Port Doc 34x11

STUDIO GRIFFINTOWN: P O RT F O L I O S U B M I S S I O N SEPTEMBER - DECEMBER 2008 G R E G O RY B E C K R U B I N M 2 STUDENT ID#6774669 P R O F E S S O R PAT R I C K H A R R O P, UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA, SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE M O N D AY D E C E M B E R 1 5 2 0 0 8

L O C AT I N G T H E S I T E : POINTE-DES-SEIGNEURS, GRIFFINTOWN, MONTREAL

STUDIO

The site of my project

is Pointe-des-Seigneurs (PDS) and the Saint-Gabriel Lock on the Lachine Canal, Montreal, Quebec. The Lachine Canal traverses the island along its east west axis, l i n k i n g L a c S a i n t - L o u i s o n t h e w i t h t h e S t . L a w r e n c e R i v e r, a c r i t i c a l h i n g e p o i n t a l o n g t h e S t . L a w re n c e R i v e r w a t e r w a y, b y p a s s i n g the Lachine Rapids and opening up clear continuous boat passage b e t w e e n E n g l a n d a n d To r o n t o a f t e r 1 8 2 5 . H i s t o r i c a l l y , i t w a s o n c e the densest manufacturing stretches of land in Canada from the late mid nineteenth century on to pre-world war two Canada: a fourteenk i l o m e t e r u r b a n s w e a t s h o p f u e l i n g t h e c i t y ’s e c o n o m y . T h e o p e n i n g o f t h e w a t e r w a y t r a n s f o r m e d M o n t r e a l ’s m a n u f a c t u r i n g s e c t o r i n t o a n a t i o n a l e n t e r p r i s e . M o n t r e a l l i n k e d t h e n a t i o n ’s v a r i o u s m a n u f a c t u r i n g a n d a g r i c u l t u r a l s e c t o r s w i t h t h e g l o b a l e c o n o m y.

Present day view of the PDS, the Saint Gabriel Locks and the Lachine Canal.

E . V. B u i l d i n g Concordia University

Canadian Centre for Architecture

Griffintown Griffintown in t h e m i d 1 9 8 0 ’s . Still image from the film ‘Albedo’ by Jacques Leduc, and Renée Roy, on Griffintown

2 kilometer radius

The location of our design studio

The PDS is located on the eastern

is well situated in terms of easy access to primary and secondary resources on the PDS, architecture and urbanism of Montreal. I am within walking distance to the PDS, and Griffintown. Our studio is located in the Engin e e r i n g a n d Vi s u a l A r t s b u i l d i n g a t t h e d o w n t o w n C o n c o r d i a c a m p u s , on the northern edge of the South-West Borough. And just a few blocks to the west of the studio is the Canadian Centre for Architecture. From within Concordia, I have access to Hexagram: state of the art new media teaching centre, wood shops, metal shops, CNC machines and assistance from persons specialized in the field of new media, and casting.

extremity of the canal, by the Port lands, and adjacent to Griffintown. Griffintown was once a dense predominantly Irish working class neighbourhood, a p r o d u c t o f t h e c i t y ’s t r a n s f o r m a t i o n f r o m b u c o l i c f a r m l a n d t o i n d u s t r i a l powerhouse. Access to new technologies derived from steam power plus the surge of immigrants arriving in the early years of the 19th century immigration built the canal and the industries which then mushroomed a l l a l o n g i t s s h o r e . A f t e r t h e S e c o n d W o r l d W a r, t h e i n d u s t r i e s a l o n g the Canal began to decline. The Lachine Canal ceased to function as an economic and technologic engine after the opening of the Great Lakes & St. Lawrence Seaway in 1959. Soon thereafter the factories on its shore lines closed, and this in turn destabilized the working class neighbour-

hoods. Despite being located downtown, Griffintown, like the Lachine C a n a l , f a d e d i n t o t h e b a c k g r o u n d o f t h e c i t y , f e l l i n t o d i s r e p a i r. I t w a s evacuated by its citizenry and turned into an urban junk yard, leaving its hundred years of waste and pollution unattended, invisible under the gently flowing waters. Recently though, the subject of “what to do w i t h G r i f f i n t o w n ” h a s c o m e b a c k i n t o t h e p u b l i c ’s d i s c u s s i o n o n t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f t h e c i t y. A n d t h i s h a s a l s o h i g h l i g h t e d t h e p re s e n c e o f t h e L a c h i n e C a n a l , a n d s p e c i f i c a l l y, t h e P D S , w h i c h f o r m s o n e o f t h e e d g e conditions of the neighbourhood.

Griffintown S o u t h - We s t B o ro u g h Lachine Canal

Map of the Island of Montreal

Port lands

Vi e w o f t h e f a c t o r i e s on the PDS, and the canal around it 1896. Notman and Sons archive collection.

GRIFFINTOWN POLITICS TOD AY: A P R I VAT E D E V E L O P MENT PROPOSAL AND THE REACTION FROM T H E C I T I Z E N RY From the time we started school,

we were aware of the recent and heated debates surrounding the proposed redevelopment of Griffintown, by Devimco. In 2007, planning for the site was under way: “ M O N T R E A L , N o v. 2 2 / 2 0 0 7 C N W Te l b e c / - M r. S e r g e G o u let, copresident of Devimco, has announced a first step of a real estate d e v e l o p m e n t p r o j e c t i n a m a j o r, p a r t i a l l y a b a n d o n e d i n d u s t r i a l s e c t o r of Griffintown, in which the cost of development is estimated at $1.3 billion. This is one the largest private investment in the history of Montreal.” - The CNW media group. C o n t r a s t i n g t h e s u p p o r t o f t h e c i t y , a n d e n t h u s i a s m o f t h e d e v e l o p e r, Henri Aubin, journalist for the Montreal Gazette, decried the slated Griffintown Project. “ [ . . . ] T h e p r o c e s s l e a d i n g u p t o p r o j e c t ’s a p p r o v a l b y c i t y h a l l i s s t r i k i n g l y a u t h o r i t a r i a n . C o n s i d e r : T h e Tr e m b l a y a d m i n i s t r a t i o n used technicalities to keep the project from being subject to a referendum by neighbourhood residents. It scheduled a public consultation for the very end of the approval process, when the scheme was all but

