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Agora Maximus, Tactical Urbanism
location: Montreal, Canada
client: SDC du Quartier latin

In collaboration with Signature Design Communication

Photos by Raphaël Thibodeau

The Challenge

The project was born out of a program initially launched by the City of Montreal in 2021 to support the economic recovery of commercial arteries and later to promote their summer pedestrianization. The 2022 edition is triennial and planned over 3 years, with the aim of promoting greater sustainability of the facilities. The SDC Quartier Latin successfully submitted the application for rue St-Denis to this program.

The Response

Immersive and intriguing, the Agora Maximus combines two landmarks of Latin culture: the Agora, a place for civic meetings, and the Circus Maximus, a linear amphitheater for live entertainment. The modular platforms offer accessible open spaces for pedestrians to socialize and take in the scenery. Informal and playful, they take the form of colorful mounds of "pixels" filled with greenery, enhancing the tree coverage of St-Denis Street. Featuring a gradual implementation plan over 3 consecutive years, the modularity and durability of the system were key design criteria. The pixels come in 5 different heights and the installations can be reconfigured in 2023 and 2024 to respond to the new opportunities and situations.

Expertise(s)

EXPERIENCE DESIGN, BRANDSCAPING, DESIGN & INNOVATION

Market(s)

Distinctions

Selected Press

Design Montreal - Bureau du design: Aménagement temporaires montréalais sur rue, cahier de bonnes pratiques pour la qualité du design

C40 Cities: Design Guidance Green & Thriving Public Spaces

Canadian Architecture + Twenty Change 2024 (Canada): New Perspectives - October issue

16th the Grand Prix du Design by INT.design Magazine (Canada): Platinum prize winner and OR certification

Canadian Architect Magazine (Canada): LAAB Collective and Signature Design Communication present Agora Maximus

ArchDaily (USA): Agora Maximus, Tactical Urbanism Project / LAAB Collective + Signature Design Communication

Index Design (interview) (Canada): Aménagement urbain: Agora Maximus piétonnise le Quartier Latin

Canada's Placemaking Community (Canada): Agora Maximus : L’art d’élever le placemaking à un niveau supérieur

Building (Canada): Agora Maximus by LAAB Collective and Signature Design Communication

Arq-Ep (Brazil): Entre módulos

Archello: Agora Maximus, Tactical Urbanism Project

World Landscape Architect (Australia): Agora Maximus | Montreal, Canada | LAAB Collective & Signature design communication

Livegreen (Italy): Agora Maximus, beyond tactical urbanism in Montreal

Parametric Architecture (Turkey): Planning-By-Doing: How Can Tactical Urbanism Help To Create Better Urban Spaces?

Architecture List (Indonesia): Agora Maximus Pedestrianization, Montreal / LAAB Collective

Decor Design (Russia): Agora Maximus, Projet d’Urbanisme Tactique / Collectif LAAB + Communication Design Signature

Design Dekko (India): Agora Maximus, Tactical Urbanism Project

Gooood (China): An immersive and vibrant temporary streetscape installation

Mooool (China): Agora Maximus, Tactical Urbanism Project by LAAB & Signature design communication

hhlloo (China): Agora Maximus is an innovative pedestrianization project that pushes the boundaries of tactical urbanism

D-Arts (China): Agora Maximus

AIM Competition (China): Agora Maximus

China Public Art Net (China): Agora Maximus

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