The Quartier de Spectacles, designed by Ædifica and Giles Huot Architects is a centrepiece for the St Laurence Blvd revitalization project. 75% of the building is given over to cultural uses such community radio, and arts organisations whilst the rest is for commercial use, including restaurants and cafés. The building looks set to become a cultural landmark for the city of Montreal.
Key features of the building include the double skin façade. It allows the building to simultaneously express its ease in the context of its more traditional architectural neighbours, whilst also displaying its contemporary architectural credentials. The façade also allows a variety of multimedia expressions: de-rigour it seems for cultural buildings of the moment. Another notable feature is the chamfered corner that marks the main entrance to the street. It gives a generous pedestrian area to the entrance as well as recalling a previous building on this site.