a fait accompli. The body that conducted the consultation, Southwest borough, was not impartial, as i s t h e i m p e r a t i v e f o r c r e d i b l e r e v i e w s . T h e b o r o u g h m a y o r, a l o y a l m e m b e r o f M a y o r G e r a l d Tr e m b l a y ’s p a r t y , h e a d e d t h i s r e v i e w. W h e n t h e b o d y i s s u e d i t s r e p o r t t o t h e c i t y ’s e x e c u t i v e c o m m i t t e e last week, it did not even try to offer guidance. It contained not a single recommendation. It was m o s t v a c u o u s m u n i c i p a l re p o r t i n m e m o r y. T h e e x e c u t i v e c o m m i t t e e a n n o u n c e d i t s a p p ro v a l o f t h e D e v i m c o p r o j e c t T h u r s d a y . Tr e m b l a y ’s c a p t i v e c i t y c o u n c i l i s t o g i v e t h e d e a l f i n a l a p p r o v a l n e x t M o n d a y. T h a t h a s l e f t o n e f u l l b u s i n e s s d a y - y e s t e r d a y - f o r p u b l i c d e b a t e . ” - T h e G a z e t t e , S e p t e m ber 23 2008 And in support of the media coverage criticizing the development were several newly minted groups organized by professionals, students, artists and citizenry interested in criticizing the Devimco plan, but also starting to formulate their own visions of the nearly forgotten neighbourhood. One of the reactionary groups is organized by students at Concordia University and writers for Spacing Montreal, a recently started architecture and urban issues magazine. The weekend of the 12th o f S e p t e m b e r, a n e v e n t w a s h e l d i n G r i f f i n t o w n t o d r a w t h e p u b l i c ’s a t t e n t i o n ( a n d n o d o u b t t h e city authorities) to the ongoing and necessary debate of planning the neighbourhood. In addition to attending this event, I was able to make contact with a few architects very knowledgeable in this architecture and planning of Griffintown. They provided key information and guidance on how to explore the site, and the resources available for researching the neighbourhood, the Canal Lachine and the PDS.

Griffintown near future?

R i g h t : D e v i m c o ’s p l a n of showing which buildings will be preserved from what already exists within the site boundaries.

R i g h t : D e v i m c o ’s p l a n for the redevelopment of Griffintown. Below: rendering of the new neighbourhood .

Below: historic photographs from Griffintown. The horse culture is central to what still keeps Griffintown on its legs: caleches and horses ridden through Old Montreal are stored and maintained at various small stables in Griffintown. None of these are to be preserved in the Devimco Plan.

Concordia student r u n Te l e v i s i o n N e t work, and Members of Spacing Montreal organized rallies, and events to raise awareness about Griffintown. The timing of the events and the forum on Griffintown set into motion the beginnings of the terms research and the development of the thesis. Other noted citizens involved in the debate on Griffintown include Phyllis Lambert, a Montreal architecture maven and philanthropist, and the group Committee for Sustainable Redevelopment in Griffintown.

Creating a public institution

in Griffintown. D e v i m c o ’s p r o p o s e d r e d e v e l o p m e n t o f G r i f f i n t o w n v i r t u a l l y d i s p o s e s of all the artifacts of the neighbourhood, treating the site as though it were tabula rasa. And when certain buildings or spaces are preserved, they are incorporated in the commercial aspects of the neighbourhood proposal. Pickled and limp, unable to lead the transformation of a neighbourhood. Out of this emerges the central question of the terms project: locate a s i t e w i t h i n G r i ff i n t o w n , s t u d y i t a n d f o r m u l a t e t h e p ro p o s a l for a public institution.

Right: Photos from the site. The typical three story housing block typical throughout Montreal and found in Griffintown will be demolished and replaced with bulkier 10+ stories condominiums.

EXPLORING THE SITE: LE POINTE-DES-SEIGNEURS & T H E S A I N T- G A B R I E L L O C K S .

L e f t : Vi e w o f t h e waterway running along the north edge of PDS. Below: Map of the site point. From the plan, there is not distinction between the character of the waterways surrounding the point. I have noted on top three distinct zone of the point.

I a m i n t e r e s t e d i n t h e m e d i u m o f w a t e r, a n d h o w i t a f f e c t s A r c h i t e c ture. I chose my site because I was intrigued by the apparently different waterways around the Pointe-des-Seigneurs: the clearly controlled canal system on one side, the secondary pool of water with its trees and b r u s h e s h a n g i n g o v e r i t s e d g e s o n t h e o t h e r, a n d t h e a b a n d o n e d p i e c e o f land in-between. Despite the fact that the same water flows into these two paths, how had it come about that their environments were so different, and what was going on in this in-between place – had it contributed in some way to evolution of its adjacent waterways?

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Right: Zone two of the site, the Saint Gabriel Locks, the Pointe-des-Seigneurs bridge connecting Pointe-Saint-Charles (a former industrialized zone characterized by the Grand Tr u n k R a i l w a y y a r d s and recent transformation of factories into trendy lofts along the south side of the canal) with Downtown Montreal.

Right: The point is relatively flat. Large concrete floor plates are left exposed, recalling the footprint of some of the factories that used to be on site. Stone piles, covered in plastic indicated the presence of some person or organization on the point, but there are no other indications of upcoming development.

B o t t o m : Tr a f f i c l i g h t s for leisure boating on the canal operate during the summer only. A bike path, running along the south edge of PDS, can take cyclists all across the length of the Lachine Canal.

B o t t o m : Vi e w s a r o u n d the north waterway. Tr e e s h a v e s p r u n g up from the water and are cut off from moving any further inwards by a black fence. Across the bushes to the other side of the canal is a dilapidated building, p a r t o f G r i f f i n t o w n ’s largest horse stable, which also has its back turned to the waterway.

