Calls

Create Winter at Quartier des Spectacles – Place Émilie-Gamelin

Design Competition - Installations for Public Spaces

October 3, 2011

Atomic³ - Félix Dagenais, Louis-Xavier Gagnon-Lebrun, Éric Gautron, produced by Michel Granger

Winner

Shards of glass

“Shards of glass fits into the heart of Montréal – modern, northern, accessible, and often described as the “city of a hundred steeples.” A giant, colourful, interactive stained-glass window commanding “a few acres of snow…” An installation made up of shards of glass spread over the mineral surface of Parc Émilie-Gamelin. An island of colour and warmth inviting passersby to stroll through and take shelter from the wind. A living work of art in which visitors transform the light by projecting shadows as they move about. In short, a maze of colourful transparent panels illuminated by the sunlight throughout the day, creating multicoloured reflections on the blanket of snow covering the square. By night, a “light installation,” brought to life by varying the light’s intensity and many sources, will have its effect on the polychromatic shadows, while a giant projection will illuminate the two buildings that border the square on the east side, with which visitors can interact.”

(Excerpts from winner’s presentation)

“The installation won over the jury because it completely changed the spirit of the square with its striking colour effects on a human scale. Like the other concepts, this project stands out by its significant daytime presence. The splash of bright colours in the downtown area would bring warmth to the greyness of winter. The concept of breaking down and deconstruction is strong and echoes the work of Melvin Charney. The idea of interactively deconstructing the facades of the buildings pleased the jury, especially since the team successfully integrated the constraints and technical limitations of architectural projection on these buildings.”

(Excerpt from jury report)

The winners of the other two parts of the competition were: