION OF SUSTAIN-ABLE URBAN DEVELOPMENT (URBAN PLANNING PROGRAM ANDOTHER PROJECTS), THE PROTECTION AND IMPROVEMENT OF NATU-RAL HERITAGE, AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF A FIRST-RATE URBANPLANNING APPROACH.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

STRATEGIC DIRECTION 3 — MONTRÉAL, AN OUTSTANDING PLACETO LIVE, A BEACON OF SOLIDARITY AND INCLUSIVENESSCities ranked among the best in the world are cities where jobs abound butalso, and perhaps more importantly, cities where it feels good to live andwhere quality of life is outstanding for all residents. l What sets the City ofMontréal apart is the cultural and ethnic wealth of its community. However,too many citizens and groups are beset by problems of poverty and socialintegration, so the established directions prescribe specific actions forimproving quality of life and solving these problems based on the values ofopenness, solidarity and respect.THIS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTION INCLUDES PROJECTS RELATED TO THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT, SPORTS AND RECREATION, THEIMPROVEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT OF HOUSING, THE STRUGGLEAGAINST POVERTY, AS WELL AS FAIRNESS, ACCESSIBILITY ANDDIVERSITY.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

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RRR Its population comprises thedescendants of First Nationscultures, a majority of French-speaking guardians of Québeccreativity, a historical English-speaking community connectedto the vitality of North America,and many communities thatbring cultural baggage fromover a hundred countriesaround the world.

RRR Its extensive, rich and diverseheritage reflects the history of aCity that never stops changing,inspires contemporary produc-tion and provides leverage forcultural, social and economicdevelopment.

RRR Its creators, artists and culturalentrepreneurs are making theirmark here and elsewhere.

RRR Its creators, open to other disci-plines, transcend linguistic andgender barriers and are forcedto constantly reinvent becauseof the small local market andincrease creative exchanges.

RRR A major centre of education,creation, production, promotionand preservation has beenestablished in various artisticand cultural areas.

RRR A diversified cultural offeringincludes major events and awide range of institutions andequipment.

RRR Citizens of all ages are involvedin a wide variety of amateurartistic activities.

RRR An alert, curious public isalways open to new ideas.

RRR Cultural circles have beenorganized to showcase on allfronts the crucial role cultureplays in the life of citizens andcommunities.


Montréal is definitely more thansimply a cultural city—it is a culturalmetropolis. l With its Cultural Devel-opment Policy, Montréal affirms thatculture is a key driver of its develop-ment, economic vitality and futureprosperity. Accessibility, support forthe arts and culture, and the impactof culture on Montréalers’ lifestyleare the three main issues underpin-ning the content of this Policy.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

MONTRÉAL, A CULTURAL METROPOLISTHE FIRST STRATEGIC DIRECTION, A CITY OF CREATION AND INNOVATION, OPEN TO THE WORLD, LED TO THECULTURAL DEVELOPMENT POLICY ADOPTED ON AUGUST 29,2005. IT IS ORGANIZED AROUND THE OBVIOUS CULTURALSTRENGTHS OF MONTRÉAL SOCIETY:

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Consequently, if cultural development strategies and their related activitiesare to produce the expected results, citizens must see culture as an attrac-tive, valuable asset. Since culture must be present, expressed, recognizedand valued throughout Montréalers’ physical environment, this value canonly be realized by improving the cultural quality of the citizens’ living envi-ronment. l Urban planning and development are key tools in enrichingculture. Only by supporting the quality of the city’s architecture and urbandesign, and protecting and enhancing its heritage, will the City and realestate promoters be able to give citizens an environment that is at onceharmonious and stimulating. l Therefore, the City has set itself the goal ofintegrating, not only into its planning program and policies but also into allof its daily operations, a constant concern for harmony, the pursuit of qual-ity and the enrichment of art, culture and heritage. This integration will befacilitated by involving designers and artists as soon as projects reach theplanning stages.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

AS A RESULT, THE FOLLOWING COMMITMENT HAS BEEN MADE:THE CITY WILL INTEGRATE MORE DESIGN INTO ITS PRACTICES—WHETHER THAT INVOLVES PLANNING PUBLIC SPACES AND NEWBUILDINGS AND STREET REPAIRS OR STREET FIXTURES—WHILECONTINUING TO PROMOTE DESIGN AMONG ITS CITIZENS AND ITSINSTITUTIONAL OR PRIVATE PARTNERS, AND ITS EFFORTS TO POSI-TION MONTRÉAL AS AN INTERNATIONAL DESIGN CITY.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Source : Sommet de Montréal 2002

Montréal, métropole culturelle politique de développement culturel de la Ville de Montréal 2005–2015

réussir@montréal, Stratégie de développement économique 2005–2010 de la Ville de Montréal

Imagining – Building Montréal 2025

MONTRÉAL, A NEW CITY OF DESIGNA KEY ISSUE COVERED IN THE CULTURAL DEVELOPMENTPOLICY, THAT CONCERNING THE “IMPACT OF CULTURE ON MONTRÉALERS’ LIFESTYLE”, REFERS DIRECTLY TOEVERYDAY CULTURE.

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l “Having said that, let me makeone thing clear: I consider culture asa major strength of today’s Montréaland especially the Montréal of thefuture. I sincerely believe that, if we all work together to get thismessage out loudly and clearly, itwill be a lot easier to convince othersectors, especially the businesssectors, to get involved—andI should also add invest!—in thismost auspicious undertaking forMontréal. Because investing in cul-ture is not patronage; it’s investingin the future of our city!”Extract from a speech by Mr. BENOIT LABONTÉ,

Mayor of the Borough of Ville-Marie and member of

the City of Montréal Executive Committee, responsible

for Culture, Design and Heritage, during a talk to

the Culture Montréal annual general assembly on

March 17, 2006.



CULTURE MONTRÉAL WWW.CULTUREMONTREAL.CA


An intimate part of Montréal life forclose to 10 years but only recog-nized officially in 2002, CultureMontréal is an independent, non-profit organization that bringstogether all citizens interested inpromoting culture as a key vector of Montréal’s growth. A place forthinking, talking and acting, theorganization is actively involved indefining and raising awareness ofMontréal culture through research,analysis and communication activi-ties. As a chosen mouthpiece,Culture Montréal plays a major rolein positioning the City as a culturalmetropolis by showcasing its cre-ativity, cultural diversity and open-ness to both the rest of the nationand the world. It was especiallyinstrumental in developing the City’sfirst cultural policy, creating a majorinternational network with othercultural cities (like New York), andorganizing large international sym-posia to stimulate lively discussionsbetween citizens and creators fromboth here and abroad.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR


MONTRÉAL SUMMIT (2002)RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Held on June 4, 5 and 6, 2002, the event brought together over3,000 people from businesses,mutual interest groups and themunicipal government to worktogether to prioritize activities. TheMontréal Summit is part of a jointeffort to position Montréal as aleader in North America. TheMontréal Summit demonstrates awillingness to share power betweenmunicipal government, citizens andcivil society. A democratic exerciseunique in Canada, the MontréalSummit implemented an unprece-dented collaboration, a collabora-tion that has continued every daysince 2002.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR


MONTRÉAL, A CULTURAL METROPOLIS SUMMIT (2007)RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

The community is invited to a newSummit in 2007. It will be an oppor-tunity not only to assess the resultsof activities stemming from theaction items identified in 2002 ofcourse, but also to prepare anaction plan related to the CulturalDevelopment Policy and especiallyto identify investments that will beneeded to implement it.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

“We have two things to do to pre-pare for this important Summit. Thefirst is to identify the projects to beconducted, which will be discussedor announced or have their progressmeasured or even initiated at theSummit. To my mind, these projectsmust address the issues of accessi-bility to art and culture, support forcreators and artists and the culturalquality of the living environment. l“The second job consists in mobiliz-ing all sectors of civil society, and alllevels of government, to convincethe greatest number of people thatMontréal, A Cultural Metropolis, is afundamental necessity. We have todo this because, the way I see it, toofew citizens, organizations and busi-nesses still fail to understand thevital importance of culture forMontréal’s future. Much more effortis needed to educate them!

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MONTRÉAL: AN OVERVIEW


LAND500 km2 for the greater metropolitan area and 366 km2 for the City.Montréal had 19 boroughs as of January 1, 2006.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

SPECIFICSThe Montréal area, with its 3.5 inhabitants, is approximately one and halfhours by plane from New York City or Washington, DC. Bounded on oneside by Mount Royal and the other by the St. Lawrence River, this strategi-cally placed island has opened its arms to immigrants for four centuries. lMontréal is the only completely bilingual city in North America in a countrywhere bilingualism is guaranteed by national institutions that work inFrench and English to serve a multicultural, multiethnic society. Besidesthe two founding cultural communities, 150 other communities account for34% of its population. l Elegant and traditional, dynamic and modern, atthe crossroads of Europe and America, the City is built on a human scaleand is well known for its lively downtown core. l Montréal provides a rarequality of life comparable to that of major urban centres anywhere in theworld. Its moderate cost of living gives it an advantageous position overEuropean or American cities. l Montréalers express their joie de vivrethrough a series of festivals: jazz, dance, film and theatre, not to mentionits many restaurants, clubs, theatres, museums, contemporary dancecompanies, concert halls and world-renowned orchestras. l A network oftunnels over 30 kilometres long connected to the subway system givesresidents access to downtown office buildings, entertainment complexesor residential towers without ever having to venture outside. l Its manyparks provide an oasis of calm, the most famous and largest of which isMount Royal, laid out by Frederick Law Olmsted. Covering 500 acres, it isan ideal spot for taking a stroll or enjoying outdoor activities in general.

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AN ECONOMY IN TRANSITIONMontréal’s economic structure evolved in the period between 1981 and2001. The service sectors boomed and took front and center in terms ofactivity. The manufacturing sector was completely transformed by theupsurge in high-tech firms, and more traditional sectors left downtownMontréal. l Montréal’s economy is rapidly moving forward and ended2005 on a positive note. Though some sectors are experiencing a down-turn, key economic indicators are, for the most part, pointing in the rightdirection. l The labour market has returned excellent results: job creation,the activity ratio and the employment rate have made gains and, despite aslight rise in the unemployment rate, the number of welfare recipients isfalling. l Job losses observed since 2000 in the manufacturing sectorwere compensated for by substantial gains in construction, information,culture and recreation and services. l Montréal’s vitality and creativity aremuch in evidence because the City of Montréal ranks number one inCanada for number of patents granted. The number of invention patentshas more than doubled on the Island of Montréal in the past six years. lMontréal is Canada’s leading source of grants to university research. Thelatest data show that universities had $967 million in subsidized, spon-sored research for 2003-2004. Grants more than doubled between 1997and 2004. l The tourist industry has reported results topping those of 2004despite a strong Canadian dollar. Montréal welcomed 7.5 million tourists in2005, that is, 1.9% more than in 2004. l According to the Conference Board,optimism is the word for the 2007 to 2010 period, with an average annualeconomic growth of 2.9%. l The personal economic status of Montréalersshould improve significantly in 2006. The expected growth in earnings of4.8% in 2006 follows a 3.2% hike in 2005.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR


HISTORYIn May 1642, a group of very religious French men and women foundedMontréal on the shore of the St. Lawrence River, on a point of land that isnow part of Old Montréal. Conquered in 1760 by England, it became themelting pot of two European cultures, adding to the cross-cultural mixwhich had already begun with First Nations people. At the end of the 19th

century, Montréal was Canada’s unchallenged metropolis. Construction ofthe transcontinental railway, large maritime firms that traded with Europeand Asia, and some major banks and corporations (fur, tobacco, flour,sugar, iron, etc.) made its fortune. World War II was a time of major industri-al growth: aeronautics, optics, biochemistry, etc., but the post-war declineof traditional industries would force many corporate head offices and alarge part of financial activity to flee to Toronto, which had becomeCanada’s leading city. Recovery at the end of the 20th century was drivenby not only emerging information and communication technologies, adver-tising agencies and the film industry, which spelled the return of goodtimes for modern Montréal, but also a very active recreation and touristsector, augmented particularly by international festivals and fine dining.

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In Québec, as elsewhere, design is a buoyant development sector, andMontréal is where the economic benefits of this sector of the culture arebeing felt more. Indeed, Montréal is both a city where design and designersrepresent a dynamic force in cultural and economic life and a city thatincreasingly knows how to place this creative power at the service of itsquality of life. l According to the latest statistical data, the economicimpact of design in Québec is $1.18 billion and represents 31,173 jobs.Design thus has the greatest share of the cultural sector with an impact rep-resenting 34% of the overall economic impact. l Of design workers, 65.3%live in the Greater Montréal area, which represents 20,356 jobs and eco-nomic benefits of over $750 million.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

ECONOMIC IMPACT OF CULTURAL SECTOR IN QUÉBEC$3.8 BILLION AND 82,870 JOBSRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Design $1.18 billion 31,173 jobs 34.0%Film $669 million 13,651 jobsBooks $757 million 12,640 jobsArt education $330 million 7,697 jobsHeritage $273 million 5,948 jobsSound recording $188 million 3,185 jobsInterpretative arts $133 million 3,997 jobsPublic administration $92 million 1,930 jobsCultural events $82 million 1,712 jobsVisual arts and crafts $46 million 939 jobsRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Source: Economic Impact of Culture and Communications Sector, MCC, September 2001 (1997–1998 data)


Note: Many other economic or statistical data on various aspects of the design sector in Montréal have been

included in texts in the sections that follow. For additional information see also: Designers (page 58);

Professional Associations (page 70), Conseil de métiers d'art du Québec (page 73) and Montréal Fashion Week

(page 92).

MONTRÉAL DESIGN IN NUMBERSl DESIGN: A KEY DRIVER OF CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC LIFEIN MONTRÉAL l “THE DESIGN ECONOMY HAS EMERGED ASTHE SUCCESSOR TO THE INFORMATION ECONOMY, WHICH INTURN SUCCEEDED THE MANUFACTURING AND SERVICEECONOMIES.” ROGER MARTIN, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto

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FROM YESTERDAY TO TODAY

MONTRÉALDESIGN

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Graphic design was certainly the area that grew the fastest at the time.People such as Raoul Bonin, Charles Feinmel, Allan Harrison or HenryEveleigh would succeed others such as Rolf Harder, Ernst Roch, FritzGottschalk and Vittorio Fiorucci. Major up-and-coming pharmaceuticalsfirms and the paper industry were to be the main clients who saw the light,along with large cultural organizations. l Industrial design did not lag farbehind. Household or office objects designed by a Henry Finkel, adheringtightly to the tenets of good US design, and the productions of a JulienHébert or Jacques Guillon, whose Contour lawn chair and Nylon chairrespectively were presented at the 1954 Milan Triennial, were to becomeicons of modern Québec design, marking a major renewal. l But architec-ture and urban development were the areas where Montréal activity trulyintensified. In the footsteps of modernizers like Ernest Barott and MarcelParizeau, Raymond Affleck and his associates Desbarats, Dimakopoulosand Lebensold conducted many major projects that were to change theface of downtown, particularly that of the Place des Arts complex in the1960s. But the most notable achievement, which was to become a key ele-ment in Montréal’s modern image, was unquestionably the construction atthe end of the 1950s of Place Ville-Marie, the work of the great architectIeoh Ming Pei. That era also marked the beginnings of Montréal’s under-ground city, when the urban planner Vincent Ponte, a member of New Yorkpromoter William Zeckendorf’s team, became one of the project’s key play-ers. One of the gurus of modern architecture, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe,signed his name to Westmount Square in 1964, while in the same year theItalians Luigi Moretti and Pier Luigi Nervi produced the Tour de la Bourse,the highest concrete structure on the planet at the time. l The subway,inaugurated on October 14, 1966, was the outcome of an incredible collab-oration among engineers, architects and artists, with every station beingassigned to a different team. This was a groundbreaking experiment, alongwith Stockholm, in the integration of public art. The firm of Guillon Designwas responsible for designing the subway cars. l The modern movementwas also to produce major social housing developments, starting in 1946with Harold J. Doran’s Benny’s Farm project and then with those ofHabitations Jeanne-Mance by Greenspoon, Freedlander, Dunne andJacques Morin, and Ilôts Saint-Martin from Ouellet, Reeves, Alain. Thisproject was also known for the first experiments in preserving and renovat-ing 19th century workers’ residences. l Finally, Montréal became Canada’sfashion hub thanks to the work of leading designers such as Raoul-JeanFouré, Jacques de Montjoye, Marie-France of Paris and France Davies,and then Michel Robichaud.