H I S T O R I C A L D O C U M E N TAT I O N

of the PDS reveals the inter connectedness of the locks, the PDS, the linear park of the Lachine and the forested waterway branching off the main canal a n d f o r m i n g t h e n o r t h e d g e o f t h e s i t e . W h a t f o l l o w s i s a h i s t o r i c a l d o c u m e n t a t i o n o f t h e s i t e ’s d e v e l o p m e n t f r o m t h e time the canal was built until the present. This first page covers a general history of the site within context of the 19th century industrial development of the Canal. The following pages present a more concise review of the political history of the PDS, in two parts. The first part covers the history of the canal after its closure in 1959: the context f o r u n d e r s t a n d i n g t h e s i t e a s w e s e e i t t o d a y, t h e o w n e r s h i p o f t h e s i t e b y t h e m u n i c i p a l i t y a n d t h e n a t i o n a l g o v e r n m e n t . F o l l o w i n g t h i s , f u r t h e r b a c k g ro u n d o n t h e s i t e b e f o re i t w a s a b a n d o n e d b y i n d u s t r y, w h e n i t w a s t h e i n d u s t r i a l centre of the Canal Lachine. Here, I specifically trace the links between the changes in the PDS landscape with respect to the hybridization of the rapids, the technology which came out of this transformation of the, and the industries powered by these technologies.

Right: Map of the St. Lawrence Seaway t o d a y. A n d b e l o w, detailed map of the interconnected waterways running through the Island of Montreal, known as the ‘Reseau Bleu’.

Historic view down the Outlet Channel. Te c h n i c a l t e r m : Ta i l r a c e

H i s t o r i c v i e w o f t h e c a n a l d u r i n g t h e w i n t e r. Frozen waters restrict the passage of ships, but factories are still belching smog from their chimneys

Part One: Mechanizing the Lachine Rapids & Connecting the Nascent N a t i o n t o t h e S e a w a y. The Canal Lachine, after it opened in 1825, transformed the St. Lawrence River from a natural waterway into a hybrid technical and natural infrastructure. Before 1821 the site of this hybridization was the Lachine Rapids. It stretched fourteen kilometers, dropped over fourteen meters and for over two hundred years blocked the continuous transit of ships traveling from the Atlantic Ocean up the St. Lawrence River to the Great Lakes and back. Prior to the transformation of the rapids into a canal, all cargo had to be transferred from the vessels to ground transportation at one end of the rapids, brought over the land before being reloaded onto new ships on the smoother surface above or below the rapids. The city of Montreal, the former industrial and economic centre of the nation, owes its history to this transit obstacle. After 1825, the four years of construction to transform the rapids into a neat plumbing system enabled the city to expand and extend outwards into the young Dominion and further across the Atlantic Oceans in ways previously not possible without the control over the waterways.

The Canal Lachine, when it opened in 1825, was the last obstacle in connecting Lake Ontario with the Atlantic Ocean by continuous passage by boat.

B e l o w, a n i m a g e o f a ticket for riding on the Lachine Rapids.

The Saint-Gabriel Locks and the PDS are located at the eastern end of the canal. It is also the lock with the second highest change in elevation (at 2.75 meters) after the locks at Basin number two, in what is now the Old Port.

Historic view of ships in the St. Gabriel Lock. In the left section of the frame, we the see part of the Glenora Mill.

Glenora Mills: the most prominent installation of the PDS. It was owned and operated by the Ogilvie family, and the first industry to appear on the PDS in 1837 to use hydropower to run its machines.

P a r t Tw o : S i t e p o l i t i c s a n d h o w i n d u s t r i al space becomes leisure space.

The processes of transforming the former

“cradle of industry” into an inactive leisure space raises question, I have, about the development of the site, and what building I propose would “fit in”. I am very interested in the dynamics of the site, p a r t i c u l a r l y, t h e re s i s t a n c e o f t h e e c o l o g i c a l s y s t e m ( t h e w a t e r w a y to the north) to the planned and supposed “natural” park space on the other side of the point which is in fact highly controlled and constructed landscape for the single purposes of establishing a homogeneous use of the canal (perhaps a way to forget about the by-products of the industry which are best left dormant?). This appearance of rest b e l i e s t h e a c t i v i t y, d y n a m i c s , a n d m i x o f i n d u s t r i a l s p a c e w i t h p a r k space that once was the reality of the PDS. And also, what opportun i t i e s e x i s t f o r re i n t ro d u c i n g i n d u s t r y, c a p i t a l , a n d p r i v a t e d e v e l o p ment into the regeneration of the PDS.

To d a y t h e o w n e r s h i p o f t h e a r e a o f t h e P D S i s d i v i d e d b e t w e e n t w o different bodies: the municipality of the Montreal, and Parks Canada, a f e d e r a l b o d y. T h e l a t e r o w n s t h e L a c h i n e C a n a l a n d a s l i m p o r t i o n of land on either side, which, since 1978, has been developed into a l i n e a r p a r k a l l t h ro u g h o u t t h e c i t y. T h e l i n e a r p a r k i n c o r p o r a t e s t h e south edge of the PDS, severing any direct connection between the rest of the point, and the Canal Lachine. The municipality owns this s e v e re d b o d y, t h o u g h i t i s f r a m e d o n t h e n o r t h b y t h e a b a n d o n e d w a t e r w a y. I t h a s t h e r i g h t s t o t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f t h e s i t e , a n d a rc h a e o logical remains, which have been under investigation since 2002. With the co-operation of Parks Canada, a plan has been proposed to transform the apparently empty lot into an archaeological park, with direct access to the rest of the linear park.

Below left: Sign on the canal at the PDS commemorating the 30th anniversary of the making of the linear canal park. Below centre and right: Present and past views of the canal walls. Gone are the evidences of the openings for secondary canals which are seen in the historic photo from 1925

Above left: Reconstructing the canal before it was reopened as a waterway for pleasure boating in the summer of 2001. Above right: etching of the canal works in 1878, to deepen and expand the number of locks from one to two, and open up secondary channels into the PDS.

Above: view of the abandoned waterway contrasted with the lamp post with hidden camera and caged megaphone directing people through the linear park.

Part Three: Site Transformation from 1825 TO 1959.

