Whether you are looking to establish yourself in a cool future neighborhood, whether you are an architecture or urban planning enthusiast or simply in love with Montreal, you must see the free exhibition The Montreal of the futurewhich is in full swing until June 20 at 1000 De La Gauchetière.
Even those who believe that Montreal is doing badly have an interest in discovering the 75 or so exhibitors, including real estate developers, architectural firms and the City of Montreal. With models, photos or paintings, they present residential, institutional and commercial projects that will change the face of Greater Montreal.
“Montreal is in a renaissance. This is unheard of for decades, says Robert J. Vézina, founder of the exhibition. There are many towers in the city center under construction, but it is also the entire immediate outskirts that will be transformed into new districts. »
A card signed by the band of geek d’Agora Montréal allows you to see what the silhouette of downtown Montreal will look like once all the projects announced and in progress have been completed, including those of the National Bank Tower (which will be distinguished by a curved glass facade ) and 900 Saint-Jacques (which will have 62 floors of rental housing).
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
The Agora Montreal map
“Agora has 1,000 volunteer members who love architecture and urban development,” explains Robert J. Vézina. They create 3D models that they overlay on Google Earth. At a single glance, one can see the city center of the present and the future with colors. »
A large wooden model also allows you to see more closely what the huge space around the former Molson brewery will look like, which offers a large window on the St. Lawrence River. That’s not counting the Quartier des lumière (on the former site of Radio-Canada) and the Esplanade Cartier, on the other side of the Jacques-Cartier bridge, to the east.
Further west, the Bridge-Bonaventure project will completely change the scene. “It strengthens the urban fabric,” enthuses Robert J. Vézina. What is good is that these are mixed projects with a vision of sustainable development. Rental, condos, commercial, new parks, new streets, local services…”
Few city centers still have so much growth potential. “With Bridge-Bonaventure, we are redeveloping an abandoned space at the entrance to downtown. With the REM passing through it, it’s big, ”he illustrates.
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PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
If the wooden models are increasingly rare with digital technology, we can see in the exhibition that of Pierre Thibault for the Sainte-Anne college.
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PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
This exhibition is an opportunity to discover a ton of promising projects.
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PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
Various models give an idea of the Montreal of tomorrow.
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Projects to discover
Another project that the exhibition makes better known: Odea, which involves the Cree community and pays homage to its culture with a complex of condos, rental apartments and commercial spaces at the junction of Old Montreal and Griffintown. . The building, designed with aboriginal architect emeritus Douglas Cardinal, will be distinguished by the representation of a canoe on its facade.
On a smaller scale, the exhibition tells us that the northern portion of Pierre-Bédard Park, located east of Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital, will be developed to collect surface water from neighboring streets in order to reduce the risk of flooding in the area.
An ambitious plan to revitalize Vieux-Pointe-aux-Trembles is also underway, which includes the acquisition of the Saint-Enfant-Jésus church and a large river showcase.
An exhibition dedicated to urban development
The biannual exhibition The Montreal of the future is in its eighth edition, but the pandemic has forced it to skip a year. For the first time, it is taking place at 1000 De La Gauchetière West, a few steps from the Atrium Le 1000 skating rink. “There are a lot of people passing by,” says Robert J. Vézina.
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
To cite just this highlight of his career, Robert J. Vézina founded the Black and Blue festival in 1991.
It was during his studies at McGill University that he became passionate about urban development. In 1986, he was entrusted with the organization of open days with Phyllis Lambert as personality of honor. McGill College Avenue was then undergoing profound change and the young Robert J. Vézina asked the partners involved to have visuals to bear witness to it.
He then pursued a career in events, where he orchestrated the inauguration of well-known buildings, then it was in 2006 that he created the first exhibition The Montreal of the future.
“The City has agreed to become a partner of the exhibition, on the condition that it be free. It was not easy to convince promoters to provide us with images, photos, models…”, he says.
Slowly but surely
Urban plans and major real estate projects do not happen overnight. However, the exhibition reassures us with the idea that a vision can indeed be translated into action and that the painful construction sites will bear fruit.
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
The exhibition continues until June 20.
At Parc Jean-Drapeau, the rehabilitation of Lac des Cygnes, the canal gardens and the Place des Nations is planned for the summer of 2027. In the borough of Ahuntsic-Cartierville, the District central and Louvain Est projects are also very promising.
In Montreal East, there are 23 million square feet to which we intend to give new life. A veritable “blank page”, even the greatest potential for industrial requalification in Canada, can be read on a sign in the City of Montreal.
“It’s going to be a new city,” promises Robert J. Vézina.
The exhibition The Montreal of the future takes place at 1000 De La Gauchetière West until June 20.