THE EMERGENCE OF MODERNITY IN MONTRÉALMODERNITY IN THE AREAS OF ARCHITECTURE, GRAPHICDESIGN, INDUSTRIAL DESIGN AND FASHION ONLY REALLYEMERGED AFTER WORLD WAR II. l SUCH WAS THE CASE FOR MONTRÉALERS, SOME OF WHOM WENT TO EUROPE ORTHE US TO IMPROVE THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND EDUCATION, AND IMMIGRANTS, MAINLY EUROPEANS.

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CONSOLIDATING AND PROFESSIONALIZING DESIGNThe 1970s and 1980s were decades when special courses in design wereadded to curricula in the network of public colleges and Montréal’s fourmajor universities. l Consequently, Université de Montréal, which housedthe Institut d’urbanisme founded in 1961 and added the École d’architec-ture in 1968, created an Industrial Design section in 1973. McGill Universitylaunched an urban planning program in 1972 and then set up the School ofUrban Planning in 1976. l As regards Université du Québec à Montréal, itcreated graphic design and environmental design (architecture, industrialdesign and urban design) programs in 1974. followed by a program inurban studies in 1976. l They were to become a crucible of knowledge forthousands of designers who quickly branched out into both governmentand private businesses actively involved in all areas of design. l The 1976Olympics would provide many of them with a new opportunity to expandtheir talents in everyone’s eyes. Among them was the young designerMichel Dallaire, who made his name by creating the Olympic torch, whiletalented creators like Ernst Roch, Yvon Laroche, Pierre-Yves Pelletier andGuy Saint-Arnaud designed the series of posters that blanketed the globe.l At the same time, large cultural institutions, such as the Musée des Artsdécoratifs, Musée des Beaux-Arts de Montréal or Bibliothèque nationale,created design collections, while sites dedicated entirely to publicizingdesign saw the light of day. l In 1979, the architect Phyllis Lambert found-ed the Canadian Centre for Architecture (CCA), one of the world’s mostprestigious conservation, research and exhibition institutions. l In 1981,UQAM’s Centre de design, started by a group of professors in its School ofDesign, opened its doors. It was to become one of the premier extensionsites for design in Canada. l Via Design, a commercial exhibition thatincluded fashion, was launched in 1983. Ginette Gadoury then openedCentre Infodesign in 1986, followed by a collaboration with the Société desdécorateurs-ensembliers du Québec to create the Salon international dudesign d’intérieur de Montréal (SIDIM) in 1989. l The Picard Report, pub-lished in 1986, confirmed design as one of the seven priority strategicdirections of Montréal’s economic development and convinced both theCanadian and Québec governments, and the City of Montréal, to takeaction to turn Montréal into a world-class design centre. Also in the 1970sand 1980s, heritage protection and renewal programs, which had beenexperimented with earlier, were implemented on a broad scale. They affect-ed not only prestigious buildings and historical complexes such as OldMontréal, but also residential neighbourhoods such as Milton Park, andeven typical Montréal working class sectors, such as Plateau Mont-Royal,not to mention industrial lands.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Source: Marc H. Choko, full professor at École de design,

director of Centre de design at Université du Québec à Montréal


EXPO 67A DESIGN EXPLOSIONExpo 67 was to be an incredible laboratory of design and an unparalleledshowcase for all participating creators and their accomplishments. lConcurrently with the work of foreign architects involved in designing pavil-ions for the various participating countries, the most celebrated of whichwas undoubtedly the American, Richard Buckminster Fuller, the federalgovernment engaged the designers Julien Hébert and Jacques Guillon tocreate the street fixtures and part of the interior design for Habitat 67, animmense experimental residential project that arose from the drawingboard of architect Moshe Safdie, an Israeli student and recent McGillUniversity graduate. Architects Papineau, Gérin-Lajoie, LeBlanc designedthe Québec Pavilion. l The posters and other graphic creations designedby Studio Guy Lalumière also came to international attention through thephotographs of these productions. l Finally, the hostess uniforms werethe work of the young dress designer Michel Robichaud, who had alreadyexhibited his talents for Air Canada. l All this earned Montréal internation-al celebrity as one of the era’s top design centres, which went a long waytowards attracting much more talent.

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Though Québec passed a heritage protection act in 1922, “heritage aware-ness” would only become a way of life in the mid-1960s at the same timeMontréal was implementing a limited urban redevelopment program inresponse to the wild optimism of the time. For example, professionals inthe city’s Urban Planning Department expected in 1965 that the populationof the metropolitan area would double to nearly 5,000,000 by the early1980s. The 2001 census showed the population at 3,500,000! l When theQuébec government announced the historic district of Old Montréal in1964, this site of the first European settlers—notable for the layout of streetsdating back to the French Regime, its concentration of heritage buildingsfrom the 17th, 18th and especially 20th centuries—was practically escheated.Because of that and partly in reaction to the “brutalism” of post-war moder-nity, it was to become one of the greatest vectors of awareness-raising forthe City of Montréal and one of the largest areas of experimental designrelated to the living environment.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Massive investments over the past 30 years—among others from publicauthorities—in the revitalization of Old Montréal actually helped shape avery specific approach to interventions related to heritage and, subse-quently, the city in general. Starting with the Québec government’s earliestfinancial involvement, the relevance and even nature of the intervention, interms of both urban planning and architecture, became a major issue. Waseverything to be rebuilt exactly as it was, as in Old Québec? Was one his-torical layer to be chosen at the expense of the others, and based on whatcriteria? Or was it necessary to build on the multiplicity of expressions spe-cific to each period, respect the existing building and historical markings,while clearly proclaiming the legitimacy of the modern movement?


OLD MONTRÉALA UNIQUE DIALOGUE BETWEEN DESIGN AND HERITAGE

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This commitment had repercussions not only on architectural integrationbut also on the redevelopment of public spaces. A still modern designbased on an updated reading of the memory of places in connection withthe archaeology, history and original typology produced user-friendly pub-lic spaces that both identified and were functional and perfectly compatiblewith the spirit of the historic district. The Champ-de-Mars esplanade withfortified foundations (1717–1738) surrounded by modern greenery, PlaceJacques-Cartier with its formal simplicity and good use of materials, Placede la Dauversière and its mineral and plant mix, the garden of ChâteauRamezay with its interpretation of a vegetable garden at the time of theFrench Regime, Square Dalhousie and its rails illustrating the industrial eraof the great railroads, Place D’Youville and its network of sidewalks andpaths, or Square des Frères Charron, under development, with its inter-pretation of the natural ties between Old Montréal and Faubourg desRécollets, all illustrate the major role memory has played in their creation.l One of the most famous examples of this design approach qualified as“contextual” is Dan S. Hanganu’s Pointe-à-Callière museum. It is notewor-thy because it accommodates all heritage issues in both its design and itsconstruction on pilings to preserve Montréal’s first Catholic cemetery,reuse of the original building’s lines, volume and material, and use of a verycontemporary architectural vocabulary that follows the function of the inte-rior rooms. This approach spread to all of Montréal’s heritage areas.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Beyond the investments, programs or policies, the success of OldMontréal’s rebirth is owed to the involvement of visionaries, many of whomwere designers. Because these people lived there, defended it and invest-ed in it as a workplace, and imagined and redefined it starting in the 1970s,and because they continue to live there, defend it, imagine it and enjoy it,Old Montréal now reflects our uniquely Montréal identity and remains asource of inspiration.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Source: MARIO BRODEUR, Architect

“OLD MONTRÉAL, IN CONTRAST TO OLD QUÉBEC, IS NOT A UNI-FORM WHOLE. IT IS HOME TO DISPARATE ARCHITECTURES, STYLESAND FUNCTIONS, RELATED DIRECTLY TO ITS PAST AS A CITY CEN-TRE, WHICH IS WHY IT IS DIFFICULT TO DEFINE THE “MONTRÉALSTYLE” TO BE FOLLOWED. ESPECIALLY BECAUSE OLD MONTRÉALWAS A BATTLEFIELD AT THE TIME OF THE FIRST INTERVENTIONS!VACANT LOTS ABOUNDED AND, CONSEQUENTLY, SO DID BUILDINGOPPORTUNITIES. THIS POSED NOT ONLY AN ARCHAEOLOGICALPROBLEM, BUT ESPECIALLY ONE OF ARCHITECTURAL INTEGRA-TION. BUT, BECAUSE OF THIS UNINTERRUPTED SUCCESSION OFERAS AND STYLES, SINCE WE TOO FELT WE HAD TO LEAVE THEMARK OF THE MODERN ERA, WE RESOLUTELY TOOK THE BET ANDBOLDLY ASSERTED THE MODERN MOVEMENT!”MONIQUE BARRIAULT in 25 ans d’entente

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Some cities only want to be simple destinations, others are the stuff ofdreams, and yet others are left behind in search of a better future. Montréalcleverly combines this flow of life between the Old World and New,between North and South, from conquest to identity, from menacing natureto the cheerful lights of the modern city. This portal to a vast continentexudes an air of excitement perfectly suited to the spirit of exploration,stimulating an insatiable appetite for discovery. Exploring the streets andhouses of this city, with its architecture unique in North America, providesinstant proof of the ingenuity of buildings that promise a comfortable placeto stay or somewhere to just pass through.

CREATIVITY AS A SIGN OF HOSPITALITY


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The architecture mirrors the excitement of this urban, hybrid world respect-ful of visitors, welcoming to immigrants. Here, common walls are not only aprinciple of urban planning, but also a way of life. Contemporary architecturebears out these characteristics. Recent buildings, designed by architectsDan Hanganu, Saia, Barbarese and Topouzanoff, Saucier and Perrotte, ÉricGauthier and Jacques Rousseau, to name but a few, have found in thislocal material an opportunity for an original, individual dialogue with sharedglobal rhythms. Montréal is the cultural centre of architecture in Canada.Indeed, architecture is taught in three universities here, and it is the onlyCanadian city with two accredited schools of architecture, two schools ofdesign and a landscape architecture school. Its diverse architectural her-itage is unique in North America. The Canadian Centre for Architecture isrecognized around the world for its remarkable collections and study cen-tre that welcomes the best researchers. Half the architecture competitionsheld in Canada since 1960 have taken place in Québec, and most of the win-ners have been Montréalers. The award-winning achievements of Canadianarchitects are exemplary, and the Canada Council of the Arts has alreadypresented its Prix de Rome to seven young Montréal creators since it wasfounded less than 20 years ago.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Contemporary design too has distanced itself from the ideal of tabula rasa.The world in general is being redefined more by an ethic of places andobjects than by geography of transportation and the quest for the rightform. Creation can only be take root by recovering and recycling thedetached environments of the industrial revolution to make them both inti-mate and user-friendly. Like foundations that can withstand the trials (whims)of the design project turned towards the world. Slow and fast mix together.Then the horizon expands and creative energy is set free, without bias orboundary. The largest number, the goal of mass production, is always andeverywhere different. Refusal to see society as one homogeneous whole,impertinence in the face of perceived notions, difference as value and theprofuse capriciousness of intentions are, without a doubt the source of thisnew Montréal design. Among Montréal’s designers, Jean-Pierre Viau, ClaudeMauffette, Jean-François Jacques and Jean-Claude Chabauty are perfectrepresentatives of this diversity and originality that typify design in Montréal.With these designers, imagination lies just around the corner.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Source: GEORGES ADAMCZYK, Director of École d’architecture at Université de Montréal


Montréal is not encumbered by nostalgia. The past has an active role toplay here. It provides evidence of constant invention. A climate that fluctu-ates from one extreme to the other has produced inside and outsidespaces where public life thrives freely but with great respect for privacy.More than 350 years have shaped this city, decade after decade. Colonialarchitecture mixes with Beaux-Arts buildings. Huddled blocks of Victorianhomes make way here and there for apartment blocks. The seriousness ofpace-setting structures in the international style (Place Ville-Marie, WestmountSquare, Place Bonaventure, Habitat 67, etc.) coexists with the impulsivenessof humble commercial buildings adorned with multi-coloured signage.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

The street is the sociomatrix. Large shopping centres, downtown or in thesuburbs, are no less a prevailing factor in the pace of daily life. Streets likeMont-Royal, Saint-Laurent, Saint-Denis, De la Montagne and Sainte-Catherine bustle with life, boasting a cosmopolitan flair that denotes theircross-cultural function. In the areas of dance, visual arts, theatre, literature,architecture, music, media arts and design, cultural and artistic renewal fol-lows with a formidable energy that of the new economy, which is totallyreshaping the urban and social landscape of this great port city, Québec’smetropolis and home to Canada’s francophone culture. Whether blanketedin snow or baking in the summer sun, Montréal is unlike any other city inNorth America.

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TABLE SHOWING BREAKDOWN OF DESIGN PROFESSIONALS IN QUÉBEC IN 2001RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Architects 3,235Architecture technologists and technicians 1,875Landscape architects 590Interior designers 2,665Industrial designers 3,620Graphic designers and illustrators 10,595Graphics technicians 3,940Urban and land use planners 1,120Theatre designers, fashion stylists, exhibition designersand other artistic designers 3,915RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

TOTAL 31,555RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

65% of these workers reside in the Greater Montréal area.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Source: Statistics Canada, 2001 census.

Compilation: Institut de la statistique du Québec (Observatoire de la culture et des communications du Québec)

DESIGNERSRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

MONTRÉAL HAS OVER20,000 DESIGNERS WORKINGIN ALL AREAS OF DESIGN.FOLLOWING A BRIEF EXODUSOF CREATORS DURING THE1980S ECONOMIC CRISIS,THIS PHENOMENON WASREVERSED WITH ANINCREASE OF CLOSE TO 40% IN THE NUMBER OFDESIGNERS OVER THE PAST10 YEARS.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

THE DESIGNERS, WHO AREDESCRIBED BRIEFLY BELOW,ILLUSTRATE SPECIFICALLYMONTRÉAL PRACTICES.ANOTHER SELECTION APPEARSFURTHER ON IN THE LIST OF THE CRÉATIVITÉ MONTRÉALNEWSLETTER.