PDS was the site of the first privately developed hydraulic lots in the city of Montreal. Following the first phase of the Canal Lachine construction in 1825, the Pointe-des-Seigneurs and the St. Gabriel Locks went through a series of 3 revisions over its 124 years of operation to expand the carrying capacity of the locks and to divert more water to the hydraulic lots on the point. Changes in the canals elevation, a inescapable attribute of the rapids, was overcome by the lock system, mechanical process driven by gravity. And where there were the locks, water could similarly be channel to power hydraulic generators. Water powered industries, such as the Glenora Mills, owned and operated by the Ogilvie Family, were developed right alongside the canal at the St. Gabriel Locks, on one of the lots sold by Ira Gould and John Young. As sales of the lots increased, and industries were developed, the demand arose for more swift moving water. Secondary canals were developed, like branches springing from a tree, at first parallel to the main canal in a waterway known as the Headrace, then turned inwards into the point, away from the canal, through secondary canals punctuated by turbines, and then evacuated and regrouped on the opposite side of the point, in a waterway known as the Tailrace, which connects back again to the main canal. In the different plans drawn for the expansion of the canal in 1843, 1878 and 1907, I have mapped out the complex network of secondary canals that fed the factories throughout the point. Theses complex networks redefine the relationship of the canal captivated by the landscape we see from the ground. Under my gaze is an archipelago of landscape surrounded by water. This realization clarifies the connection between the two different waterways seen on either side of the canal: the linear park Canal and the ravine-like former tailrace.

1825 The Lachine Canal is opened after four years of construction. The Saint-Gabriel Lock passes through the farmlands of the Sulpician Order (seen in the map to the left)

Left: Entrepreneurs and active Montreal politicos Ira Gould a n d J o h n Yo u n g p u r chased the PDS and founded the Saint Gabriel Hydraulic Company in 1843, enabling the parceling out of the land to private ventures. John Yo u n g ( s e e n b e l o w ) was commissioner of public works in 1851. Both Messrs.. Gould a n d Yo u n g o p e r a t e d their own enterprise o n t h e p o i n t , w i t h M r. Gould running a flour mill at the points tip.

Left: Plans from the Archaeological documentation of the PDS. In the bottom left area of the site the original 1825 St. Gabriel lock is captured with the PDS Above: Section through a 19th C flour mill showing the water wheel as the element which locates the building in its landscape.

1843 The Lachine Canal undergoes its first transformation. For five years, work is done to widen the canal. At the PDS, hydraulic lots are developed. The fire insurance map to the right shows the division of properties. Of note, the newly built Headrace and tailrace enabling the entrance and evacuation of water through the PDS. To t h e R i g h t : E n t r e p r e n e u r A . W. O g i l v i e a n d his wife. The Ogilvies founded the first flour mill on the PDS in 1837. Later updated and expanded in 1857, the Glenora Mills came to be the largest and most technically advanced water powered operation on the PDS. It also generated the most revenue for the site, and eventually absorbed up other lots, i n c l u d i n g M r. G o u l d s failed flour mill. The Ogilvies invested in both new hydraulic technologies, such a s t h e L e f f e l Tu r b i n e , (image: bottom right corner) and a similar model to the porcelain grain extractor (image to the right of the portraits), a technology developed in Eastern Europe and brought to North America by the Ogilvies in the late 1860s. Below the portrait, an etching of the expanded Glenora Mills and a sketch of the lock system showing the changes in lock dimensions after the 1843 canal works.

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1907 The second transformation of the canal at the St. Gabriel locks starts to take shape more closely to what we see today. Left: John McDougall, operator and owner of the Caledonia Works. His factory was also r u n b y w a t e r p o w e r. By the turn of the century more industries were turning to coal to supply energy to the factories. Howe v e r, M c D o u g a l l a n d Ogilvie continued to u s e h y d r o p o w e r.

Right: Etching of the Caledonia Works, located on what is no longer the limits of he PDS. Also, advertisement for Caledonia Works, citing its address on the St.. Gabriel Locks.

Left: Hall Engineering. The last building to occupy the PDS. It was demolished in t h e l a t e 1 9 8 0 ’s h a v i n g b e e n shut down in 1982. The concrete pads we see on the site today are the footprint of the Hall Engineering Building.

Left: Sketch of the Lock after its second enlargement. The locks after 1878 were m a d e d e e p e r, t o a c c o m m o d a t e larger volumes of boat traffic, and to increase the flow o f w a t e r. To p R i g h t : F i r e I n s u r a n c e map from 1949. Already at this time, the Ogilvie Company had taken down the Glenora Mills and built a much larger mill further into the port lands to the East where the enlarged St. Lawrence Seaway and St. Lambert locks were to open in 1959.

Above: a series of measured drawings of the four stages of the canal construction from 1825 to the present as it was built around the PDS. Bottom Right: Archaeological drawings from the 2002 excavation. Diagrams and photos of the openings in the ground where turbines would have been installed to reach the waters flowing though the site.

MODEL: PROOF OF CONCEPT This next part

of the portfolio covers the model I built in two sections. The first pages document the model after it was made. This is followed by documentation of the process of making the model.

The canal transformed the

rapids into a piece of infrastructure, a source of energy and a material i n t h e m a n u f a c t u r i n g i n d u s t r y. I h a v e b e g u n t o d e v e l o p a physical model where I explore the medium of water as it was exploited by the industries on the Pointe-des-Seigneurs. I have encased it in an elastic silicone body as a w a y t o a m p l i f y i t s f l o w, a n d I i n t e n d t o h a v e t h e w a t e r circulate through a pump. I have also divided the canal into two parallel chambers so I can run positive and g r o u n d c h a r g e s i n t h e w a t e r. I a m i n t e r e s t e d i n t h e m e dium of water expanding and playing with the material that it encases it, and by this stretching or compression, demonstrates the implications of the force of water beyond i t s c o n t a i n e r. T h i s f i r s t m o d e l i s t h a t o f t h e c a n a l a t t h e P o i n t e - d e s - S e i g n e u r s a s w e s e e i t t o d a y. I c a l l t h i s t h e open system. Added to this would be the previous epochs of the canal construction, which I call the hidden system. The models of these systems would flow alongside the open system, and then run through the point itself, to either r e c o n n e c t w i t h t h e t a i l r a c e o f t h e e x i s t i n g c a n a l , o r o t h e r, covered over systems. By creating pressure at some points of the canal, it causes the water to relocate itself in different ways and places throughout the rest of the model. I hope to understand how water finds balance, and how this effect ripples through the rest of the site. What I hope to generate is a model of interaction the site and the water around it, in it.

