MONTREAL/January 15, 2004—
http://publicaffairs.concordia.ca/
MONTREAL, January 15, 2004 ó Concordia University is pleased to announce that Groupe Cardinal Hardy is the winner from among four multi-disciplinary teams on the shortlist of the Quartier Concordia Urban Planning Competition. They will work with the university to develop a specific urban identity for the Sir George Williams Campus and surrounding area that clearly says ìConcordia.î
Cardinal Hardy's proposal sought to address "the university's tradition of social justice and artistic innovation and integrate it into an eclectic urban fabric." The submission showed a particular concern for public art, green space and meeting space, as well as for the ecology of the area.
The core of their vision is to consolidate Place Norman Bethune as a centrepiece for the project and to provide a strong visual identity to the university. In order to create a more pedestrian-friendly environment around the square, the project proposed a less frenetic traffic flow and larger sidewalks along de Maisonneuve Blvd.
Shrubs, gardens, signage, lighting, distinctive bike racks, benches, waste disposal units (facilitating recycling and integrated into lampposts) and distinctive pavement are all elements proposed to create a unique Concordia presence.
The jury included Canadian specialists in the fields of urbanism, architecture and civic planning, as well as university representatives. Robert Libman, member of the Executive Committee of the City of Montreal and member of the jury added, "I was very pleased to be a part of the Urban Planning Competition jury and impressed by the results. I am confident that Groupe Cardinal Hardy will work well with the University and its partners such as the City of Montreal. This project will not only enrich the environment encompassing the Sir George Williams Campus, but also an important section of Montreal's downtown core."
The next stage of the project will be to develop the plan and begin discussions with the various stakeholders in the area and municipal and government authorities.
The short-listed proposals will be displayed in the atriums of the downtown and Loyola libraries in mid-February and the Groupe Cardinal Hardy submission is on the university web site, at http://buildings.concordia.ca/
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Source:
Chris Mota,
Coordinator, Media Relations and Special Events
Concordia University
tel: (514) 848-2424, ext. 4884 ; cel: (514) 952-5556 ; fax: (514) 848-2814
e-mail: chris.mota@concordia.ca
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