CLAUDE CORMIERWWW.CLAUDECORMIER.COM


With a degree in agronomy from theUniversity of Guelph, in landscapearchitecture from the University ofToronto, and in design history fromHarvard University, Claude Cormieris the author of landscapes whereart and nature merge. He has runhis own firm since 1996. Among hisachievements are public spaces forthe cities of Toronto, Las Vegas,Québec and Montréal. ClaudeCormier also designs green spacesfor institutions like Université duQuébec à Montréal, McGillUniversity and the Canadian Centrefor Architecture Foundation. Thefacilities he develops for contempo-rary gardens probably representsome of his most surprising work. In2004, he participated in the inaugu-ration of the Festival of Gardensand Art in Sonoma Valley, California,and in the Biennale des jardins deLyon in France in 2003. In 2000, hedesigned the Blue Stick Garden forthe Reford Gardens InternationalGarden Festival in Québec,. Thisinstallation was reproduced atToronto’s Canada Blooms andHestercombe Gardens in Taunton,England. The work of ClaudeCormier and his team has beenawarded many times.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

01 Claude Maufette 02 Jean-François Vézina

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CLAUDE MAUFFETTEWWW.CLAUDEMAUFFETTE.COM


Claude Mauffette, ex-sculptor andcabinetmaker, was trained in indus-trial design at Michel Dallaire in1986 and 1987. He then opened hisown office. In 1993, he received theMontréal Designer of the Yearaward handed out by the City ofMontréal at the SIDIM conference.The practical/practice side of hiscreations and their irreducible func-tionalism make him an adherent ofminimalist design, with no conces-sion to adornment or the superflu-ous. One can thus say that he is anadept of “less is more”. One of hismost recognized works is hands-down the celebrated Pant Savermat. His work is at times that of aninventor, or even a “handyman” inthe purest sense of the word. Hisobjects have a seductive power thatmakes one want to possess them atany cost. He is, for example, theauthor of Hyper Walk, a small objectthat wedges between roller bladewheels so the user can walk safely.He also has to his credit severalTrudeau brand corkscrews, includ-ing a completely automatic modelthat lets you insert the twisted endin the cork, pull it out and eject it allin one movement of the handle.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

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PHILIPPE LUPIENWWW.SCHEME.QC.CA


Philippe Lupien is an urban designer,a professor at Université du Québecà Montréal, and host of a TV showon architecture (Visite Libre). Beingat once a designer, teacher andpopularizer of architecture anddesign in the media, he is highlyrepresentative of the new genera-tion of designers who are engagedin a hybrid practice of their profes-sion. A forerunner in many areas,Philippe Lupien is responsible foralerting the public to and generallyraising their awareness of the needto move towards a more responsi-ble architecture and design. Byhelping create and build exemplarybuildings like the TOHU (Cité desArts et du Cirque), and at the sametime playfully sharing his knowl-edge, this Montréal creator andintellectual has opened the door to a more environmental and morehuman form of Montréal design.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

01 Claude Pinet

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ORANGETANGOWWW.ORANGETANGO.COM


The orangetango agency isbasically managed like a creativeworkshop, though its managers do have “somewhat of a businesssense”. l Both a poster designerand advertiser, the agency foundedin 1996 by Mario Mercier, who is itscreative director, has built its repu-tation and earned over a hundrednational and international awardsand endorsements by exploringnew, bold directions, anchored inthe intent and passion of its cre-ations. l Orangetango participatesin projects where graphic designbecomes multisciplinary, such asfor the Quartier des spectacles orthe Sense of the City exhibition atthe Canadian Centre for Architec-ture, for which the agency signedboth the design and installation. lIts most notable latest achievementswere the Louve at the Festival ofNew Cinema, the campaigns for Théâtre de Quat’sous and the books of Josée Di Stasio andNew Design Cities for the City of Montréal.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

JEAN-PIERRE VIAUWWW.JPVDESIGN.COM


He is surprised himself, and with nofalse modesty, at having done somany restaurants in the same city.In a hyper-competitive business ofcolleagues and false colleagues,they choose him. Montréal hasalways been his city—he was bornhere. In his neighbourhood of Mile-End, he has rubbed shoulders withall of the city’s cultures and colourssince his childhood. OrthodoxJews, Greeks and Portuguese stillcross each other’s paths there. lThe approximately 15 of his proj-ects awarded by Commerce DesignMontréal include spaces that havetruly left their mark on the city andits inhabitants. Delightful spots veryoften associated with friendly get-togethers, family outings or roman-tic trysts. Places that make us loveMontréal. The amazing success ofsome of these projects is due notonly to the design, but also to thisparticular alchemy between theconcept of business and its space,between container and contents, allfitting perfectly with his time. lPizzédélic was one of these notableadventures. A small project thatgrew beyond anyone’s expecta-tions. For the first time in Montréal,design had entered the world of the“democratic” restaurant business.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

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SAUCIER+PERROTTEWWW.SAUCIERPERROTTE.COM


Architects Gilles Saucier and AndréPerrotte belong to those Montréaldesigners who have made a brilliantsuccess of their careers both inCanada and abroad. They owe thisinternational recognition to theuniversality of their language, anarchitecture that is at once foreign,expressive and contrasted, thatechoes the extreme conditionscovering our land. But they alsoowe their renown to their notablepresence at the Venice Biennial in2004 (over 100,000 visitors came to see these Canadian representa-tives of architecture). They havereceived over 30 awards for theirwork, which includes the highlycoveted Governor General’s Medal,given to the First Nations GardenPavilion in Montréal. This building,which undulates like a wisp ofsmoke through the trees, conveys amessage of both peace and under-standing in the form of an enigmaticand poetic overhead path…RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

01 Michel Tremblay 02 Marc Cramer

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HEXAGRAMWWW.HEXAGRAM.ORG


Hexagram is an independent, non-profit institute that acts as a catalystand promotes world-class researchand creation in a university setting,and which acts as a bridge betweenindustry and media arts. Formed in 2001, Hexagram is the first andlargest institute of its kind in Canada.Its position between universitiesand the private sector gives it astrategic role as a bridge betweencontent developed in universitiesand the industrial sector. The insti-tute helps take research out of thelab, through exhibitions, publicationsand conferences, by encouragingthe sharing of knowledge andtechnology and fuelling the debateto develop and maintain globalleadership in the field. More than 75 artists/researchers and350 graduate students at ConcordiaUniversity and Université du Québecà Montréal are now working togeth-er to make Montréal a showcase ofacademic excellence in media artsand technology.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

02

MARIOUCHEWWW.HARRICANA.QC.CA


Mariouche Gagné perfectly embod-ies the Québec creative movement,which flows counter to everythingand which manages to assert itselfthrough its daring and the beauty ofits achievements. Who would havethought that recycling politicallyincorrect materials like fur wouldbecome all the rage? Nobody,except Mariouche Gagné, whodecided to use bits of this taboomaterial to fashion veritable worksof fashion art. Recycled fur, wooland silk, the designer neverstopped at just fur. She uses her tal-ents to transform various textilesand plastics into custom creations,circus costumes, accessories andother unique pieces she sells every-where across North America andEurope. And that’s how the style ofthe future, based on durable materi-als, was born.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

01 Harricana 02 Hexagram

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DAN S. HANGANUWWW.HANGANU.COM


Taking stock of the work of Dan S. Hanganu means entering a world where logic, humour andsubtlety blend into a consistentwhole. The architect, who prefersthe rational and ethical to spuriousornamentation, has developed atrue intuitive sense of the potentialof materials, which he imbues withpoetic symbolism. Hanganu designsbuildings characterized by theextent of their volume, their layoutand the materials he prefers to use.These are works in the image of theirauthor—human and with significanteffect. l Dan S. Hanganu graduatedin architecture from the University ofBucharest in 1961 and gained hisinitial experience in his country oforigin. He arrived in Canada in 1970and worked until 1979 as a directorof design in various offices inMontréal and Toronto. He thenopened his own workshop andreally began his career as an archi-tect. His first jobs involved one ofthe most demanding challenges inhis discipline, housing. “The basisof architecture is the dwelling. Thehouse is in some way the cradle ofarchitecture, its primary function.”l Dan S. Hanganu’s work isextremely diversified, ranging fromthe frontage on Rue de la Montagne,through the Val-de-l'Anse buildingon Nuns’ Island, Pointe-à-Callière,Montréal’s museum of archaeology

and history, the Chaussegros-de-Léry complex, the Théâtre duNouveau Monde, to the church atthe Saint-Benoît-du-Lac monastery.l An architect and humanist, DanS. Hanganu did not take the highroad. His is an architectural designin which the creator’s touch is felteverywhere: in the structure, thechoice of materials, the fit of thebuilding in its environment, thefurniture—in short, it involves totaldesign. This practice is not unani-mously accepted, and achievingthis ideal means having absolutecontrol over construction tech-niques, the warrior’s energy, thecreator’s fertile imagination and thestrength to handle periods of doubt.Dan S. Hanganu’s achievements,whether in Canada, Switzerland,Morocco or the ex-USSR, are elo-quent proof that this ideal is wellwithin his reach. l Mr. Hanganureceived the Government ofQuébec’s Paul-Émile-Borduas prizein 1992.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Source: YOLANDE CÔTÉ and CLAUDE JANELLE MCCQ

01 IDM 02 Stephan Poulin

02

MICHEL DALLAIRE WWW.DALLAIREDESIGN.COM


Michel Dallaire first trained withJulien Hébert, at the Institut des arts appliqués de Montréal,between 1959 and 1963. The fol-lowing year, he studied design atKonstfackskolan, Stockholm’scollege of industrial arts, choosingfurniture and metalwork as special-ties. On returning to Montréal in1965, he worked on the teams ofJulien Hébert and Jacques Guillon.Among other projects, he helpedplan the Canadian pavilion for Expo67 and design furniture for Habitat67. He then joined Gilles Bossé andJacques Coutu, who had also stud-ied in Sweden, finally opening hisown office in 1974. l

His many achievements include theOlympic torch and furniture for theOlympic Village, in collaborationwith André Jarry, for the 1976Montréal Olympics. In the 1980s, he developed the SportRack, firstdesigned for Pinso and then for Bic;furniture in the Linéa collection forMeubles Drouin; Picolo lamps forSverige; and the CCM exerciser and Snofox sled. In the 1990s, hecreated the SportRack II for Pinso;the Nouvelle Vague pool; bottles forLavo; seats in the IBM amphitheatreat École des Hautes Études Com-merciales; furniture for workshopsin Université de Montréal’s Facultéd’aménagement; and the Angelcaresound and motion detector andAudisee systems. He completed theplan for Avenue Dufferin in QuébecCity; street furniture for the Quartierinternational in Montréal; furniture inthe reading rooms of GrandeBibliothèque, and seats and acces-sories for Air Canada’s BusinessClass service. l Michel Dallaire hasreceived many awards, includingthe Design Canada prize in 1982 for the SportRack; the DesignQuébec prize in 1984 for the Linéacollection and the Gosh boat chairin 1985; and the Canada Award of Excellence in 1986 for Résentelbrake levers. His entire body ofwork was recognized by the Paul-Émile-Borduas prize, which hereceived in 1991, and the Sam-Lapointe prize given to him in 2003.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

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RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Association des architectespaysagistes du QuébecWWW.AAPQ.ORG


Association des arts graphiques du QuébecWWW.AAGQ.QC.CA


Association des designersindustriels du QuébecWWW.ADIQ.QC.CA


Association professionnelle desdesigners d’intérieur du QuébecWWW.APDIQ.COM


Conférence interprofessionnelle du design du QuébecRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Conseil des métiers d’art du QuébecWWW.METIERS-D-ART.QC.CA


Fonds d’études et de recherches en design intérieur de l’EstRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

International Design AllianceWWW.ICOGRADA.ORG


Liaison Mode MontréalWWW.LIAISONMODEMONTREAL.COM


Ordre des architectes du QuébecWWW.OAQ.COM


Ordre des urbanistes du QuébecWWW.OUQ.QC.CA



MONTRÉAL IS THE HEAD-QUARTERS TO ALL OFQUÉBEC’S PROFESSIONALASSOCIATIONS IN THE FIELD.THEY ARE:RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

PROFESSIONALASSOCIATIONS

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CONSEIL DES MÉTIERS D’ART DU QUÉBECWWW.METIERS-D-ART.QC.CA


In America, the first true profes-sional association of arts and craftsdesigners, the American CraftCouncil, was created in the US in1943. In Québec, it was in Montréalin 1949 that the first professionalassociation was created, under theguidance of Jean-Marie Gauvreau,manager of the Office québécois de l’agriculture et de l’artisanat. lMany organizational modificationsover the years finally led to creationof the Conseil des métiers d’art duQuébec. It contains 800 profes-sional craftspeople and is the onlyorganization able to bring togetherall craftspeople in Québec based ontechnical criteria (basic master ofcrafts) and professional activity. Itsactivities (trade shows, exhibitions,etc.) generate sales of over $10 mil-lion a year and economic spin-offsof over $30 million. These profes-sionals belong to various familiesaffiliated around the raw materialsof creation such as wood, ceramics,textiles, leather and skins, metal,paper, glass and other materials.

Of these craft designers, 39% live or work in Montréal, and ninespecialized centres gave coursesthere in 2004: RRR Centre de

Céramique BonsecoursRRR Conseil des métiers d'art

du QuébecRRR Centre des métiers

du cuir de MontréalRRR Centre des métiers

du verre du QuébecRRR Centre de recherche

et de design en impression textile de Montréal

RRR Centre des textiles contemporains de Montréal

RRR École Joaillerie de MontréalRRR Association des relieurs

du Québec.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

INTERNATIONAL DESIGN ALLIANCE (ICSID+ICOGRADA=IDA)WWW.ICOGRADA.ORG


IDA is an international organizationwhose goal is not only to help bringthe various players involved indesign (creators, manufacturers,distributors, promoters, decisionmakers, etc.) together, but also todevelop design in all its forms bypromoting creation and its econom-ic value in our society. It is a newventure between founding partnersInternational Council of Societies of Industrial Design (ICSID) andInternational Council of GraphicDesign Associations (Icograda). In May 2005, IDA decided to set upits head office for the next 10 yearsin Montréal rather than Brussels,Turin, Nagoya, Copenhagen orHong Kong. This not so insignificantchoice illustrates the power ofMontréal’s attraction as a leadingcity of creation and innovation.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

CONFÉRENCE INTERPROFESSIONNELLEDU DESIGN DU QUÉBECRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

The Conférence interprofessionnelledu design, which comprisesQuébec’s urban planners, architects,landscape architects, industrialdesigners, graphic designers andinterior designers, is a legal entityand excellent federative advocatefor the people in the profession. Thisboard has attracted the interest ofneighbouring countries while serv-ing as inspiration for the IDA, whichwould like to accomplish interna-tionally what Québec has managedto do locally, that is, build bridgesbetween all players in the designsector, from those who design theobjects to those who shape thelandscape and build the city.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

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RRR The Design Art Department at Concordia University offers a three-yearprogram that focuses on interdependence between design, arts andhuman and applied science. It also gives out a graduate diploma in Digit-al Technologies in Design, and a Bachelor of Digital Image and Sound.

RRR The École de design industriel at Université de Montréal offers two pro-fessional programs in design: Industrial Design (four years) and InteriorDesign (three years). The Master of Design and Complexity and Ph.D.in Planning are open to designers seeking to do more advancedresearch work.

RRR The École de design at Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), cre-ated in 1974, has three undergraduate programs—Graphic Design andEnvironmental Design and, in collaboration with Collège LaSalle,Fashion Design (three years), along with three special graduate pro-grams: Understanding and Protecting Modern Architecture; EventDesign and Transportation Equipment Design (one year). Founded inthe 1980s, the school organizes an annual summer session in interna-tional design where distinguished guest speakers talk about topicssuch as graphic design, the habitat and the city.

