KANVA wins Saint-Cath Works design competition
(principals Rami Bebawi and Tudor Radulescu, both MArch 2001) has won the Design Montreal competition Saint-Cath Works held to minimize the impact of the redevelopment of Saint-Catherine Street West. This major construction project, which will begin in spring 2017, involves the repair of underground infrastructures and a new urban design.聽 The City of Montreal organized the design competition to maintain a quality urban environment on the street during the four-year span of the project.
From the :聽 鈥淭he winning concept is based on a grand, emblematic gesture on a scale equal in importance to that of rue Sainte-Catherine. The intervention is attractive, unusual and bold, with a powerful appeal that compels people to travel to view the installations. The enveloping structure lets users immerse themselves in a surprising walkabout and a richly rewarding experience.鈥�
From the text on the winning project:聽 鈥淭he winning team interpreted the metropolis as a living entity in flux and in movement, modelled by the generations. This reflection led to the establishment of a parallel with biological metamorphosis. More specifically, the process stemming from a natural science theme served to guide an organism from its embryonic stage to its final development stage, called . The development stages gave rise to a vocabulary, and aesthetic and a technical approach inspired by biomimicry. This vision finds expression in four aspects: the development of the worksite, its communication, the telling of its story, and the experience of the worksite.聽The formal concept takes the form of a series of biomorphic structures deployed across the site for purposes of housing, protecting, enlivening and articulating the worksite and its users. Through its scale, fluid form and aesthetic purity, IMAGO contrasts with its urban environment, offering a strong and bold visual identity. IMAGO thus corresponds to the distinct character of rue Sainte-Catherine.鈥