01 IMAGES, clockwise from the top left: 1) drawings of the four canal systems at PDS superimposed one on top o f t h e o t h e r. 2 ) P r e l i m i n a r y s k e t c h o f t h e m o d e l 3 ) P l a n view photograph of the model, with the two earlier canal systems incorporated into the image. The model was built to scale, 1:250, roughly 6’-0” long 4 ) d e t a i l : M o d e l i n p u t s : p l u g s f o r e l e c t r i c i t y a n d w a t e r. 5) Detail image of the stacked canal systems expanding i n t o e a c h o t h e r a s t h e y f i l l w i t h w a t e r. 6 ) U n d e r s i d e view of the model. 7) Detail view showing the elasticity of the silicone encasing. 8) Drawings for making the model.

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LEGEND: 1 ) W a t e r p u m p , f o r c i r c u l a t i n g t h e w a t e r, w i t h v a r i a b l e rates of flow 2) PVC tubes for delivering water in and out of the model 3) Model of the 1843 Canal System 4) Model of the 1907 Canal System 5) Water and Electricity input of the model 6) Electrical ouput of the model. These first output are located where there are the lock doors on the canal today 7) Water output from the channel closest to the PDS 8) Chemistry stand used for holding up the model 9) Water output from the second channel

I M A G E S , L E F T PA G E c l o c k w i s e f r o m t h e t o p : 1) Plan view photograph of the model with the location of the present day PDS incorporated into the image. 2 ) Vi e w o f t h e s i t e a t n i g h t , a p p r o a c h i n g t h e P D S f r o m the east along the pathway of the linear park. 3) Plan of the PDS at the Saint-Gabriel Locks. I M A G E S , R I G H T PA G E , c l o c k w i s e f r o m t h e t o p 1) Rendering of the model in the photograph of the site. The three images to the left showing the different levels of the canal expanding. 2) The expansion of the model at the input end. 3) The expansion of the model at the output end.

IMAGES, starting from the column on the left: 1) Front view of the model 2) Back view of the model 3) Detail of making the input and output parts of the model. Casting ends in silicone and inserting into them, electrical outputs, one for positive and one for negative charge. 4) Detail view of the model underside, and from the top. 5) Detail view of the silicone (which was cast at 1/16” thick), and below the whole model. 6) The model was not entirely sealed, and also tore at some points. Eventually, I burst a large who in the front when I applied to much pressure. Detail of some water evacuation.

M o d e l : Te s t i n g i t s limits of expansion and compression

IMAGES, starting from the column on the left: 1 ) To p , d e t a i l p l a n v i e w o f m o d e l a t t h e P D S . B e l o w, c o r re s p o n d i n g e l e v a t i o n v i e w s o f t h e model. 2) Details views of the model, under pressure, corresponding to the plan view on the opposite page. 3 ) To p , d e t a i l p l a n v i e w o f t h e m o d e l a t t h e PDS. Below corresponding elevation views of the model expanding and contracting.

To m a k e t h e s i l i c o n e e n c a s i n g ,

I first m a d e a p o s i t i v e o f t h e c a n a l o u t o f c l a y. T h e c l a y p o s i tive was the simplest way for me the make a positive that could literally be flushed out of the silicone after it was c a s t , u s i n g p r e s s u r e d w a t e r. To m a k e t h e d r a w i n g s f o r t h e clay model, I drew up 1:250 scale axonometric plans of each of the canal systems to be modeled. In total, three of the systems were to be cast. After the clay was sculpted, a two part silicone was spread over the positive mould. The silicone, named Silicone-10, is a highly elastic silicone product which can bond to itself, and is also relatively c l e a r. I also ran tests running an electric charge through water before deciding on integrating electricity into the water circuit. From the tests, I was able to gauge the losses of c h a r g e d u e t o w a t e r ’s i n s u l a t i o n f a c t o r ( a b o u t o n e q u a r ter).

What next?

I would like to continue to explore the project through a large-scale model (proof of concept). H o w e v e r, a f t e r e x p e r i m e n t i n g w i t h t h e s i l i c o n e m o d e l , I have realized that there are a number of limitations to c o n t i n u i n g t h e w o r k i n t h i s w a y. I n g e n e r a l , t h e c l o s e d system model does not adequately enable me to disturb, and set-off balance what is already built into the model. A n o p e n s y s t e m , h o w e v e r, w o u l d a l l o w m e t o e x a m i n e properly the fluid dynamics of water in the context of the PDS. The consideration of this handicap, as well as the building I intend to develop a building proposal (around the idea of the canal conducting soil remediation in situ), is explained in my thesis proposal.

IMAGES, clockwise from top left: 1) Making a contact microphone, one of the sensors t o b e u s e d i n t h e m o d e l 2 ) Te s t o f t h e C l a y t o S i l i c o n e mold method. 3) Detail view of the silicone after applying it to the clay. Silicone-10 sets in 40 minutes. 4) Plan view of the “Open Canal System” Silicone m o d e l a f t e r f l u s h i n g o u t t h e c l a y . 5 ) Te s t s t o r u n a n e l e c t r i c c h a r g e t h r o u g h w a t e r. 6 ) D e t a i l d r a w i n g s o f the electronics inserted into the silicone body.

IMAGES, clockwise from top left: 1) 1:250 drawing, pencil on trace, Canal system in 1843 2) 1:250 drawing, pencil on trace, Canal system in 1907 3) 1:250 drawing, pencil on trace, Canal system in 2003 4) Cut sheet for making the acrylic pieces. The acrylic was used to give rigidity to the model where I did not want there to be expansion. 5) Detail of the canal drawings. 6) Detail of the corresponding clay mould. 7) Plan view of clay model of the 1907 canal. 8) Plan view of clay model of the 1843 canal. 9) Plan view of clay model of the 2003 canal.

