Jury or design review panel members / Professional consultants

In December 2019 the Ville de Montréal adopted the Montréal 2030 Agenda for Quality and Exemplarity in Design and Architecture. Central to the implementation of the Agenda is the introduction of processes conducive to quality, such as design competitions, workshops and design review panels. These processes are used in conjunction with various projects including construction or renovation of buildings, design of parks and public spaces, creation of street furniture and temporary public structures, and implementation of sustainable infrastructures. All of these types of project help to enhance living environments by exerting positive influences on people who visit them and those who work or live in or near them.

Given the diversity of projects and the contexts in which they are implemented, the success of design-quality processes depends on the expertise and diversity of points of view expressed by the people contributing to them. With that in mind, the Ville de Montréal’s Bureau du design is seeking the participation of a diversity of actors from the creative ecosystem. The pool of experts resulting from this call for expressions of interest will constitute a bank of resources representing all disciplines of design and planning, including practitioners as well as theoreticians, whose work has an impact on Montrealers’ living environments. Ensuring a range of backgrounds, resources and education will better position us to reflect the multitude of points of view that must be considered in development, construction, space design and creative projects.

Two pools of candidates will be established:

• POOL A: Jury and design review panel members
• POOL B: Professional consultants for co-ordination and framing of design-quality processes

POOL A: Jury and design review panel members

Design competitions and design review panels are processes that aim to enhance the quality of design, architecture and planning projects. The success of those processes depends largely on input from a group of people representing the full spectrum of competencies and interests inherent to the project, who are assigned responsibility for evaluating its quality.

• Design competition:
  A competition is a call issued to multiple design teams to obtain a range of potential solutions to a given problem. The solutions are typically submitted in the form of sketches and enable the client, with the help of the jury, to make an informed choice by comparing the different proposals. The jury’s role is to establish the short list of finalists and make the final choice of a winning team based on the approved selection criteria.
   
  More information on the work of jury members is available in File 10 of the Guide for design and architecture competitions (in French).

• Design review panel:
  A panel is a process employed to track the quality of a project with input from design and spatial planning experts. The panelists are tasked with supporting the project creative process based on predefined design objectives and criteria. Their role is to review the documents submitted by the designers and make recommendations to help fulfil the project’s quality objectives.
   
  More information on the role of panelists is available in File 4 of the Guide for design review panels (in French).

This collaborative work demands an ability to listen and a commitment to sharing one’s knowledge with people from various fields of expertise, municipal representatives and the designers to ensure the success of a joint project. It also requires recognized expertise so as to build an atmosphere of trust between the jury or panel and the designers. Lastly, it entails meticulous project analysis based on a review of documentation prior to the meetings. The work of the jurors or panelists is compensated according to pay scales established by the Ville de Montréal.

Abilities sought:

The pool of jury/panel member candidates will be established using the following selection criteria:

• Interest in the design quality of projects;
• Knowledge of Montréal-specific challenges in development and implementation of design projects;
• Expertise: disciplines practised, number of years of experience, specific specialized knowledge;
• Ability to discuss a project and issue design recommendations: prior experience as a member of a jury or advisory committee (e.g., planning advisory committee), teacher, etc. 
• Thoroughness.

POOL B: Professional consultants

Design competitions, workshops and design review panels are rigorously prepared, efficient processes that are excellent decision-support tools. They mitigate risk factors related to project design, help improve project quality and optimize conditions for implementation.

Professional consultants, mandated by the Ville de Montréal, are responsible for organizing the preparation and presentation of quality processes in architecture or the other design disciplines. Their role is to ensure maintenance of the conditions guaranteeing the transparency, fairness and impartiality of the competition, workshop or panel process. They are also the official point of contact for the various stakeholders involved. This essential work contributes to the quality of the process and ensures fairness in what is provided to and expected of competitors.

A typical professional consultant mandate includes participation in all stages of a competition, including preparation of the competition documents (the rules and program) ahead of launch. During the competition period, the consultant’s tasks are to ensure the procedures are properly followed and the rules are complied with, maintain communication between the various competition stakeholders, write reports summarizing the jury deliberations, and conduct all necessary follow-up related to these tasks. After the competition, the consultant takes part, with the Ville, in publicizing the results.

A professional consultant is also required for design review panels. As the person in charge of co-ordinating the panel, the consultant prepares meetings, leads them and performs the necessary follow-up. During meetings, they frame the dialogue between the panelists, the client and the design team to ensure that it leads to concrete recommendations that will be conducive to project quality.

Abilities sought:

The pool of professional consultant candidates will be established using the following selection criteria:

• Interest in the design quality of projects;
• Knowledge of Montréal-specific challenges in development and implementation of design projects;
• Expertise: disciplines practised, number of years of experience, specific specialized knowledge;
• Comfortable leading meetings and able to direct a discussion toward a consensus;
• Thoroughness in following established rules, note-taking and drafting of minutes;
• Strong writing skills;
• Assets:
  • Skills/abilities in programming;
  • Knowledge of public procurement rules;
  • Experience in competitions as a competitor or juror;
  • Completion of the Ordre des architectes du Québec training on competitions. 

Note that, in the case of competitions in which architecture is the primary discipline, and where the Ville seeks approval from the Ordre des architectes du Québec, the professional consultant must have completed the Ordre’s training on architecture competitions or have extensive experience with such competitions.

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and with varying levels of experience. We seek to establish a pool with improved representation of different cultures, gender identities, physical and mental abilities, and socioeconomic profiles. We also welcome applicants from historically underrepresented or marginalized settings/communities.

Ville de Montréal employees and elected officials are not eligible.

Applications for both pools will be accepted until midnight on Monday, March 8, 2021, using the appropriate online application form.

POOL A: Design jury and panel members
POOL B: Professional consultants

All persons expressing interest will be contacted by e-mail. A more specific selection process will follow based on the particular requirements of individual projects.

POOL A: Jury and design review panel members

Juries and panels are assembled on an ad hoc basis depending on the disciplines required for individual projects. Pool members will be contacted as necessary. The Ville de Montréal reserves the right to assemble a jury or panel using people other than members of the candidate bank. 

POOL B: Professional consultants

Applicants who meet the criteria listed on the form will be selected as members of the professional consultants pool. The selection process will be performed by the Bureau du design.

Selection of a professional consultant for a competition or panel is a separate process, involving an invitation to submit an application or a call for professional services. Candidates in the pool will have priority.

Please direct any questions with regard to this call to the Ville de Montréal Bureau du design at @email.

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