The iconic Farine Five Roses brand that welcomes motorists as they arrive in Montreal will have competition. Quebec artist Marc Séguin will put his signature on the facades of a rental building built on the side of the Bonaventure highway.
Published at 3:25 p.m. Updated at 3:38 p.m.
The announcement of this collaboration was made Tuesday on the ground floor of the Haleco real estate complex currently under construction at the intersection of Old Montreal and Griffintown. For several months, the renowned artist has been collaborating with Ivanhoé Cambridge, Cogirimmobilienr and Pomerleau, the developers of the project, as well as with its designers, the offices ACDF Architecture and l’ŒUF.
Marc Séguin says he was approached by the architectural team to give “Oumpf” to this project, the winner of the international competition “Reinventing Cities” organized by the global network of major cities C40.
PHOTO PATRICK SANFAÇON, THE PRESS
Part of Marc Séguin’s work Rally Point can already be seen on one of the facades of the Haleco real estate complex.
“I wanted to put my foot in the ground and said to myself: “This is the fantasy of what I would like to see in urbanity,” explains Marc Séguin. We had to convince people, but it worked. »
The work is built around two figures: on one facade, that of the she-wolf gathering her clan, and on two others, that of the circle, which simultaneously symbolizes an earth floating in space, the moon, the light of a lighthouse and the movement of the wings a mill that once stood on this site. “I really wanted to mark the area,” explains Marc Séguin. The work is called “Assembly Point,” like the places we find near airports, at the exits of buildings, where we say, “Let’s gather here to leave for other bases.” »
ILLUSTRATION PROVIDED BY IVANHOÉ CAMBRIDGE
The Haleco rental complex is located on the banks of the Lachine Canal and the Bonaventure Expressway in Montreal.
ILLUSTRATION PROVIDED BY IVANHOÉ CAMBRIDGE
Two of the facades of the Haleco real estate complex will feature a circle, blue on the downtown side and white on the river side.
ILLUSTRATION PROVIDED BY IVANHOÉ CAMBRIDGE
Montreal’s mayor says the building will become a landmark for the city of Montreal.
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Based on the artist’s sketches, developed according to precise budget criteria, including the use of a maximum of four colors, the work was printed on the panels of the building’s outer shell. The she-wolf is already visible, the circles will become visible later. “Look around, the buildings are generic,” complains Marc Séguin. This one is special. It is a new way to build for the future and secure life with social and affordable housing. »
PHOTO PATRICK SANFAÇON, THE PRESS
In order to symbolize a community rooted in all civilizations since ancient times, the artist decided to integrate the symbolic representation of a she-wolf into his work.
This 21-storey complex will have 327 rental apartments, including 77 affordable housing units, offices, circular economy-focused shops on the ground floor and an attached housing association with 40 social housing units. Green areas will occupy 57% of the area and space will be made available for underground urban agriculture.
For Mayor Valérie Plante, the strategic location of the site, which housed a street courtyard, required a strong signature. “We need more beauty, dynamic works, buildings that speak,” says Ms. Plante. That’s what interests me when I visit a city. We have murals, which is great. But here it’s like a mural, forever integrated into the city’s entrance. »
Marc Séguin says Montreal desperately needs contemporary, iconic buildings. “Expo 67, the Olympic Stadium, is what we show on TV, what we show from Montreal. Mount Royal serves its purpose, but there are no other buildings,” notes the person who advocates the creation of a “Ministry of Beauty.”
A project that has evolved
Enhancing the beauty of this building was a challenge for the architects, who had to deal with constraints related to the building’s energy efficiency. According to Joan Renaud, project architect and partner at ACDF Architecture, this explains why the project’s final architectural style is so different from that presented as part of the Reinventing Cities competition, which aims to promote low-carbon urban revitalization. In the original sketches, several façade overhangs had to be removed to reduce thermal bridging and maximize the building’s energy efficiency. “The project has been streamlined and simplified in many aspects to meet these energy criteria,” explains Joan Renaud. We ended up with a building that was fairly coplanar, with few overhangs and little extravagance, but it became an incredible urban canvas that we had to use to create something very special, strong enough to serve as a door. Entry point to the city and a meeting point for the community. »
ILLUSTRATION PROVIDED BY ORGANIZERS
The Haleco project as presented at the Reinventing Cities competition in 2019.
As part of the “Reinventing Cities” competition philosophy, the project will seek to address ten climate challenges, including energy efficiency, climate resilience, sustainable water management, and social inclusion and community engagement. The goal is LEED Platinum certification. The first tenants are expected to move in in 2024.