IMAGES: To p R o w ( l e f t t o r i g h t ) : m a k i n g t h e s i l i c o n e m o l d , f i r s t b y making a clay positive, then by casting silicone around it. To r e m o v e t h e c l a y a f t e r i t h a s b e e n c a s t , I w a s t h e w h o l e m o u l d i n a b a t h o f w a t e r. Bottom Row (left to right): 1) Detail view of the silicone wall built within the silicone model - a means to charge the water inside the mold with separate positive and ground charged channels. 2) Casting the clay with silicon 3) Interior view of the model as the clay is being removed 4) a bucket of clay after it has been washed out of the mould.

P N E U S I N S TA L L AT I O N ,

Sept. 24 to Oct. 1, Gallery Monopoli, Montreal, Quebec & Oct. 17 to Oct. 23 Shanghai, China.

As part of my studies in Montreal, I had the opportunity to work on the Pneus installation this past fall, and have exposure to the n e w m e d i a w o r k b e i n g d e v e l o p e d a t C o n c o r d i a i n t h e To p o l o g i c a l Media Lab (TML) as well as share my own knowledge of building inflatable tubes with other team members from various disciplines. P r o f . P a t r i c k H a r r o p , a n d D r. S h a X i n We i ( d i r e c t o r o f t h e T M L ) c o d i r e c t o r t h e p r o j e c t . D r. S h a X i n We i h a s a l s o b e e n t e a c h i n g a graduate course on the Architecture of Responsive Spaces, which I audited this past fall.

PNEUS is a suspended forest made of a multitude of

sensors and electronic generators surrounding trans-

lucent PVC tubes. The latter reproduce the fibers that

lend trees their flexibility and regenerative capacity in a structure many meters high. This magic space of sound and light is the outcome of a progressive real-time

recording and its transformation that condenses and

expresses in one space - a structure and spatial occupation - an immediate experience of all the perceptible

phenomena of movement in the context of the occupied neighborhood, including passersby, passing clouds,

and the wind. ESEA, a new version of PNEUS will be

presented at the Shanghai E-Arts Festival from October 17-22, 2008.

Images (left to right): Poster for Champ Libre, Detail of Inflatables and their shadows (photo credit: M. Sutherland). Exterior view of the installation at Monopoli Gallerie - the work was installed ins i d e a n d o u t s i d e t h e o l d f i r e h a l l ( p h o t o c r e d i t P. H a r r o p ) . D e t a i l o f one of the Sound Sensor installed outside the Gallery (photo credit P. H a r r o p ) .

Images (right to left): Interior view of the suspended cells (photo c r e d i t : M . S u t h e r l a n d ) . C e l l i n s i d e t h e g a l l e r y ( p h o t o c r e d i t P. H a r r o p ) . C e l l s a n d s h a d o w p l a y i n s i d e t h e g a l l e r y ( p h o t o c r e d i t P. H a r r o p ) . “Baking” the electronics - for the installation, at ESKI studio ( p h o t o c r e d i t V. L e c l e r c ) . D e t a i l p h o t o o f t h e e l e c t r o n i c s . D i a g r a m o f t h e i n s t a l l a t i o n s y s t e m ( C o u r t e s y D r. S h a X i n We i ) . E v a n M a r n o c h a n d P r o f . H a r r o p m a k i n g n o d e s a t E S K I S t u d i o ( p h o t o c r e d i t V. L e c l e r c ) .

AT E L I E R B E L L E C H A S S E

Urban Design Charette for Petite Patrie/Rosement, Montreal Charette: Nov 10 to Nov 14 Public Presentation: Nov 26 During the past fall I was invited to participate within a design charette for a neighbourhood on the Island of Montreal, organized by the city of Montreal, Design Studio. I worked in a team of seven made up of professional architects, landscape architects, city planners, and civil engineers specializing on water resource management and two architecture interns. Along with three other groups selected to present ideas and work, we made proposals to the public, to the citizens of the borough. The team was led by Juliette Patterson, architect and landscape architect specializing in sustainable designs, principal of Catalyse Urbaine, and she was accompanied by Alex Blouin, principal of B l o u i n + Ta r d i f A r c h i t e c t s a n d E n v i r o n m e n t a n d G a v i n A ff l e c k , p r i n c i p a l o f A ff l e c k + d e L a R i v e A rc h i t e c t s .

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B L O U I N TA R D I F a r c h i t e c t u r e e n v i r o n n e m e n t Projets de développement urbain et plans d’ensemble

L ‘équipe réunit les talents et l’expertise d’individus clefs qui ont chacun fait leur marque dans la conception et la réalisation d’environnements urbains de qualité. Les deux co-chargés de projet proposés sont Juliette Patterson et Gavin Affleck. Le regroupement est complété par une équipe de soutien de jeunes praticiens de l’aménagement. Afin de répondre à l’intérêt des organisateurs d’assurer la participation de la relève, notre équipe propose une balance dynamique entre des praticiens de la relève et des praticiens avec des réputations établies. L’équipe réunit les talents de quelques uns des praticiens de la relève les plus impliqués dans la création d’un nouvel cadre de vie socialement équitable et responsable: Juliette Patterson, architecte paysagiste de Catalyse Urbaine, Alexandre Blouin, architecte, de Blouin Tardif architecture environnement, Marie Dugué, ingénieur civil de Vinci Consultants et Philippe Archontakis, figure de proue dans le monde des nouveaux médias. Reconnus pour leur énergie, engagement, et capacité conceptuelle, ils ont déjà participé à plusieurs charrettes et consultations publiques. La réputation de Gavin Affleck de Affleck + de la Riva dans le design urbain montréalais est établi depuis plus de dix ans. Sa firme a réalisé des études urbaines et des projets d’aménagement urbain construits pour plusieurs clients publics et privés. Gavin Affleck est reconnu pour ces capacités de communicateur, de concepteur, de joueur d’équipe, et de rassembleur. Il possède une vaste expérience comme chef d’équipes multidisciplinaires.

