Espace culturel Georges-Émile-Lapalme – Place des Arts

With its five concert halls, Place des Arts is the premier performing arts venue in Quebec. Since it was opened in 1963, this hub of culture had lost its readability, and the public area linking the theatres, subway and shops had become an incoherent cluster of spaces. The project was designed primarily to restore the identity of Place des Arts as a world-class cultural complex with a strong urban presence.


Electromechanical

Pellemon

Photography

Caroline Bergeron, Stéphane Groleau

Contractor

Groupe TEQ

Structure

Génivar

Partners

Menkès Shooner Dagenais LeTourneux Architectes

Other Collaborators

Certification LEED Or

Country

Canada


City

Montréal


Client

Place des Arts de Montréal


Surface Area

3,200 m²  


Year

2011


And secondly, it called for a complete renovation and rededication of the Hall as a cultural Grand Foyer, a coherent, lively and memorable space. New perspectives, clear links, and a strong architectural statement to reassert the venue’s vocation as a showcase of culture.

The general concept is punctuated by divisions marking the transition between interior and exterior, between the Foyer and areas dedicated to entertainment and shows.

For Events

At these junctures, the plan embraces floors, walls and even ceilings, relying on a lighting and audio-visual system that creates transitions that stimulate all the senses. On the exterior, the accessible roof over the canopy provides a unique vantage point on the entire site and performances.

The perspective has changed, the vantage point has been improved and the public area expanded. It is a daring project that brings a dynamism and originality to the built environment, asserting itself as a new destination in the city.

Distinctions

2013
Prix d'excellence pour le design, Ontario Association of Architects
2012
Projet de l'année, Grands Prix du Design
2012
Prix Lieu public - Catégorie établissement public et institutionnel, Grands Prix du Design
2012
Prix spécial Signalisation - Branding des lieux, Grands Prix du Design
2012
Finaliste, catégorie architecture commerciale de plus de 1000 m2, Azure Magazine Awards
2011
Prix Or, catégorie design intérieur/commercial, Design Exchange Awards.