RRR The École d’architecture at Université de Montréal has a US-recog-nized training program, just like at McGill University.

RRR Urban planning is taught at Université de Montréal’s Institut d’urba-nisme, McGill University’s School of Urban Planning and UQAM’s Écolesupérieure de science de la gestion.

RRR Université de Montréal has also taught Québec’s only university coursein Landscape Architecture for more than 30 years.


Three design-related research chairs are affiliated with Université de Montréal:RRR Canada Research Chair on Built Heritage;RRR UNESCO Chair on Landscape and Environment;RRR Chair on Landscape and Environment.Two are attached to UQAM: RRR Canada Research Chair on Urban Heritage;RRR Canada Research Chair in Urban and Regional Studies.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

The university programs are augmented by many college-level programsproviding technical training in all design-related disciplines.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR


MONTRÉAL CLEARLYBELONGS TO THE NETWORKOF KNOWLEDGE-BASEDCITIES, PARTICULARLYBECAUSE OF THE INTER-DISCIPLINARY APPROACH,SYNERGY AND DECOMPART-MENTALIZATION BEINGSOUGHT BY MORE ANDMORE OF ITS UNIVERSITIES,ARTISTIC INSTITUTIONS ANDA GROWING NUMBER OF ITSORGANIZATIONS INVOLVED IN MANY SECTORS. RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

TRAINING ANDRESEARCHRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

IT IS HOME TO 20 COLLEGES, TWO FRENCH-SPEAKINGUNIVERSITIES AND TWOENGLISH-SPEAKINGUNIVERSITIES. TO THESEUNIVERSITIES CAN BEADDED, FOR EXAMPLE, OVER 50 CANADIANRESEARCH CHAIRS IN THESOCIAL SCIENCES ANDHUMANITIES—PROOF THATNETWORKS ARE VERY MUCHIN EVIDENCE MONTRÉAL.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

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LABORATOIRE D’ÉTUDE DE L’ARCHITECTURE POTENTIELLE (L.E.A.P.)WWW.LEAP.UMONTREAL.CA


Laboratoire d'étude del'architecture potentielle (L.E.A.P.) is dedicated to the theories andpractices of modern architecture. Its main goal is to promote activitiesin the area of architectural research,especially as regards studies relatedto architecture projects (potentialarchitecture). LEAP’s strategicresearch directions concern: RRR the generic analysis of reflective

thinking practices and analogicthinking trajectories in thearchitecture project designduring competitions between1960 and 2000;

RRR the critical history of modernarchitecture in Canada;

RRR the philosophy of systems ofrepresentation and architecturaldesign.

LEAP researchers work withresearch teams from variouscountries with which they maintainvery close collaborative (partner-ship) or regular (network) contactsuch as EUROPAN (new architec-ture program).RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

UNESCO CHAIR ON LANDSCAPE AND ENVIRONMENT WORKSHOP AT UNIVERSITÉ DE MONTRÉALWWW.UNESCO-PAYSAGE.UMONTREAL.CA


Every year in developing countries(Morocco 2004, Lebanon 2005,Tunisia 2006, South Korea 2007),the UNESCO Chair on Landscapeand Environment at Université deMontréal (CUPEUM) organizesWorkshop_Atelier/terrain(Workshops/Field Work) sessions on planning the fringe areas of cities and metropolises.

A unique place for conductingurban experiments, these sessionsassemble more than 40 architecture,landscape architecture, urban plan-ning and geography students fromvarious countries in North andSouth America and form a collegeof international experts and profes-sors to generate viable planningscenarios for local invited communi-ties. These sessions are contests ofideas for which winning studentsreceive UNESCO prizes. TheCUPEUM Workshop_Atelier/terrainis a unique learning model for itsmulticultural and cross-disciplinaryapproach, which drives the creationof inventive and innovative projectsfor the viable development ofemerging cities in developingcountries. Part of CUPEUM’sObservatoire international despaysages périphériques: villes etmétropoles, these projects are out-standing laboratories for buildingnetworks of experience as well as encouraging open dialoguebetween cultures and reflectivethinking about city design in the21st century.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR


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BESIDES THE PLAYERS PRESENTED ABOVE:RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

THE SALON DES MÉTIERS D’ART DU QUÉBEC is the oldest design eventin Québec and celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2005. The Salon chose thatoccasion to hold the exhibition 50 ans de création au Salon des métiersd’art du Québec, which featured the growth of arts and crafts, from tradi-tional production to the latest creations most oriented around research,artistic expression and creativity in the design of utilitarian or decorativeobjects. The Salon’s 2005 edition included 450 exhibitors and attractedover 258,000 visitors. WWW.SALONDESMETIERSDART.COM


THE INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF FILM ON ART (FIFA) was created in1981 under the aegis of the UNESCO International Council for Film,Television and Audiovisual Communication (IFTC). Directed by RenéRozon, the FIFA held its 24th edition in 2006, attracting over 35,000 festival-goers. This edition’s program included 280 films from some 30 countriesand, as is the case every year, the FIFA devoted a major section to architec-ture and design. Besides its Montréal edition, the FIFA is well established inmany venues across Québec and continues to tour the world presenting itslist of top films, especially in France (Paris and Tourcoing) and the US(Boston, Saint Louis and Washington). WWW.ARTFIFA.COM

EXHIBITIONS,PROMOTIONSAND EVENTSRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

DESIGN-RELATED EXHIBITIONS AND PROMOTIONS FULFILL ANUMBER OF DIVERSEVISIONS, WHICH INCLUDETHE HIGHLIGHTING OFMAJOR COLLECTIONS, THEPROMOTION OF MONTRÉALHERITAGE AND THE PRODUCTION OF EVENTSTHAT MERGE INNOVATIONWITH INTERDISCIPLINARITY.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

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MONOPOLI is a centre for artists in the area of architecture with the goal of “rallying and stimulating all those passionate about how our builtlandscape is transformed and constructed”. Designed by CommissionerSophie Gironnay, MONOPOLI is currently hosting an event called LesArchi-Fictions de Montréal: Six villes invisibles inventées et racontéespar…, which explores possible passageways between fiction and archi-tecture by forming duos formed of an architect and a novelist. WWW.GALERIEMONOPOLI.COM


CHAMP LIBRE, an artistic agency dedicated to promoting multimedia artand architecture, organizes in situ events, becoming part of the communityand forming ties among current practices in contemporary art, architectureand emerging technologies. The Manifestation Internationale Vidéo et ArtÉlectronique, Montréal (MIVAEM) highlights the work of Champ Libre everytwo years. The next edition of this event entitled Invisible Cité/City of Invis-ible is slated for September 2006 on the site of the Grande Bibliothèque duQuébec. WWW.CHAMPLIBRE.COM


A newcomer to Montréal, Galerie-boutique COMMISSAIRE is dedicated tothe very latest local and international design creations. This space shows offinsolent or uncommon objects, carefully chosen by its two founders: PierreLaramée (former advertiser) and Josée Lepage (ex-designer). They are pre-sented in themed exhibitions. Under the theme of black, the architect GillesSaucier is the guest commissioner of the exhibition currently under way.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR


THE BIENNALE DE MONTRÉAL is organized by the Centre internationald’art contemporain, which, under the direction of Claude Gosselin, earneda reputation, from 1985 to 1996, for holding major contemporary artevents. The fourth edition of THE BIENNALE DE MONTRÉAL in 2004 oper-ated under the theme Agora : le domaine public, and attracted visualartists, architects, urban designers and landscape designers interested inthe future of cities. Claude Gosselin is also the commissioner general of theinternational biennial of Le Havre, France, Arts le havre 2006, whose La Vie,la Ville section provided a walking course on works that focused on howthe city is perceived. Montréal designers were there, including JacquesBilodeau, Claude Cormier, François Morelli and Michel Goulet. WWW.CIAC.CA

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l Exhibitions and Public Educa-tional Programs forge links betweenarchitectural thinking and practice,the history of ideas, and changingsocial and cultural conditions.Programs are both local and inter-national in scope. They interpretarchitectural ideas to the widerpublic at all age-levels as well as toarchitects and scholars, aiming toreveal the richness of architecturaland urban culture and to stimulatedynamic engagement with contem-porary issues and debates. TheCCA Bookstore specializes in theliterature of architecture and anextensive range of interrelatedtopics, offering a selection of publi-cations from around the world. lThe Study Centre was inauguratedin 1997 as an international institutedevoted to research in all aspects of architectural thought and prac-tice. Through its Visiting ScholarsProgram, seminars, and colloquia,the Study Centre supports individ-ual research efforts and advancesbroad new lines of discourse andinvestigation. Linking advancedresearch with public engagement inarchitecture, the CCA encouragesscholars to pursue projects in the spirit of a broadly connectiveinquiry that cuts across time, space,and media. RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

01 Michel Boulet CCA

01

CANADIAN CENTRE FOR ARCHITECTURE (CCA)WWW.CCA.QC.CA


The Canadian Centre forArchitecture (CCA) was founded in 1979 as a new form of culturalinstitution to build public awarenessof the role of architecture in society,promote scholarly research in thefield, and stimulate innovation indesign practice. l The CCA is aninternational research centre andmuseum founded on the convictionthat architecture is a public concern.Based on its extensive collections,the CCA is a leading voice inadvancing knowledge, promotingpublic understanding, and wideningthought and debate on the art ofarchitecture, its history, theory,practice, and role in society today.

l Over 30 years ago, architectPhyllis Lambert began the collectionthat would become the cornerstoneof the CCA. In addition to beingfounding director of the institution,Phyllis Lambert is Chair of its Boardof Trustees. l Today the CCACollection, comprising works datingfrom the Renaissance to the presentday, documents the culture of archi-tecture throughout the world—past,present, and future. It providesevidence in depth of cultural andintellectual circles of the past,points to the future of architecturalthinking and practice, and revealsthe changing character of thoughtand observation pertaining to archi-tecture. Unparalleled in scope, thePrints and Drawings, Photographs,Archives and Library comprise ofdynamically interrelated bodies ofprimary and secondary materialsthat advance thinking about thenature of the built domain and theideas that underlie it.

SOCIETY FOR ARTS AND TECHNOLOGY (SAT)WWW.SAT.QC.CA


Founded in 1996 by the organizersof the International Symposium forElectronic Art, the Society for Artsand Technology is a research andmeeting centre for digital artists. Its current president is MoniqueSavoie. As a reference institution for today’s art, its main goal is thenational and international presenta-tion of local artists who combineart, design, science and technology.SAT programs include the interna-tional residency initiative designedto bring artists and representativesof recognized digital arts organiza-tions to Montréal. This initiative hasgiven Montréal artists and curatorsa chance to explore opportunitiesfor productions and co-productionswith these individuals and extendthe context of creation in media artsto the local artistic community.Through its many projects, such asthe Weber server, which providesfree storage and disk space for theWeb sites of artists and organiza-tions the world over, the SAT is aleader in collaboration and stimula-tion between the artistic and scien-tific disciplines of Montréal andelsewhere…RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

02

MONTRÉAL MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS — DECORATIVE ARTS COLLECTION WWW.MBAM.QC.CA


In 2000, the Montréal Museum ofFine Arts received a donation of one of the largest collections ofdecorative arts and design in NorthAmerica, containing 5,000 objectsfrom the mid-1930s to today. Thiscollection bears the name of thefounders of the Musée des ArtsDécoratifs de Montréal, Liliane andDavid M. Stewart, and enabled theMMFA to set up within its walls oneof the richest displays on the evolu-tion of recent design. These acqui-sitions, which enhance the workdone by F. Cleveland Morgan in1910s, now make the institution oneof the largest decorative arts muse-ums on the American continent. l Large international exhibitions,presented and organized by theMuseum and accompanied byscientific catalogues, are regularlyfeatured in its program: Jack LenorLarsen: Creator and Collector;Aluminium by Design: From Jewelto Jet; Masterpieces in Motion; WhatModern Was: Design 1935–1965.Next on the list starting in May 2006is Il modo italiano. Italian Designand Avant-garde in the 20th Century.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

01 Alex Kempkens 02 SAT

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l The Centre's creations rangefrom exhibitions featuring top-quality set designs and graphicmedia to the production of touringexhibitions. The Centre’s graphiccreations, invitations, posters,brochures, catalogues and Web site have also won many prizes. l The three major exhibitions that follow eloquently illustrate the Centre’s overall approach. lMAIN DESIGN 04This exhibition provided a panora-ma of Québec creation in designagainst a backdrop of BoulevardSaint-Laurent—“The Main”—right at the beginnings of the latest urbantrends. By juxtaposing animatedimages of Montréal life, interviewswith creators and presentations ofobjects, Main Design 04 presenteda kaleidoscopic view of the latestcreations in all areas of design:fashion, graphic design, industrialdesign, interior design, art objectsand exhibition sites. More than ahundred Montréal designers werethere. l It was designed andproduced by the Centre de Designde l’UQAM, in collaboration withÉmission d. From Musique Plus andwith the help of Publicité Sauvage,for Lille 2004, capitale européennede la culture, and then presented inParis, Saint-Étienne and Montréal,with financial support from theGovernment of Québec and City of Montréal. l

LE NOUVEAU MONTRÉALProjets urbains marquants dans leVieux-Montréal l This exhibitionused drawings, plans, photographsand models to explain some note-worthy projects involving past andfuture plans for Old Montréal and its surrounding area. l The majorprojects presented includedespecially residences in FaubourgQuébec, Cité du multimédia,Montréal’s Quartier international,the renovation of infrastructures and public spaces or the MuséePointe-à-Callière. The exhibitionproduced by the Centre de Designde l’UQAM received financial supportfrom the Government of Québec,the City of Montréal and Caisse dedépôt et placement Québec. It waspresented in Montréal, Lyon,Brussels and New York. lL’AFFICHE CONTEMPORAINE AU QUÉBECThis exhibition displayed 100 postersillustrating the various graphiccurrents and best creations fromthe 1960s to today. l Produced bythe Centre de Design de l’UQAMwith financial backing from theGovernment of Québec and Conseildes Arts de Montréal, it visited sixMontréal cultural centres, and thenChicoutimi and Québec City, as wellas museums in China, Argentinaand Mexico.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

CENTRE DE DESIGN DE L’UNIVERSITÉ DU QUÉBEC À MONTRÉAL (UQAM) WWW.CENTREDEDESIGN.UQAM.CA


Since 1981, Centre de design –UQAM, the principal place inCanada devoted entirely to thepromotion of all areas of design(graphic, industrial, fashion, archi-tectural and urban design), has heldmore than 250 exhibitions, some 40of which outside its walls, in culturalcentres, museums or institutionaland private galleries. l Its exhibi-tions, which feature the creations of great modern and contemporarydesigners from around the worldand the best Québec productions,are open to students, professionalsand the general public.