ARCHITECTURE DU PAYSAGE

JULIETTE PATTERSON co-chargée d’équipe

[email protected] 1555 GRAND TRUNK, MONTRÉAL QC H3K 1L6 TÉL. 514.934.6346 FAX 514.934.1414 Juliette Patterson a une double formation en biologie et en architecture. Après ses études, elle travaille d’abord à Montréal et ensuite à Londres pour l’architecte paysagiste Kathryn Gustafson. Puis elle complète une maîtrise en architecture du paysage à l’université Harvard, avec spécialisation en traitement des eaux par les plantes. Après avoir travaillé en Californie et en Chine, Juliette retourne à Montréal. Elle fonde l’agence d’architecture et de paysage Catalyse Urbaine avec Michel Langlois, architecte, en 2004. Vecteurs de la transformation urbaine, les projets de Catalyse Urbaine cherchent à intégrer les processus naturels et le passage du temps dans l’environnement bâti. Les projets réalisés par Juliette Patterson ont été publiés dans La Presse, Le Devoir, la Gazette, le San Francisco Chronicle, et présentés au Centre d’histoire de Montréal et à l’université Harvard.

• • • •

DESIGN URBAIN

INGÉNIERIE

GAVIN AFFLECK

MARIE DUGUÉ

co-chargé d’équipe

Diplômé de l’École d’architecture de l’Université McGill (1985), Gavin Affleck a fondé l’agence Affleck + de la Riva architectes avec Richard de la Riva en 1996. A+R est reconnue principalement dans quatre champs d’expertise: en design-aménagement urbain, en architecture institutionnelle, en restauration-rénovation-recyclage et en architecture résidentielle. Comme en témoignent les prix décernés a la firme: Prix du gouverneur général; Prix d’Excellence de l’OAQ, Prix d’excellence de la revue Canadian Architect, Prix d’Excellence de l’Institut de Design de Montréal, Grand prix de l’opération patrimoine de Montréal, Prix d’Excellence du North American Wood Council, Architecture magazine Home of the Year Award, etc., la recherche de la qualité demeure une préoccupation constante dans leur travail. A+R a réalisée des études urbaines pour plusieurs clients publics et privés (OMHM, SDM, Ville de Montréal, Université Concordia, Molson, etc.) et s’intéresse également a la construction de ce type de projets. A+R a réalisée des plans d’ensemble intégrant des nouveaux bâtiments pour la Pépinière municipale de Montréal, le Parc Hampstead, et le Centre communautaire de Côte Saint Luc. Notons les projets urbains sur lesquels travaillent la firme présentement : le secteur Maguire, le Square des Frères Charon et le réaménagement de la rue Chabanel.

ARCHITECTURE-ENVIRONNEMENT

ALEX BLOUIN Co-fondateur de la firme Blouin Tardif architectes avec Jean Tardif, Alexandre Blouin est diplômé de l’École d’Architecture de l’Université de Montréal (1994) et de la réputée Architectural Association de Londres où il a terminé une Maîtrise en développement durable avec distinction en 2002. Il possède une solide expérience de 15 années dans le domaine de l’architecture et de l’aménagement, principalement comme architecte-concepteur. Il est également actif dans le milieu de l’enseignement universitaire. Animée par une approche humaniste et la conviction que la tension entre la culture et la nature s’exprime à travers l’architecture, la firme travaille à préserver l’équilibre entre l’être humain, la nature, l’architecture et la technologie. Jean Tardif est diplômé de l’université Laval en architecture et en philosophie, il est aussi accrédité LEED.

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Graduée en génie civil à l’Université Concordia (2004), Marie Dugué est la référence en matière de traitement des eaux pluviales et des eaux sanitaires chez la firme d’ingénierie Vinci Consultants. Elle a travaillé sur une trentaine de projets intégrant de la rétention des eaux pluviales dont l’Abbaye Cistercienne de St-Jean-de-Matha et Benny Farm (Montréal) et le Complexe Sportif Municipal de Gatineau (LEED Argent). Elle a rédigé un cours sur la Gestion des eaux pluviales en milieu urbain (2007). Marie se spécialise aussi dans gestion de circulation ‘rue-nue’ (shared-space), qui consiste en un retrait de la signalisation permettant de réduire fortement les accidents et fluidifier le trafic. Elle est aussi accréditée PA LEED depuis le début de l’année 2008.

Plan d’ensemble pour le secteur Maguire, Ville de MTL, arrond. Plateau Mt-Royal (2006) A+R Proposition d’aménagement de l’îlot Balmoral – Quartier des spectacles, Montréal (2006) A+R Gestion de l’eau urbain, Dhaka, Bangladesh (2005) Catalyse urbaine Le Quartier Molson Étude de revitalisation du quartier et aménagement urbain. (2003) A+R Étude de développement du pôle Duke-Wellington, SDM (2002) A+R Université Concordia /Campus Loyola - Plan d’ensemble du secteur sud (2001) A+R Un village contemporain à l’île Perrôt (1995) A+R Une cité-jardin à Rosemère (1994) A+R

Projets d’espaces publics et réaménagements de rues • • • • •

Square Charon, aménagement paysagé d’une place publique, Ville de Montréal, (2005-2006) A+R Réaménagement de la rue Chabanel, Ville de Montréal (en cours) A+R Plan directeur de la nouvelle pépinière municipale de Montréal, Ville de Montréal (2000) A+R Réaménagement. Étude de réaménagement du Parc Hampstead, Ville de Hampstead (2000) A+R Plan d’ensemble pour le Centre communautaire et sportif de Côte Saint Luc (2000) A+R

Participation aux charrettes et consultations publiques Consultations publiques: • Aménagement du Square Charon, sur le web, (2006) A+R Développement du secteur Chabanel, (2006) A+R • • Développement du secteur Maguire, (2006) A+R

DESIGN GRAPHIQUE

PHILIPPE ARCHONTAKIS Philippe Archontakis cumule plus de dix ans d’expérience en design imprimé, en design Web et en interactivité. Fort de ses études en typographie et en design graphique, et, de sa solide expérience dans le milieu, il s’est mérité un grand nombre d’honneurs au fil des ans. Plusieurs de ses réalisations ont été primées et publiées dans des publications de design. Il siège au conseil administratif de la S.D.G.Q. (Société des designers graphiques du Québec) en tant que Directeur Nouveaux-Médias. Il est associé chez DEPARTEMENT depuis 1 an.

