Hydro-Québec’s project to build a new electrical substation just north of the Grande Bibliothèque is causing a lot of concern among some people… and rightly so! Inserting such an infrastructure in the heart of a historic and cultural sector like the Quartier Latin is a colossal architectural challenge, which could turn out to be a monumental mistake if the necessary efforts are not made.
If the coveted land is truly the only place where Hydro-Québec can set up shop, the strategy chosen by the Crown corporation, namely to go through an architectural competition, is probably the best possible scenario. The architectural competition has proven its power on several occasions in recent years in Quebec by putting the greatest architects in competition for a single project, which has the effect of encouraging emulation and innovation.
That said, the competition is not a magic formula if the winning conditions are not met, starting with a budget that is up to the challenge. Even the best designers will not be able to work miracles if the budget envelope and the constraints imposed do not allow them to think outside the box, a necessity for this project. In an inflationary context, with a construction workforce already in high demand and a project as complex and delicate to insert into the urban landscape, we cannot afford to skimp on budgets.
In addition, certain rules seem essential for the upcoming architectural competition. For example, we cannot end up with a building with blind facades (without windows or without contact with the neighborhood and its residents). Hydro-Québec also says it wants to wait until the end of the land acquisition process to “analyze the possibilities of underground construction.” If it is not possible to build entirely underground, it would be essential to anchor at least a portion of the building below ground level in order to reduce its visual impact on the built environment, similar to gymnasiums in schools and sports environments.
The door should also be opened to a mix of uses. Consider the recent electrical substation in the Elephant and Castle district of London, designed by architects Morris + Company. The latter integrates a café and a daycare into the electrical substation. The dense built context encouraged such an unusual, even counter-intuitive, marriage to ensure harmonious integration into the sector.
The competition should also include a strategy to give something back to the community in order to promote its social acceptability. This aspect is essential in this process, like what was achieved with the Denny Substation in Seattle. We are thinking of a structure that would emerge from the ground, accessible from the street, which would transform into a roof on which we would find an immense garden and works of public art. The field of possibilities is open to creativity.
Finally, the future of the current electrical substation, at the corner of Ontario and Berri streets, is also a concern. Hydro-Québec indicates that it “will be dismantled after the construction of the new substation,” an aberration in a context of ecological transition. Not only does the infrastructure have real heritage value through its brutalist expression, this space could be converted for other uses, including as a cultural facility. Many cities around the world are presenting exemplary projects in this regard, from the Tate Modern to the Powerhouse Arts in Brooklyn (disused power plants). Perhaps a design museum, since Montreal has been designated a “UNESCO City of Design”?
Hydro-Québec states on its website that “innovation is in [ses] genes” and that it plays “a central role in establishing a green and sustainable economy.” This would be the perfect time for the boots to follow the lips, especially since Hydro-Québec has a history of architectural quality for such infrastructure. This is the case for the Viger substation (chemin des Moulins, in Montreal), designed by the Longpré et Marchand firm, which won an award of excellence from the Ordre des architectes du Québec in 1982. Let’s reconnect with architectural excellence.