01 Michel Bunelle

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HÉRITAGE MONTRÉALWWW.HERITAGEMONTREAL.QC.CA


Héritage Montréal is an independ-ent, non-profit, private organizationdedicated to the preservation ofMontreal's urban, architectural,landscape and social heritage. Itprogram director, Dinu Bumbaru,has also been an elected memberof the Executive Committee of the International Council onMonuments and Sites (ICOMOS)since 1993. Héritage Montréal’smission is to promote both advo-cacy and education, helping peopleunderstand the great richness ofMontreal's urban environment(Architectours), as well as to remaina vigilant critic and maintain acritical presence among architects,urban planners, owners and politicaldecision makers to prevent ill-con-ceived plans from impoverishing theurban environment or robbing it ofits originality. Through its Orangeand Lemon awards, handed outevery year to new Montréal build-ings, Héritage Montréal, along withSave Montréal, encourages creationand urban design on top-qualityprojects, featured for their social,cultural and economic values. RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR


01

INSTITUT OF DESIGN MONTRÉAL (IDM)WWW.IDM.QC.CA


The goal of the Institute of DesignMontréal (IDM), inaugurated in 1993and directed by Eleni Stavridou, isto promote design as an economicvalue and have Montreal become a design centre of international calibre. Its objectives are: RRR to have design become a brand

image for Quebec products anda major lever for improving thecompetitiveness of Quebeccompanies in the marketplace;

RRR to reinforce Montreal's role as adesign development pole inQuebec and as an internationalcentre of excellence in design.

To accomplish that, the IDM hasimplemented programs involvingconsultation, financial support forprofessional designers and newdesigners, matching of studentdesigners with businesses, bur-saries, job integration, informationworkshops, design diagnostics andconsulting services. The IDM sup-ports specific activities such as adesign experimentation laboratory,a focus group, opportunity studies,conferences and exhibitions, andmultidisciplinary research.

Finally, under the aegis of MontréalInternational (www.montrealinterna-tional.com), whose mission is tosupport the economic developmentof Greater Montréal and increase itsinternational status, the Institutewas very instrumental in establish-ing the head office of InternationalDesign Alliance in Montréal. lMay, designated by the Institute ofDesign Montréal as Design Month,is the time chosen for promotionalevents. The program includes exhibitions by students from allMontréal design schools, the Saloninternational de design intérieur de Montréal and the awarding ofInstitute of Design Montréal prizesand bursaries.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

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SALON INTERNATIONAL DU DESIGN INTÉRIEUR DE MONTRÉAL (SIDIM) WWW.SIDIM.CA


Founded in 1989 by GinetteGadoury, SIDIM (MontréalInternational Interior Design Show) is one of the largest annual interiordesign shows in Canada. Reflectingthe vitality of emerging design, theshow, which takes place at the endof May, is an opportunity to discovernew local and global design trends.Every year, 300 businesses show-case a selection of their products in a over 20,000 m2 of space.

SIDIM has always managed to takethe pulse of businesses, from bothhere and abroad, devoted to thedesign, production, distribution andretail sale of products and servicesused in interior design. SIDIM’s success is due to the originality ofits thematic projects such as theTribune de designers, which shinesa spotlight on the latest works ofQuébec designers. Also noteworthyare programs such as Point de mire,Mobilier d’ici à demain, SérieLimitée, Le Quartier Affaires,Eurodesign and Tendenza Italia.Working with public and privatepartners, SIDIM awards annual bursaries in a variety of categoriesto underscore the excellence ofQuébec creation. A platform foreconomic and cultural exchangesthat cannot be ignored, the event isa catalyst of talents and a stimulatorof Montréal creativity. It clearly contributes to improving Montréal’sstatus on the local, national andinternational scenes.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

02

DOCOMOMO QUÉBECRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Created in 1989 as MontréalModerne, DOCOMOMO Québec is a non-profit organization devotedto providing knowledge about andpreserving modern architecture inQuébec and making the generalpublic and decision makers awareof the importance of this built heritage. Since 1994, DOCOMOMOQuébec has belonged to theDOCOMOMO International network,with which are affiliated some 40national or regional groups fromEurope, the Americas and Asia. l DOCOMOMO is the acronym forDocumentation and Conservation of buildings, sites and neighbour-hoods of the Modern Movement.The primary mission of DOCOMO-MO International, founded in 1988in the Netherlands, is to provide thehistorical knowledge and technicalknow-how needed to preserve themost important buildings, sites and neighbourhoods of the Modern Movement. DOCOMOMOInternational’s goal is to preventtheir destruction and oversee thecreation of a global inventory, inwhich DOCOMOMO Québec isinvolved as a regional member.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

01 Philippe Poullaouec-Gonidec 02 SIDIM

01

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Montréal, a city of creation andinnovation, is known for its interna-tional population and its multiplecultural influences. A city open tothe world and to differences, itserves as an inspiration for its manycreators. It offers the best of bothworlds, an American lifestyle with aEuropean flair.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

SENSATION MODEFounded in 1999, Sensation Modeseeks to position Montreal as afashion hub on both the nationaland international scenes. To thisend, it raises awareness of theknow-how, creativity and diversecommercial offering of the city,increasing its visibility by coordinat-ing various initiatives targeting acommon objective. l SensationMode produces and stages thelargest fashion events in Canada,including the Montreal Fashion andDesign Festival and MontrealFashion Week. In support of thesedifferent initiatives, it has developedthe expertise and strategic market-ing tools needed to ensure theiroutreach. l In the process,Sensation Mode has becomeknown for its unique, avant-gardeconcepts. In fact, experiences proposed by Sensation Mode offerpartners associated with differentprojects a unique platform for theiroperations. l Sensation Mode’sunequalled expertise in its fieldallows it to provide its clients withpeerless turnkey service. l Thefashion industry in Montréal is theleading employer in the manufactur-ing sector with its 33,530 jobs.Montréal is the 3rd largest apparelproduction centre in North America,after Los Angeles and New York,and the 1st in job concentration.The industry pays $768 million inwages and generates $3.6 billion inmanufacturing shipments, 80% ofwhich are intended for the Canadianmarket. l

01 Jimmy Hamelin

01

MONTRÉAL FASHION WEEKWWW.MFW.CA


MONTRÉAL FASHION WEEKThe mission of Montréal FashionWeek is to promote Québec design-ers to the fashion industry, buyersand journalists. Created in Septem-ber 2001 by Liaison Mode Montréal,Montréal Fashion Week is set tohold its 9th edition. From the time itwas first launched, this event hasallowed the fashion press and buy-ers to discover emerging labels lLIAISON MODE MONTRÉALThe instigator of Montréal FashionWeek, Liaison Mode Montréal is agroup of associations dedicated toraising national and internationalawareness of the fashion and cloth-ing industry, positioning Montréal as one of North America’s majorcreative and production centres. l

EXPO AGEING MONTRÉALWWW.IFA-FIV.ORG


Montréal will site of a world exposition on design innovation forthe ageing in 2008: Expo AgeingMontreal. This international eventwill take the form of an exhibitionand scientific congress to motivatethinking about opportunities forexploiting design to benefit our ageing society. Under the aegis of the International Federation onAgeing (IFA), the congress will bring together the world’s leadingdesigners, manufacturers,researchers, service providers,planners, developers and govern-ment policymakers. The Expo willconnect design to ageing throughthe production of objects and envi-ronments from applied research.This interface will improve the quality of life of older peoplethrough greater independence andautonomy for all ages. The eventwill also showcase the awarenessand interest of decision makers andcreators who are already involved in developing a living environment that responds to generational and cultural nuances of communitiesaround the world.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

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THEY INCLUDE:RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

TV / RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

RRR ÉMISSION D, a weekly maga-zine broadcast to all French-speaking audiences via TV5,mixing fashion and design

RRR VISITE LIBRE, show dedicatedto the architecture and planningof private Québec residences,both old and new


MAGAZINES /RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

RRR INTÉRIEURS, the sector’slargest international networkingmagazine

RRR ARQ (architecture Québec),EGO, Vie des arts, Grafika,Urbania, specialized journals


WEEKLIES /RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

RRR VOIR LA VIE, VOIR LA VILLE,a monthly insert in a freecultural weekly


WEB /RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

WWW.CREATIVITEMONTREAL.COM

CRÉATIVITÉ MONTRÉAL, a newsletter on the latest in Montréal designWWW.MADEINMTL.COM

MADEINMTL.COM, a virtual tour of Montréal covering all the latestdevelopmentsWWW.MOCOLOCO.COM

MOCOMONTREAL, a Webmagazine and directory ofeverything on contemporary design and architectureRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR


Of final note is the availability of amultitude of public publications andTV shows covering interior design,gardening design and more generallifestyle issues. Though categorizedas popular, these publications are just as important for raisingrequirements related to a qualityliving environment. l It is said thatQuébec is the province that pro-duces and consumes the greatestnumber of decorating and lifestylemagazines in Canada.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

MEDIARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

IF THE MEDIA ARE ANYINDICATOR OF A SECTOR’SVITALITY, DESIGN IS CLEARLYVERY ALIVE AND WELL.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

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RRR LES 10 ANS DE L’ATELIER IN SITUATELIER IN SITU is celebratingits 10th anniversary! A decadedevoted to architecture that isinnovative, ingenious and opento its physical, as well as socialand cultural, environment.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RRR UN MONTRÉALAIS

SUR LA ROUTE DE LA SOIEEN CHINE — Transdisciplinarity,architecture in motion, theglobal search for exploration ofcultural identities: the practiceof JEAN BEAUDOIN and hisIntégral studio is structuredaround various issues andexperiences related to chancein travel and encounters.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RRR L’ATELIER SCRAP,

LA SECONDE VIE DES ORIFLAMMES — They flutter in the wind for a few weeks,announce the latest events,flaunt their colours, and thendisappear…

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

RRR VU DANS LA PRESSE INTERNATIONALEIn the Australian magazine POL Oxygen: the Goulet House,developed by Montréal archi-tects SAIA, BARBARESEand TOPOUZANOV, and aportrait of the Montréal office of SAUCIER + PERROTTEunder the flattering titleArchitects of Imagination.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RRR DÉCOR DE FIN

DE PARTY À LA SOIRÉEURBANIA — The designerANTOINE LAVERDIÈRE launch-es his event design section byholding a kick-off evening forthe latest edition of Urbaniadevoted to parties.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RRR LA BELGIQUE HONORE LE

DESIGNER KOEN DE WINTERKOEN DE WINTER, a prolificindustrial designer and creatorof a multitude of domestic andrecreational objects, receives aprestigious design award fromhis native country, Belgium.

CRÉATIVITÉ MONTRÉALRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

A portal for discussion andcommunication between designersand the Montréal public that wentonline on February 21, 2006,Créativité Montréal is an initiative ofCommunication Design Montréaldeveloped in partnership with theCity of Montréal. As a Web site and weekly electronic magazine,Créativité Montréal keeps in touchwith the population and the com-munity design providing the latestnews in the areas of architecture,design and the city. With its searchengine, the site is a tremendousinformation tool for learning aboutMontréal’s dynamic design sectorand the evolution of the urban envi-ronment through various forms ofcreation. l Some of the latest newsfrom Créativité Montréal showingwhat’s happening in architecture,design and the city:RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

To subscribe to the newsletter:

WWW.CREATIVITEMONTREAL.COM

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QUARTIER INTERNATIONAL DE MONTRÉAL (QIM)WWW.QIMTL.QC.CA


Created in 1999, the Quartier inter-national de Montréal (QIM) is a non-profit organization that sprungfrom the desire of the Montréalcommunity, under the leadership of the Caisse de dépôt et place-ment du Québec, to give the city aprestigious district of world calibre:the QIM project. l Inaugurated in2004, the Quartier international is a new urban area located betweenthe city's business district and Old Montréal. As a large-scaledevelopment and revitalizationproject, the QIM's mission is topromote and develop Montréal'sinternational vocation. It is an envi-ronment that is truly contemporary,prestigious and exclusive offeringan exceptional quality of life right inthe heart of downtown l Given itssuperior development concept andstatus as Canada's hub for interna-tional activities, the Quartier hasbecome Montréal's prime sector for strategic growth. The project,representing an investment of morethan $90 million, is the product of aunique partnership between publicand private sectors. Current spin-offs from this major undertakingtotal more than $1 billion. l

01 Alain Laforest et Pierre Zabbal

01

PATHFINDERPROJECTSRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

DESIGN QUALITY ANDINNOVATION ARE EVIDENTTHROUGHOUT THE CITY IN BOTH HIGH-END ANDWORKING-CLASS NEIGH-BOURHOODS. INNOVATIVE,PROMISING ACHIEVEMENTSILLUSTRATE THIS POST-SPECTACULAR CREATIVITY.MONTRÉAL ACTUALLY RELIES MORE ON DESIGNSOR CONSTRUCTIONS THATSOLICIT THE DIRECTPARTICIPATION OF CITIZENS.THIS INVOLVEMENT MAY BE FINANCIAL AS IN THECASE OF MONTRÉAL’SQUARTIER INTERNATIONALOR RELY ON CONSENSUS-BUILDING AS IN THE CASE OF BENNY FARM.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

01 Jonathan Picard (QIM)

01

The QIM project would not havebeen possible without the vision andsocial conscience of the sector'sproperty owners. In fact, theselandlords voluntarily accepted toinvest in a public project not only tomaximize their investments but alsoto become involved in a meaningfulway in improving the environmentfor their employees and everyonewho comes to the Quartier inter-national. Through the LandlordsAssociation of the Quartier inter-national de Montréal, propertyowners agreed to invest more than$8 million in public property andlands (streets, sidewalks, trees,parks, etc.) by way of a voluntarylocal improvement tax. l The visionof overall planning developed fromthe outset and which made itpossible to work simultaneously on from the urban to the object, is a second characteristic of the project. The concept’s consistencyis mainly due by sector to:RRR Concept: Daoust Lestage —

Architecture and Urban Design RRR Architecture-Urban Design:

Consortium Daoust Lestage —Provencher, Roy et associés

RRR Civil Engineering: GÉNIVARRRR Industrial Design: Michel

Dallaire Design Industriel Inc.RRR Lighting: Éclairage public

The Quartier international deMontréal project has won severallocal and international competitions.The project has received universalpraise and earned distinctions inmore than 12 different categories,confirming the QIM approach andconviction that quality investmentsin urban design and developmentstimulate additional quality invest-ments by the sector's propertyowners. This dynamic has gener-ated significant spinoffs in a numberof industries from architecture, realestate and tourism to engineering,culture, design and management.Of the 22 awards received, the QIM was especially honoured bythe equivalent of an Oscar in urbanproject management—the 2005 PMI Project of the Year award givenout by the Project ManagementInstitute. l Designed to enhancethe well-being of pedestrians andturned towards the future and theworld, the QIM is a perfect exampleof the successful utilization of designto shape the face of Montréal.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

GRANDE BIBLIOTHÈQUEAND ARCHIVESNATIONALES DU QUÉBECWWW.BANQ.QC.CA


Inaugurated in 2005, the GrandeBibliothèque du Québec is one of the projects that supported the largest architectural creativityoperation ever organized inQuébec. The contract for the design and development of thispublic building was actually grantedfollowing an international competi-tion that attracted the greatestnames in architecture, and the teamof Patkau/Croft-Pelletier/GillesGuité Architectes came out thewinner of this interactive process.Concurrently with this contest, asecond competition was held tochoose the designer of all the furni-ture for the new library (MichelDallaire). Consequently, the GBQhas helped put major competitionsback on the agenda, considered a recognized tool for conductinglarge-scale projects aimed atembodying a part of our heritage.The GBQ also helped democratizearchitectural creation while spread-ing the word about our know-howto the international arena.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

01 Alain Laforest 02 Giovanni de Paoli

02

l In 2003, after operating for fouryears under the name Cité des artsdu cirque, the organization adopteda new identity—TOHU—whichreflects its many fields of activityand its mission. The emergence ofTOHU is a core driver of local andinternational mobilization aroundinitiatives centered on sustainabledevelopment and the social econo-my. l In 2004, TOHU la Cité desarts du cirque opened the doors tothe building housing its operations—an example of green architecturedesigned in a consortium bySchème Consultants, Jodoin,Lamarre, Pratte et associés archi-tectes, the architect JacquesPlante, and the firm of Martin Roy et associés – ingénieurs conseil.Entering the TOHU pavilion is topenetrate a world where everyspace and every experienceenjoyed on the site respects theenvironment. Several items alertvisitors to the principles and tangi-ble applications of sustainablebuildings, such as, for example, theeco heating, ice bunker and passivegeothermics, the natural/hybridventilation and the natural basin. To guide its ecological constructionefforts, TOHU aimed for the “gold”level in the LEED (Leadership inEnergy and Environmental Design)international certification. lSince its inauguration, TOHU la Cité des arts du cirque has wonmany prizes and awards in architec-ture and sustainable developmentand has inspired the developmentof other projects both locally andinternationally.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

TOHU, LA CITÉ DES ARTS DU CIRQUEWWW.TOHU.CA


The mission of La Cité des arts ducirque is to make Montréal an inter-national circus arts capital whileparticipating in the rehabilitation of the Saint-Michel EnvironmentalComplex (ex-Miron Quarry) andrevitalization of the Saint-MichelDistrict. It was founded by theNational Circus School, En Piste—Québec’s association of circusprofessionals, and Cirque du Soleil.Aware of the context in which theCité des arts du cirque is evolving,the organization expanded itsmission to add environmental andcommunity components.

