Tactical urbanism reimagined
Client
Le Quartier Latin
Location
Montréal's Quartier Latin (Saint-Denis Street)
Year
2022
Services
Industrial design, placemaking, tactical urbanism
Awards
Grands Prix du Design - 2023
Agora Maximus is an innovative pedestrianization project that pushes the boundaries of tactical urbanism by proposing a highly durable, integrated, and heavily planted modular installation, combined with an instantly iconic signature inspired by Montreal’s Quartier Latin. The first edition of this urban experience for the pedestrianization of Saint-Denis Street took place in the summer of 2022.
Using the codes and quality of permanent furniture
The installation uses the codes and the quality of permanent furniture adapted for a seasonal installation, notably by the choice of materials and finishes.
The concept is based on the combination of modules that can be reconfigured over the years, as the project returns in 2023 and 2024. This capacity for modularity was one of the key design criteria during the design phase.
Modularity
The 2022 installation includes 89 pixels of 5 different heights. Their generous dimensions allow them to be used as benches or platforms, but also as large planting boxes for perennials and shrubs that will be reused in the coming years.
Greenery
An important component of the design was the integration of vegetation, a key element in the success of temporary installations according to several surveys. As for the furniture, the greenery was approached with sustainability as a main criterion by landscape architect Bao Nguyen (Studio B). It relies, among other things, on selecting plants that can be reused.
For the first year of Agora Maximus, the project team favored a striking gesture, concentrating the intervention in front of the Saint-Sulpice library. The entrance to the pedestrian zone is identified by the presence of the pillars of Hercules, evoking an ancient portal. Street markings act as a link between the various interventions.
The project is completed by the window dressing of vacant businesses, which highlight the history of the Quartier Latin by using the codes of the installation, contributing to the neighbourhood's commercial development.
Project realized in collaboration with LAAB Collective under the direction of Marc-André Carignan and the Partenariat du Quartier des Spectacles.
Landscape architecture: Bao Nguyen (Studio B)
Photos: Raphaël Thibodeau