Étienne Bernier architecture + Julien Delannoy
Dame Flore
The proposal “Dame Flore” (“Dame Flora”) is notable for its overall quality, not only in terms of its visual presentation but also its programming and the thinking behind it. The street is seen as a participatory space, with three distinct hubs having different functions, which enriches the proposal. Emerging business models are also accommodated, in line with the diversification of activities on commercial thoroughfares, ranging from storefronts specializing in pick-up of goods to pop-up stores to co-working spaces.
– Excerpt from the text of the proposal (Freely Translated)
The proposal anchors Rue Notre-Dame in its surroundings and amplifies the central role it can play in the cultural district of Old Lachine and beyond... The street’s identity is embodied at different locations/intersections and these modules help attract visitors from the shoreline, the park or the neighbourhood to Rue Notre-Dame. The plan proposes that between 10th and 15th avenues the street be shared by pedestrians and cyclists, with access preserved for emergency services as well as delivery vehicles per a predetermined schedule. Farther west, around the market, is an agri-educational zone comprising community gardens along with a learning and lab area focused on urban agriculture, repair culture and circular economy strategies. To the east, the project proposes a more dynamic and sports-oriented hub, endorsing mobility principles through the built environment and inviting users to embrace active lifestyles via facilities that get them moving.