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01

01 Philippe Poullaouec-Gonidec 02 Normand Rajotte

02

PLANNING OF PLACE ÉMILIE-GAMELIN AND PLACE D’YOUVILLE RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

«Place du 350e anniversaire» of the founding of Montréal, ParcÉmilie-Gamelin was designedbetween 1990 and 1992 byMontréal landscape architectsPhilippe Poullaouec-Gonidec andPeter Jacobs and features the work of Canadian artist and architect,Melvin Charney. Located in theheart of Montréal’s Latin Quarter,this is a unique public square; it is emblematic of the renewal ofMontréal’s open spaces. Though itis a public space that breaks fromthe neo-Victorian formalism ofMontréal’s public squares, it isanchored in its territory, its memory.The identity of this place is charac-terized by both the expression of its immediate urban setting orbelonging to the topography withMount Royal, a symbol of the CityMontréal. Winner of many awards ofexcellence and the subject of sever-al international publications, PlaceÉmilie-Gamelin, expresses throughits narrative evocations the impor-tance of enhancing the singularitiesof the Montréal landscape in urbandesign. A voluntary or hybrid publicspace between the idea of square,park and urban plaza, this placehas, since opening to the public,become a place for political, socialand cultural expression where acitizen’s right to free speech mixeswith that of being able to laze aboutfreely in today’s urban setting.

l To celebrate Montréal’s 350th

anniversary, France asked five of itsmost prominent creators to take anew look at the New World byproposing a planning concept forPlace D’Youville in Old Montréal.These “new looks ” were not verycompatible with the square’s actualheritage, but they led to a secondexercise involving a local competi-tion, a municipal first. Following aninvitation to tender, three firms were chosen for the idea competi-tion stage in early 1997. GroupeCardinal Hardy inc./Claude Cormier,architectes paysagistes won thecompetition with their tightly wovensidewalks. Besides preserving allthe monuments and works of artalready there, evocation of the site’smaterial memory was limited to theWilliam Collector, an impressivework of engineering from the early19th century—accessible from theMusée Pointe-à-Callière—whichchannels a river. The collector hasbeen transposed into a centralsidewalk axis in granite. Phase 1 ofthe project ended in 1999. Winnerof many awards, Place D’Youvillequickly became a favourite of theresident owners and workersbecause of its obvious friendlyatmosphere. l Both these publicsquares are among the best illustra-tions of the typically Montréal con-textual approach that transcribesthe memory of a place through aresolutely contemporary design.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

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l For its redevelopment, BennyFarm drew on the expertise of manyconsultants, including those fromarchitects Pearl, Poddubiuk etassociés (L’OEUF), which agreed toseveral years and projects. L’OEUF(L’Office de l’éclectisme urbain etfonctionnel), founded in 1992, is anoffice that supports a diversified,expanded architecture practice.Working in the architecture main-stream while remaining alert topolitical and ecological issues oftenexcluded from the practice’s con-text, L’OEUF develops architecturesthat strive to fit with the latent socialand environmental features of aparticular context, to surface themand to exploit them so they becomethe basis of the architectural project.The Greening of the Infrastructureproject at Benny Farm recently wonan international award in the sus-tainable construction competitionheld by the HOLCIM FOUNDATION FOR SUSTAINABLECONSTRUCTION.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

l In 2006, the members of theBenny Farm Task Force receivedthe Canada Urban Institute Leader-ship award in the City Renewalcategory. This Canada-wide awardrecognizes the exemplary contribu-tion individuals have made to therevitalization and enrichment ofcities. The Canada Urban Institutetherefore acknowledges the out-standing contribution of the BennyFarm Task Force to attitude-building,the promotion of public participationand transformation of the city land-scape for future generations.

BENNY FARMWWW.BENNYFARM.ORG


Located in Montréal’s Notre-Dame-de-Grâce District and occupying anarea of some 18 acres (7.3 hectares),the Benny Farm complex wasplanned in 1946 and 1947 as agarden town. The Canada LandsCompany has owned it since 1999.l The goal of the Benny Farmredevelopment project is to try toprovide a solution that responds tothe needs of Notre-Dame-de-Grâcewhile blending harmoniously intothe surrounding neighbourhood. Thenew development includes some530 affordable homes intended forlow and middle income households.The entire site involves varioustypes of tenure (co-ops, non-profithousing, private and co-ownedrental units) and types of housing(row housing, triplexes, sixplexesand apartment buildings). More than a third of the units are intendedfor home ownership. The rentalunits, approximately 200 unitsadministered by co-ops and non-profit organizations (NPOs), targetspecific groups: retirees, new fami-lies, single mothers and mobilityimpaired persons. The City ofMontréal is heavily involved in theBenny Farm redevelopment strate-gy, particularly when it comes tozoning changes and funding for the various affordable housingprograms (via Opération Solidarité5000 logements). The proposedredevelopment includes manyinnovations in the areas of publicparticipation, planning, design andsustainable development.

01, 02 City of Montréal

01

02

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l In 1981, this part of the Port ofMontréal was decommissioned, andits administration was placed in thehands of the Société du Vieux-Portde Montréal. With this change ofstatus, the old docks lining the riverlost their harbour function. Startingin 1981 and following a master planprepared by Peter Rose, architect,and Jodoin Lamarre Pratte & ass.Architectes to free up the spacebetween Old Montréal and the river,the hangars and grain silos weredemolished, six of the eight railwaytracks following Rue de la Com-mune were removed, and the nowfreed-up land was developed into apromenade and green space (1984).l A few years later, the master planwas updated by the Cardinal HardyGroup. The new concept was basedon the site’s identity as a port andindustrial facility and proposedusing archaeological remnants asthe basis for the narrative program.l The same firm was also hired toredevelop the Bonsecours andÉcluses sectors, build the Maisondes Éclusiers and Pavillon Jacques-Cartier, and design the streetfurniture and lighting. Collaboratorsand consultants were put to work in specific areas of specialization,such as Parent, Latreille & ass.,Pluram inc., Chan & Krieger Arch.,Georges Sexton Ass., Peter Walker& Partners, Landscape Architecture,Morelli Designers, Simon Cayouetteand Lucien Chartrand & ass. ThePavillon du bassin Bonsecours isthe work of Luc Laporte, architect.These jobs were completed in 1992.

l Later on in 2000, the Centre dessciences de Montréal was createdin one of the hangars on the KingEdward Quay. This exhibition centrewas developed by the consortiumof architects comprising DaoustLestage et Faucher, Aubertin,Brodeur, Gauthier. l Since thisredevelopment, the site has beenused for a multitude of artistic,heritage, recreational, nautical andsports events that keep it bustlingwith life year round. The venuequickly became the favouritemeeting-place of Montréalers. lThe Old Port of Montréal remains a unique case of the completerehabilitation of an industrial site onthe seaside or riverfront for entirelypublic purposes; it has alsogarnered international recognitionfor the excellence of the work.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

AMÉNAGEMENT DU VIEUX-PORT DE MONTRÉAL WWW.VIEUXPORTDEMONTREAL.COM


When the St. Lawrence Seawayopened in 1959, it smoothed theway for ocean liners to travelthrough to the Great Lakes withoutstopping in Montréal. The port suf-fered a serious downturn in activity.l In 1977, the Canadian governmentannounced its plans to redevelop theold section of the port. In 1979, thepopulation was invited to commenton four possible redevelopmentplans. l The site is now home to avast multifunctional developmentthat includes high-density housing.The lively reactions this projectelicited led to two public consulta-tions six years apart. Little by little,the recommendations adoptedsuggested redeveloping the siteinto a park while maintaining portoperations. Montréalers passionate-ly wanted to have a wide view ontothe river because the port’s locationin front of the old city was the onlysizeable piece of public land thatcould provide river access along the entire 25-kilometre shorelineoccupied by the port.

01 Denis Labine

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01

l Following several years of dis-cussion, negotiation and planning,the Canadian government and theCity of Montréal announced in 1997the initiation of the Lachine CanalRevitalization Project ($100 million).These public funds have since gen-erated private investments of some$250 million. l Parks Canada andits federal financial partners havethus been working on restoring thecanal’s infrastructures (locks, spill-ways, retaining walls, etc.) to makethem operational once again. Thecanal has been open to pleasureboating since 2002.

l For its part, the City of Montréal’sinvestments in the lands it owns onthe sides of the canal have includedsuch projects as the developmentor redevelopment of public spaces,and the construction of road infra-structures or visitor service build-ings. l Many designers have beenasked to take part in the work. Theyinclude Williams, Asselin, Ackaouiand Associates, a firm of landscapearchitects, for the development planentitled Plan d'ensemble, esquissesd'aménagement et motifs d'aména-gement. l The beautification oper-ation has also required the collabo-ration of several public, communityand private organizations to bothdevelop and manage the site. Thisongoing revitalization project ishelping the Sud-ouest de Montréalborough get its economy back upto cruising speed and thus serve asleverage to attract many of the pri-vately funded projects in both theindustrial and residential sectors.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

LACHINE CANAL REVITALIZATIONWWW.PC.GC.CA/LHN-NHS/QC/CANALLACHINE


The 14-kilometre Lachine Canalcuts across the south-western part of the Island of Montréal. This man-made navigable corridor wasoriginally designed as a way to avoidthe Lachine Rapids and facilitatenavigation along the St. Lawrence.The first canal, dug between 1821and 1825, was expanded substan-tially between 1843 and 1848, and then between 1873 and 1884. Its five twinned locks drop some14 metres. l This canal and itsrelated engineering works provideunique evidence of how navigationon the St. Lawrence and maritimetransportation in Canada haveevolved. They also bring to mindthe decisive role the canal played as the headend of the network ofcanals connecting the AtlanticOcean to the heart of the continent.

l The canal had a major impact on Montréal’s industrial and urbangrowth as the first home to theCanadian manufacturing industry.From the mid-19th century on, theproximity of the Port of Montréal,the large volume of commercialtraffic and the hydraulic potential ofthe water passing through its lockshelped start up many of the indus-tries that gave birth to one of thelargest industrial corridors on thecontinent and in the British Empire.l The industrial buildings thatremain today along the canal,together with the transportationequipment and infrastructures thatabut and straddle the waterway,create a considerable landscapethat testifies to Montréal’s industrialboom from the 19th to the mid-20th century and that evoke the rolethe Lachine Canal played in thatboom. l Since being transferred to Parks Canada in 1978, theLachine Canal, declared a nationalhistoric site, has served mainly as a city park for recreation. During the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, thedevelopment of a green spacecriss-crossed by a bicycle path and pedestrian walkways gave arearesidents access to an urban areathat had been gradually abandonedonce the canal was closed tothrough traffic.

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SUPPORT FOR PROMOTION OF THE DESIGN SECTOR In the past few years, the govern-ments of Canada and Québec haveagreed to pool their efforts in orderto maximize the effects of theirrespective interventions on Quebec’sdesign industry. The key governmentgranting agencies in the designsector in Québec are:For the Government of Québec:RRR Ministère des Affaires

municipales et des Régions du Québec (MAMR);

RRR Ministère de la Culture et desCommunications (MCC);

RRR Ministère du Développementéconomique, de l’Innovation et de l’Exportation (MDEIE).

For the federal government:RRR Canada Economic

Development (CED). RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

The general objectives targeted by the granting agencies concerntwo aspects: the integration of designinto business and the national andinternational outreach of Quebecdesign:RRR As concerns the integration of

design into business, the goal is to make manufacturing andcommercial enterprises morecompetitive by showing themthe value of design as a factor ofinnovation and competitiveness.

RRR As concerns the national and international outreach ofQuébec design, the goal is to raise the visibility of design,develop new markets forproducts and designers andboost the status of Montréaland Québec design in theglobal marketplace.

These partners have invested over$7.1 million to achieve these twoobjectives since 2001.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

SUPPORT FOR REQUALIFICATIONOF THE CITY THROUGH DESIGNPrograms whose key objectives areto improve the living environmentobviously provide major leverage for city design. The Urban RenewalProgram, a product of the partner-ship between the Government ofQuébec and the City of Montréal, is the first example. It supports“integrated urban revitalization”types of approaches intended forcertain sectors targeted by thecity’s land. These approaches areaimed mainly at improving both theliving conditions of the populationand the physical environment inwhich they are developing. lThe second example concerns theCanada-Quebec InfrastructureWorks Program and the Québec-Municipalities Program. Investmentsin rebuilding the water system,sewage and road networks oftenprovide the opportunity to rethinkthe surface layout of these restoredpublic rights of way. The othercategory of project these programssupport concerns public facilitiessuch as the renovation, expansionor construction of sports complexesor public markets. These are justsome of the many opportunitiesavailable to contribute directly tothe design of the city through inter-departmental alliances.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

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l GIVEN SUCH A CONTEXT,THE CITY OF MONTRÉALENTERED INTO PARTNER-SHIPS WITH THE PROVINCIALGOVERNMENT TO PROMOTETHE DESIGN SECTOR ANDCARRY OUT URBAN ACTIVI-TIES QUALIFIED BY DESIGN.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

PUBLIC SECTORPARTNERSHIPSRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

MOTIVATING THE PRIVATESECTOR TO INVEST INPRODUCTS WHOSE ADDEDVALUE IS TIED DIRECTLY TOCREATIVE MOVEMENTS SUCHAS DESIGN OFTEN HELPSSTIMULATE THE INVOLVE-MENT OF THE PUBLIC SEC-TOR. FOR CONTRACTORS,GOVERNMENTS ARE A KINDOF RECOGNITION OF THEGRAVITY AND VALUE OFTHOSE INVESTMENTS.

