If you’re an undergrad student, you may not remember Montreal’s old Sharx pool hall below ground on Ste. Catherine Street near Guy Street. If you’re among those who did go there to shoot some pool, you’ll be amazed by the transformation.
Gone are the space’s dark corners. They’ve been replaced by large, communal areas and bright classrooms. The overall space also looks much bigger because many utility spaces have been reclaimed for learning and study.
What was preserved were the unique, transparent escalators. They’re the main way down from the Ste. Catherine Street entrance.
An underground revolution
“Renovating the basement of the FB was a massive job because there were so many technical puzzles to solve,” says Marie-Claude Lavoie, associate vice-president of Concordia’s Facilities Management.
“Our project manager, Caroline Elias, had to coordinate everything from the improvement of support pillars to the mechanical systems serving all of FB. Thanks to the collaborative efforts of so many involved, we’ve now got wonderful new learning spaces steps away from the bustling Guy and Ste. Catherine intersection.”
There are six new classrooms, available for in-person courses and online teaching or conferences.
“The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the value of in-person learning. At the same time, it made it clear that we need to be flexible with the design of our spaces says Lavoie.