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FONDS DE DÉVELOPPEMENT DE LA MÉTROPOLE RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

The Fonds de développement de la métropole (FDM) has beensupporting design initiatives since1997. For example, towards the end of the 1980s, it was a partner in the Petites hôtelleries network,which helped create a distinctivesignature for the hotel industry inOld Montréal as a complement to the Agreement on the CulturalDevelopment of Montréal.Escheated properties are recycledinto high-end boutique hotels thisway. Most of them have won awardsin the Commerce Design Montréalcompetition, such as the GaultHotel, designed by architects YH2.

l From 2001 to 2004, the FDMinjected close to $3 million into sixdesign organizations to hold designexhibitions that toured abroad, aSalon international du design d’inté-rieur de Montréal (SIDIM), activitiesto promote and grow the nationaland international status of Québecdesigners, the Commerce DesignMontréal competition, MontréalFashion Weeks, and the SensationMode Festival.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

AGREEMENT ON MONTRÉAL’S CULTURAL DEVELOPMENTRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

The first cultural partnership with the Government of Québecwas formed in Montréal with theAgreement on Old Montréal andMontréal’s Heritage in 1979. Since1995 on, this partnership hasopened up to include culture ingeneral. A new generation ofagreements renewed several timesis now targeting a multitude of fieldsof activity to help the populationaccess and participate in arts andculture. l The Commerce DesignMontréal program received its first financial support under theAgreement on the CulturalDevelopment of Montréal in 1999.Its goal was to support the programto increase public awareness ofcommercial design. The ministerialpartner’s participation has evolvedsince then. The new strategicdirection is now to support initia-tives to revitalize heritage throughdesign under Design Montréal’sintegrated action plan. This istangible recognition of the strictlyMontréal approach to this cohabita-tion of heritage and design.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

01 Le photographe masqué

01

OF THE IMAGINING•

BUILDINGMONTRÉAL2025 PROJECT

DESIGN: CORE DRIVER

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Since 1991, through the actions of its Commissariat au design, whichcombines the job of publicizing outstanding achievements with the role ofsupporting design orders (competition for the furniture for the Casino deMontréal and Grande Bibliothèque du Québec, workshop on the identity ofthe Quartier des spectacles, etc.), the City is making private and public play-ers aware of the benefits of quality in design. Following a major awareness-raising effort from 1995 to 2004 targeting merchants (retailers, restaurantowners, hotel operators, artisans) via the Commerce Design Montréalprogram—which it initiated and which has now been adopted by othercities around the world—the City announced in September 2005 its newintegrated action plan Montréal, Design of the City/City of Design aimed atintroducing the concept of design innovation into all decisions and activitiesaffecting the built environment and at intensifying international networkingof Montréal design.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

MUNICIPAL STRATEGIESl MUNICIPAL STRATEGIES ARE ORIENTED AROUND IMPROVING THE CITY’S DESIGN AND PROMOTING MONTRÉAL AS A CITY OF DESIGN.

01


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l At the close of the 10th Commerce Design Montréal competition in 2004,an international symposium was organized around the theme New DesignCities. Created in the wake of the partnership with Ville de Saint-Étienne,the goal of this symposium was to stimulate dialogue on the various design-based placement and development strategies implemented by cities likeAnvers, Glasgow, Lisbon, Montréal, New York, Saint-Étienne and Stockholm.l At the end of a request for proposals issued to key Montréal design agen-cies, continuation of the commercial design enrichment program started bythe Commerce Design Montréal contest has now been entrusted to the part-ner organization, Communication Design Montréal, a non-profit operationfounded by Bruno Gautier, president of Éditions Infopresse, with the missionof promoting the cultural, economic and social interests of stakeholders inthe communication and design sectors. RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

01 David Smith

01

COMMERCE DESIGN MONTRÉAL RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

The Commerce Design Montréal competition is a City of Montréal initiativecarried out from 1995 to 2004 in partnership with the Government ofQuébec and in collaboration with several public and private partners(Tourisme Montréal, Hydro-Québec, MusiquePlus, etc). With its objectiveof improving the city’s living environment, raising its image and making itmore attractive, all in the interests of sustainable development and socialintegration, this program rewarded Montréal businesses that used theservices of Québec interior design or architecture professionals to improvetheir establishment. Every year, close to 20 businesses were awarded by ajury of experts for the overall quality of their design. l The contest quicklygrew with the gradual addition of a number of secondary activities: publi-cation of a design guide and Web site, series of guided tours, street theatre,press relations, public votes, etc. These activities helped Commerce DesignMontréal constantly expand its influence among both the public and mer-chants. For example, over 58,000 people took part in the People’s Choicein 2004, demonstrating that the initially proposed objectives of outreach andsocial inclusion had been achieved. The various tools and strategies imple-mented over the years were also used to constantly promote the winningbusinesses, raise the consciousness of the public so it would demand moreof design quality, confirm and enable the emergence of Québec designtalent and establish Montréal’s position as a young design metropolis. lCommerce Design Montréal’s impact was recognized in 2002 when the Cityof Montréal was given an Outstanding Achievement Award, grand prize inall International Downtown Association categories, for its structuring, inno-vative, mobilizing and reproducible nature. Montréal has been activelyexporting its concept abroad since 2003. Three complete or partial licenceshave been granted at the request of the Ville de Saint-Étienne and Cham-bre de commerce et d’industrie de Lyon, in France, and the Times SquareDistrict in New York City.

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MONTRÉAL 2025 MODEL: SECURING CITIZEN BUY-INRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

The municipal government hasdeveloped a unique tool to ensurethat residents can take part inMontréal’s growth. The virtual modeland some 100 fact sheets found atville.montreal.qc.ca/montreal2025,are remarkable means for under-standing and building a society. lThe City of Montréal presents theevolution of the projects initiated by the City, governments, publicinstitutions, organizations or busi-nesses to secure citizen buy-in and stimulate public debate. Thepopulation can now monitor theprogress of the work and use awindow designed expressly for thatpurpose to send in their comments.A strategic and tactical task force,formed of professionals working for the City, then coordinates andresponds to the citizens. lFacilitating the dialogue betweenthe city and its citizens, Montréal2025 enriches the urban develop-ment process and will guaranteethat Montréal has the best quality of life in North America by 2025.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

01

CITY OF MONTRÉAL URBAN PLANRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Initiated at the Montréal Summit in June 2002 and adopted by City Councilin November 2004, the City of Montréal Urban Plan is the outcome of amajor consensus-building effort among elected officials, representativesfrom all boroughs, the municipal government, sector stakeholders, muni-cipal services and, more generally, Montréalers who had the chance toexpress their concerns and wishes during public consultations. The Plandescribes the design vision for developing Montréal lands. Besides recom-mending strategic directions, it includes a series of means for implement-ing them. It also provides for systematic, transparent monitoring of thisimplementation via an annual assessment report submitted by a City Councilcommission every spring for public examination. l The City of Montréalhas set up various advisory bodies such as the Conseil du patrimoine,Comité d’architecture et d’urbanisme and Office de consultation publiquede Montréal to encourage participatory democracy and support implemen-tation of the Urban Plan. l In 2004, the Canadian Institute of Plannersbestowed its award for Planning Excellence in the Urban Design categoryon the City of Montréal for the quality of its Urban Plan as a planning docu-ment that is accessible, appropriate and facilitates the crucial connectionbetween urban planning and action.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR


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09/22/2005: MONTRÉAL LAUNCHES ITS DESIGN ACTION PLANRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

“But why is Montréal so interested in design? Because we, in Montréal, areconvinced that design plays a key role in the city’s social, cultural and eco-nomic growth. Design, beauty and creativity are important elements thatset Montréal apart from other cities of the world and attract tourists, newresidents and businesses. Given the global competition among cities, theCity of Montréal’s design action plan will play a strategic role in enhancingthe city’s image and identity, making it more attractive, improving the per-formance of its economy, developing a sense of pride and improving itsinhabitants’ quality of life. Our administration has taken a high-profile posi-tion in favour of a quality living environment. It is one of the main objectivesof the Urban Plan and of all sector-based plans adopted since. On allfronts, we emphasize that design is one of the elements necessary toimprove the quality of life and—I might add on this car-free day—sustain-able development.”RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

STÉPHANE HARBOUR, Mayor of the Borough of Outremont

Member of the Montréal Urban Community Executive Committee


“Our new action plan Montréal, Design of the City/City of Design was partof the economic development strategy that I made public last June. It is anessential element of the game plan entitled Imagining – Building Montréal2025, which the Mayor launched a week ago. It is an important step inacknowledging design as a means of improving quality of life and as a vec-tor for growth. Our objective is now to strengthen Montréal’s reputation asa city of design, by aggressively promoting our achievements in the field ofcity design – on the local and international scenes. The city of Montréalintends to focus on its first design responsibility … the city itself. We wishto set an example by remaining true to ourselves, as city leaders, clientsand design promoters, in all our actions.”RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

ALAN DESOUSA, Mayor of the Borough of Saint-Laurent

Member of the City of Montréal Executive Committee, responsible for economic development,

sustainable development and the Montréal 2025 project


Extracts from speeches given by STÉPHANE HARBOUR and ALAN DESOUSA during the launch

of the integrated design plan: Montréal, Design of the City/City of Design on September 22, 2005

MONTRÉAL, DESIGN OF THE CITY/CITY OF DESIGN INTEGRATED ACTION PLANl BEING NAMED A UNESCO CITY OF DESIGN WILL PROVIDEOUTSTANDING LEVERAGE TO FACILITATE IMPLEMENTATIONOF THE CITY OF MONTRÉAL’S INTEGRATED ACTION PLAN l IMPLEMENTING THE INTEGRATED ACTION PLAN WILLENABLE THE CITY OF MONTRÉAL TO PLAY A STRUCTURINGROLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE UNESCO CREATIVECITIES NETWORK

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OBJECTIVES AND COMPONENTS The Montréal, Design of the City/City of Design action plan has two keyobjectives: RRR Improve Montréal’s “design of the city”.RRR Strengthen Montréal’s position as a “city of design”.These objectives can be achieved in partnership with the stakeholders help-ing to build the city and those helping promote and disseminate design.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

IMPROVING MONTRÉAL’S DESIGN OF THE CITY is a common goal of many municipal plans, strategies and policies:RRR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY: “The City will support

design innovation to improve the quality of public spaces and the built environment.”

RRR URBAN DEVELOPMENT PLAN: “The City will support the develop-ment of a broader culture of quality, excellence and creativity in urbanplanning and architecture.”

RRR HERITAGE POLICY: “The City must use all necessary means tobecome an exemplary property and promote the improvement ofquality of the living environment.”

RRR CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT POLICY: “The City is committed to better integrating design into its practices while continuing its effort to promote design to its institutional and private partners.”

RRR STRATEGIC SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PLAN: “The City willimplement an ‘ecosustainable’ industrial design contest to revitalizecreation and promote best practices while helping publicize Montréal’sinfluence as a city of design.”


Montréal’s development as a centre of design excellence is structuredaround the implementation of a design action plan aimed at working withmunicipal and government stakeholders to “make the city better” whilealso helping, through a variety of partnerships and networks, to assertMontréal’s national and international leadership as a “city of design”.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

With its various components, this design action plan fits within the integrat-ed vision Montréal wants to promote by helping create knowledge andenhance local know-how, by inspiring and stimulating creation in all disci-plines associated with city design (architecture, urban design, landscapearchitecture, etc.) and by helping get the word out to the world about theCity of Montréal and its creators.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Another goal of this design action plan is to organize the development of ashared forward-looking vision, which is conveyed by, among other things,the organization of a rallying point: an urban design forum to outline plansfor Montréal in the coming decades and to highlight, at regular intervals, the design-related activities being carried out by the City of Montréal andits partners.

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MONTRÉAL: 20 YEARS OF SUSTAINED DESIGN ACTIVITY“WE ARGUE THAT THE EMERGENCE OF A STRONG INSTITUTIONAL BASE IS A MAJOR REASON FOR PROMINENCE OF DESIGN IN URBAN POLITICAL DISCOURSE IN MONTRÉAL AND FOR THE SUCCESS OF THE DESIGN SECTOR IN THE CITY.” DEBORAH LESLIE, University of Toronto / NORMA M. RANTISI, Concordia University


THIS OBJECTIVE IS ALSO AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE IMAGINING —BUILDING MONTRÉAL 2025 — A WORLD OF CREATIVITY ANDOPPORTUNITIES PLAN, LAUNCHED IN SEPTEMBER 2005. “Montréal’s goal is to assert itself as one of the most attractive cites in theworld because the quality of the living environment is a critical successfactor for world-class cities in the 21st century. So, to make Montréal anoutstanding place to live, the City will pay more attention to design and thequality of urban planning, all in the interests of sustainable development.”RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

ASSERTING MONTRÉAL AS A CITY OF DESIGN is an objective validated by the ongoing activities of the past 20 years,publication of the Picard Report in 1986, which acknowledges design as atop-priority development sector, and implementation of the InternationalDesign Alliance in Montréal in 2005:RRR 1986 Rapport PicardRRR 1986 Picard ReportRRR 1989 Salon international en design d’intérieur (SIDIM)RRR 1991 Commissariat au design de la Ville de MontréalRRR 1993 Institut de design MontréalRRR 1995 Commerce Design Montréal CompetitionRRR 1998 La commande publique en architecture, en art et en design

— SymposiumRRR 2004 New Design Cities — SymposiumRRR 2005 International Design Alliance/MontréalRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

THE MONTRÉAL, DESIGN OF THE CITY/CITY OF DESIGN ACTION PLAN HAS THREE KEY COMPONENTS:RRR Implement a co-ordinating and expertise unit, the Design Montréal

action group with various functions: experimentation, awareness-raising activities, training, promotion.

RRR Hold a forward-looking structuring communication event.RRR Build diversified networks at the local, regional, national and

international levels.

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Defining itself as a laboratory of innovation, Design Montréal fixes its activ-ities firmly in the Montréal reality, building an expandable partnership withinterested boroughs and targeting a certain number of various types ofurban projects that become sites for trying out new effective processesand practices. From year to year, all these projects serve to showcase howthe City’s design has improved and to reinforce Montréal’s position as acity of design. RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

To help it in its work, Design Montréal has set up two advisory committees:an internal “city design” committee, made up of project managers, and a“city of design” external committee, made up of representatives of cityorganizations involved in design promotion and awareness (Institut deDesign Montréal, Centre de design de l’UQAM, SIDIM, CommunicationDesign Montréal, etc).RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

FORWARD-LOOKING, STRUCTURING COMMUNICATION EVENTAs was done in the Commerce Design Montréal contest and following theexample of other dynamic cities, Montréal’s approach is to tie its activitiesconcerning the city’s design as tightly as possible to structuring communi-cation activities. That makes the event a key component of urban life andenables the development of a shared vision of the city’s future, the act of“communicating” being the very foundation of the process of making thecity, in direct connection with the act of “designing.”RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Consequently, Design Montréal is the organizer of a forward-looking event:a large urban forum that helps outline plans for Montréal in the comingdecades and that highlights the implementation of the design action planby the City and its partners. A report on past activities and current projectsforms the main program for this public event open to all: elected officials,promoters and citizens, managers, creators and researchers, from bothhere and abroad. RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

The frequency at which this event is to be held remains to be determined(every three or five years); however, to stimulate and maintain Montréalers’interest, communication activities are programmed cumulatively during theyears preceding the editions of the event. To mark the kick-off of this inno-vative rally, communications will gradually be sent out starting in 2006 withthe preparation of a directory of Montréal’s best practices in design.


CO-ORDINATING AND EXPERTISE UNIT: DESIGN MONTRÉAL ACTION GROUP“Montréal has demonstrated its creativity on some notable projects in thepast, but design quality must now become the City’s signature on its ownurban planning and development activities and be expressed in all of itsboroughs. To do that, we initiated in September 2005 an integrated designaction plan with two key goals: improve the design of the city and strengthenMontréal’s position as a city of design. To implement this action plan, themunicipal administration formed last January the Design Montréal actiongroup, a co-ordinating and expertise unit that has three key functions:coaching, communication and networking.”RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Extract from a speech made by MR. BENOIT LABONTÉ,

Mayor of the Borough of Ville-Marie and Member of the City of Montréal Executive Committee,

responsible for Culture, Design and Heritage announcing the implementation of DESIGN MONTRÉAL

during the launch of Créativité Montréal on March 9, 2006


To apply its action plan and create the required partnerships, the City ofMontréal has set up a co-ordinating and expertise unit called DesignMontréal, whose role is based on the power of conviction and the opting in ofits partners, all to support and complement existing administrative control.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Design Montréal’s activity, which is interdisciplinary, is very often carriedout in partnership with private businesses, promotional organizations andMontréal research centres and has many functions: design order coaching,guide publication, training seminars, competition and workshop organiza-tion, promotion and dissemination of best practices and communicationand outreach activities.

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A fundamental challenge of today’s corporations is to build dynamic,visionary partnerships crossing various levels of governance and betweenall players in a particular sector. The value of a sector such as design is thatit integrates cultural, economic, social and environmental issues and that itis connected to many other spheres of activity such as tourism, productionor marketing. As a result, the success of the City of Montréal’s designaction plan will depend on the expanded partnership to be formed and,with regard to that, the UNESCO Creative Cities Network is an outstandingplatform for promoting Montréal’s design activities and sharing lessonslearned in its action plan with the Network’s other members.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

MONTRÉAL’S INTEGRATED DESIGN ACTION PLAN WILL STRATEGICALLY HELP:RRR improve its inhabitants’ quality of lifeRRR boost the City’s image and identityRRR make it more attractiveRRR improve its economic performanceRRR assert its leadership as a centre of design excellenceRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR


LOCAL, REGIONAL, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL NETWORKINGThe main goal of national and international networks is to help promoteMontréal as a city of design, thereby helping make the City more attractiveto tourists and foreign businesses while enabling the development of out-side markets for Montréal’s design creators.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Also, a network at the Montréal level will help to put together from amongexisting personnel a team of agents involved in design promotion, “champi-ons of design”, in each borough, people who can convey Design Montréal’sdirections. A formula inspired by the United Kingdom, these “champions ofdesign” work in interested boroughs to promote design quality and preparea design action plan for their boroughs.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

To strengthen its national leadership role, Montréal will set up a “MayorsInstitute to Improve Design in Cities”, based on the Mayors’ Institute onCity Design model, which has existed in the US since 1986 and whose goalis to improve design and quality of life in American cities by drawing on theefforts of their elected officials, mayors. Based on the case study and theorganization of training seminars, the Institute will first start working at theborough level and then move on to the regional and national levels. TheInstitute also provides leverage for developing new collaborative effortswith American cities.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Internationally, the City is benefiting from large international meetings toposition itself as a city of design, promote the skills of Montréal design pro-fessionals and help develop markets in Europe, Asia and the Americas.Montréal is also actively involved in developing new networks of cities suchas the UNESCO Creative Cities Network.

SEEKING DESIGNATIONAS A UNESCO CITY OFDESIGN

MONTRÉAL

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Montréal, active and inventive, are powerful terms of sustainable economicand social development for this metropolis turned resolutely towards the21st century and open to a diversity of cultures and ideas. On the strengthof the human commitment of a network of creators and cultural institutionsacting both locally and globally, Montréal stands out for its design leader-ship. Creation of the Design Montréal municipal action group in 2005, thepresence of many public and private groups and partnerships eager to pro-mote, publicize and get involved in design (e.g. UQAM Centre de design,Société des arts technologiques, Institute of Design Montréal), and theimplementation of structuring public strategies and policies (e.g. City ofMontréal Cultural Policy and Sustainable Development Policy) are the bril-liant expression of design innovation serving development and a quality of“living together”.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Montréalers’ culture and identity, embedded in the “here and now”, repre-sent a vision of the future and a structuring group of resources, knowledgeand active individuals committed to their community and fully aware ofglobal issues. Three key attributes also underpin the foundations of thisconcept of Montréal—A Creative City:

MONTRÉAL, ACTIVE AND INVENTIVE

01

01 UQAM Centre de design

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l Consequently, Montréal’s current and future commitment, built aroundthe Design of the City/City of Design project, is to recognize design as aunifying, unfailing tool of sustainable economic development, social inte-gration, quality of life, cultural diversity and urban well-being. This commit-ment for decades to come is being driven by a strong desire to democra-tize design. Also, far from relegating design to the restricted circle of anelite and limiting its activities to serve form—or even spectacle—alone, thiscommitment provides further impetus to the openness of design as a proj-ect useful and essential to the economy, the environment, the quality of thecity’s ordinary day-to-day living environment and the promotion of a humanspace that resonates directly with other cultures.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

MONTRÉAL, A CITY OF DIALOGUE. Drawing on an extensive network ofpartners actively involved in design and creation (e.g. creators, academics,public and private institutions, professional associations, mutual interestgroups), Montréal offers a unique, cohesive platform that generates structur-ing, innovative and enabling activities. Backed by international awarenessand recognition of the initiatives and knowledge resulting from these espe-cially constructive local and regional networks (e.g. Canadian Centre forArchitecture, UNESCO Chair on Landscape and Environment, CommerceDesign Montréal, Centre de design de l’UQAM), it is well positioned todayas the leader in municipal strategy promoting design and, more broadly, asa city of exemplary projects involved heavily in transferring knowledgeabroad—especially to emerging or developing countries. Its collaborativenetworks connect the Americas, Europe, Asia and Africa into a singularity—one of open dialogue with the world because therein lie its origins. RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR


MONTRÉAL, A CITY OF MANY. Montréal’s creative potential is intimatelytied to the First Nations and immigrant roots that have shaped its livingenvironment, its many landscapes, its streets, its architecture, its interiorsand its art of making design. Cultural plurality is the heart and soul thatalways accompanies this city’s designs and that is very evident in itscontemporaneousness. Its hybrid linguistic identity (anglophone andfrancophone), its unique blend of cultural influences from Europe andAmerica, and its character as a cosmopolitan city open to the world, setMontréal apart as a city of cultural diversity. This conveys a powerful abilityto innovate, as evidenced by the leadership of its creators, the variety andoriginality of its cultural productions and design projects, and the quality ofits institutions of higher learning. This outstanding human capital is the keyvector of this crucible of creativity.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

MONTRÉAL, A CITY EMERGING. Calm in the face of today’s globaliza-tion, Montréal takes an inventive approach to today’s urban conditions.Firmly rooted in its cultural, social and economic differences, Montréal is,above all, the crazy desire to live the amazing experience of daily life in thestreets, be they landscaped boulevards, shopping promenades or festivalsites, both summer and winter. It is no accident that the Montréal land-scape creates, especially, expressive figures of its interiors in the image ofCommerce Design Montréal, which has been developing for over morethan a decade on its territory. Montréal’s intention is not a quest for monu-mental works, superstar-architectures, to look like so many other citiesaround the world, but rather projects that requalify its living spaces yearround. It is the challenge of this emerging city of creativity, this spirit thatfinds clear expression in the constant renewal of what is, in terms of bothits formal qualities, social and cultural matrix and governance, the logic ofprojects and experiments.

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Clearly, forming an alliance of UNESCO Design Cities is a unique opportu-nity for asserting the leadership of this centre of local, national and interna-tional design excellence. Relying on lessons learned, the structuring natureand solidarity of its network of players and institutions, and the pioneeringactivities it has at its disposal (e.g. Design Action Plan), Montréal will makea significant contribution to the network of UNESCO Design Cities.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Montréal’s commitment, coupled with the dedicated energy of the keyplayers in design (creators, professionals, academics, etc.), has politicalwill backed by proactive elected municipal officials convinced of thiscross-functional area of activity. RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Consequently, joining the alliance of UNESCO Creative/Design Citiesmakes for a unifying, consistent project founded on the emulation of highlyqualified professional resources, experiments with the project’s processes,professional, political and social coaching of activities, promotion of bestpractices, as well as high-level co-operation and the sharing of knowledgeand know-how. RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Source: PHILIPPE POULLAOUEC-GONIDEC and SYLVAIN PAQUETTE, holder and researcher respectively,

Université de Montréal UNESCO Chair on Landscape and Environment


UNESCO CREATIVE/DESIGN CITIES NETWORK — CONVERGENCES AND PERSPECTIVES The unique synergy among the key players in Montréal design, the struc-turing and consistent nature of the promotional, awareness-raising andpublic activities carried out, and the quality of the human capital availableplace Montréal in a solid position to confront the challenge of sustainabledevelopment for cities. To do that, it relies on unique, exceptional publicknowledge that helps renew and democratize the design project culture.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Two key types of leverage now set Montréal’s structuring action apart as acentre of international design excellence. They represent new areas of poten-tial supporting strong alliances to be formed with the new design cities.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

UNIQUE, ACTIVE INSTITUTIONS. Montréal has a diverse, growing net-work of public institutions, at the municipal, university, mutual interest andprivate levels, that are helping enhance local action, emulate productivesynergies and partnerships, and export knowledge and know-how interna-tionally. Developing particular and complementary kinds of expertise, thisnetwork of institutions and actors is a local and global reference centre fornew, original and cutting-edge types of public action.RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

INNOVATIVE PROJECTS. Finally, Montréal is a veritable laboratory of proj-ects whose spin-offs are especially valuable as examples and demonstra-tions. Structuring public initiatives that rely, in some cases, on participationthat is voluntary, bottom-up and reaching all of the city’s sectors (e.g.requalification of the city’s normal living environments) can be implementedfor the greater benefit of both urban players and stakeholders and for all ofcivil society. These processes unquestionably make Montréal a sustainableplatform for the economic and social development of the city of today. Onceagain, they demonstrate this city’s powerful potential as a model of the useof creativity in implementing projects, partnerships, coaching activities andmultiple, innovative programs.


PUBLIC-SECTOR REPRESENTATIVERRR Benoit Labonté

Mayor of the Borough of Ville-Marie, member of City ofMontréal Executive Committeeresponsible for Culture, Designand Heritage and the Downtown


PRIVATE-SECTOR REPRESENTATIVERRR Bruno Gautier

President of Éditions Infopresseand Communication DesignMontréal, City of Montréalpartner (see page 96 and 120)


CIVIL SOCIETY SECTOR REPRESENTATIVERRR Anne-Marie Jean

General Manager of CultureMontréal (see page 37)


DESIGN PROFESSIONALRRR Geneviève Angio-Morneau

A young designer for a majorMontréal design firm, she workson museum design projects inCanada (Québec and Ontario)and abroad (Singapore) andwas also involved in designpromotion as organizer of theNew Design Cities symposiumin 2004.


CONTACT PERSONRRR Marie-Josée Lacroix

Design Commissioner andDirector of Design Montréal,City of Montréal


STEERING COMMITTEEMONTRÉAL, UNESCO CITY OF DESIGN

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Under the political governance of Gérald Tremblay, Mayor ofMontréal, and Benoit Labonté,Mayor of the Borough of Ville-Marieand member of the City of MontréalExecutive Committee, responsiblefor Culture, Design and Heritage,and as mandated by the City ofMontréal Executive Committee, this application was prepared by:RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

the Design Montréal team from the Direction de la planification et des interventions stratégiques,Service de la mise en valeur duterritoire et du patrimoine de la Ville de Montréal:RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

RRR Béatrice CarabinDesign Consultant, Design Montréal

RRR Denis Lemieux*

Architect, ArchitecturalConsultant, Design Montréal

RRR Mario BrodeurArchitect, Consultant


under the direction of:RRR Marie-Josée Lacroix

Design Commissioner, Director of Design Montréal


* Architecture, Landscaping and Sustainable

Development Consultant at Ministère de la Culture

et des Communications du Québec and on loan to

the City of Montréal


WITH THE HELP AND SUPPORT OF:RRR Director, École d’architecture,

Université de MontréalRRR Julie Arcand

Communication Manager,Direction des communicationset des relations avec lescitoyens, Ville de Montréal

RRR Arnold Beaudin Director of Planning and Strategic Operations,Service de la mise en valeur du territoire et du patrimoine,Ville de Montréal

RRR Martine Canuel Computer Graphics Designer,orangetango

RRR Jean-Robert Choquet Director of CulturalDevelopment and Libraries,Service du Développementculturel, de la qualité du milieude vie et de la diversité ethno-culturelle, Ville de Montréal

RRR Marc H. Choko Full professor, École de design,Directeur du Centre de designde l’Université du Québec à Montréal

RRR Guy De Repentigny Manager, Analysis andMarketing Division, Direction dela planification et des interven-tions stratégiques, Service de lamise en valeur du territoire et dupatrimoine, Ville de Montréal

RRR Jacques Des Rochers Canadian Art Curator, Montréal Museum of Fine Arts

RRR Yanick Giroux Graphic Designer, orangetango

CREDITS ANDACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

RRR Richard Lafontaine Secretary of DOCOMOMOQuébec

RRR Chantal Langelier Planning, Analysis andMarketing Consultant, Direction de la planification etdes interventions stratégiques,Service de la mise en valeur du territoire et du patrimoine,Ville de Montréal

RRR Sylvie Laniel Project Manager, Ministère des Affaires municipales et des Régions du Québec

RRR Mario Mercier Creative Associate, orangetango

RRR Christopher Olson Translator

RRR Jean-Charles PannetonPlanning, Analysis andMarketing Consultant, Direction de la planification etdes interventions stratégiques,Service de la mise en valeur du territoire et du patrimoine,Ville de Montréal

RRR Sylvain Paquette Researcher, Université deMontréal UNESCO Chair onLandscape and Environment

RRR Robert Paré Marketing Division Manager,Direction des communicationset des relations avec lescitoyens, Ville de Montréal

RRR Michèle PicardPolitical Advisor, Ville de Montréal

RRR Claude-Armand PichéPlanner, Heritage PresentationProgramming, Parks Canada

RRR Philippe Poullaouec-Gonidec Holder of Université deMontréal UNESCO Chair onLandscape and Environment

RRR Isabelle Rousseau Project Manager, orangetango

RRR Marc Tremblay Assistant General Manager,Service de la mise en valeur du territoire et du patrimoine,Ville de Montréal

RRR Emmanuelle Vieira Design and Architecture Writer and Reporter


The City of Montréal wouldespecially like to thank the followingorganizations for their active supportin preparing the application:RRR Centre de design de l’Université

du Québec à MontréalRRR Université de Montréal

UNESCO Chair on Landscapeand Environment

RRR École d’architecture del’Université de Montréal


Data sources: Unless otherwise indicated, the texts

describing the groups, institutions or other organiza-

tions were taken from their Web site. Most of the

designers’ profiles come from a document accompa-

nying the Main Design 2004 exhibition prepared

by Centre de design de l’Université du Québec à

Montréal. Finally, some of the data on Montréal come

from Montréal’s application to secure the head office

of the International Design Alliance, prepared by

Montréal International in 2005.


SINCERE THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO HELPED OUT.

APPENDIX

EGO, September / October 2005

METROPOLIS, October 2005

VOIR LA VILLE, September, 29 2005

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