ÉQUIPE DE SOUTIEN DE JEUNES PRATICIENS

CATHERINE VANDERMEULEN

Charrettes : • Réaménagement du Square Cabot et ses abords, Mtl (2008) A+R et Blouin Tardif • Projet urbain de Pierrefonds Ouest, Ville de Montréal (2008) A+R • Imaginer la Place d’Armes, Mtl (2007) A+R et Catherine Vandermeulen Re-développement des terrains du club de golf Meadowbrook, MTL (2007) , • A+R • Atelier WAT, Brossard (2005) Catalyse Urbaine et Blouin Tardif • Dialogues sur Griffintown, membre du jury (2005) Catalyse Urbaine

Projets d’habitation et d’interventions urbaines écologiques • • • • •

Prototype de maison écologique (2007) Catalyse Urbaine La Maison Productive (2005-2007) Catalyse Urbaine et Blouin Tardif Mur végétal sur l’édifice de la Fonderie Darling (2007) Catalyse Urbaine Toit végétalisé, Montréal (2007) Catalyse Urbaine Résidence de Bullion (2005-2006) Blouin Tardif

MAÎTRISE EN ÉTUDES URBAINES, INRS

GIOVANNA ANDALUZ

MAÎTRISE EN AMÉNAGEMENT, UdM

GREGORY BECK RUBIN

MAÎTRISE EN ARCHITECTURE, UdMANITOBA (en cours)

FEDERICO CARBAJAL

MAÎTRISE EN ARCHITECTURE, UdM (en cours)

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B L O U I N TA R D I F a r c h i t e c t u r e e n v i r o n n e m e n t

COMPRÉHENSION DU MANDAT ET APPROCHE CONCEPTUELLE

Le secteur Bellechasse Délimité par la rue Saint Denis, le boulevard Saint Laurent, la rue de Bellechasse et la voie ferrée du CP, le secteur Bellechasse est un quartier industriel en mutation depuis plusieurs années. Même si sa position dans la ville, son histoire architecturale et la proximité de quartiers résidentiels animés présentent un grand potentiel, le secteur est aujourd’hui désaffecté et déstructuré. Un emplacement géographique particulier Stratégiquement placé à l’extrémité nord-ouest du Plateau Mont Royal, le secteur Bellechasse est légèrement surélevé par rapport aux quartiers avoisinants, créant ainsi un belvédère urbain inscrit dans le tissu urbain. L’expérience saisissante du couché de soleil estival, aligné sur l’axe des avenues nord-sud, confère au secteur un caractère spécifique. Unique quant à l’omniprésence de l’horizon et du ciel, le secteur est néanmoins ancré dans un territoire géographique plus élargi : lorsque on emprunte le viaduc Van Horne, le panorama s’ouvre sur une vue à 360 degrés sur le Mont Royal, la Montérégie, l’est de la ville et les Laurentides. Un lieu façonné par les infrastructures de transport La forme urbaine du secteur et sa vocation industrielle sont marquées par des infrastructures ferroviaires et routières imposantes - le chemin de fer CP, la gare de tramway Saint-Denis, le viaduc Van Horne, la gare d’autobus STM. Le chemin de fer CP rompt la continuité du tissu urbain entre le quartier Plateau Mont-Royal au sud et le quartier Bellechasse, porte d’entrée aux quartiers limitrophes du nord – Petite Patrie, Villeray, Rosemont, Ahuntsic. La courbe du chemin de fer CP joue un rôle déterminant dans la définition de la forme urbaine du secteur. C’est ici que se confrontent la trame orthogonale de la ville et la ligne concave et sinueuse du chemin de fer. Cette complexité géométrique prend sa pleine expression au viaduc Van Horne, ruban de béton tordu qui raccommode la trame de la ville, les viaducs, ponts et tunnels nord-sud, et le chemin de fer.

Pour un aménagement urbain minimaliste Notre approche privilégie l’intervention minimaliste, qui oriente le développement futur du site, et instaure un dialogue avec son passé, plutôt que de lui imposer une vision nouvelle. En optimisant la flexibilité programmatique et la capacité d’appropriation sociale, il est possible d’intégrer les éléments existants et créer des synergies entre les systèmes sociaux, spatiaux et économiques tout en préparant le site pour un futur imprévisible. L’organisation des systèmes de transport, l’augmentation de la densité et la création d’espaces publics qui donnent la part belle à la nature, sont autant de principes directeurs qui orientent notre réflexion. Étre au courant des initiatives montréalaises, mais s’ouvrir également au monde Les secteurs privés et publics ont, depuis une dizaine d’années, travaillé de concert dans le re-développement de plusieurs secteurs montréalais. Citons comme exemples le Faubourg Québec, la Cité du Multimédia, le Quartier international de Montréal, le Technopôle Angus, le Secteur Maguire. Ces projets démontrent qu’il est impossible d’envisager un projet urbain de qualité sans une coopération soutenue entre les secteurs public et privé. La volonté politique et la créativité privée sont au rendez-vous. Il est aussi important de regarder plus loin que Montréal, et notre réflexion se nourrira de l’exemple des éco-quartiers européens, qui cristallisent aujourd’hui une attention énorme. Ces nouveaux quartiers offrent non seulement des conditions de haute qualité de vie, mais revitalisent des quartiers désaffectés tout en montrant la voie à la société vers une réduction de son impact écologique global. Symbole d’une évolution positive en profondeur de la société, les quartiers durables, et les styles de vie novateurs qui les habitent, sont l’expression tangible d’une politique intelligente de la ville. Un projet de société constructif et enthousiasmant

Images (courtesy of CU+AE+AR) : above, charette poste r, a e r i a l o f t h e s i t e , p l a n o f t h e s i t e . O p p o s i t e : S u b mission to the Atelier de Design Urbain to participate in the charette (1 of 4 teams selected out of 23)

La création du nouveau quartier de Bellechasse nous donne l’opportunité d’apporter des réponses à la dimension collective du défi écologique, et de créer un projet de société constructif et enthousiasmant, associant bien-être avec prise en compte de l’environnement. Notre équipe approchera cet exercice avec l’esprit du débutant, mettant de côté les idées reçues et ses propres certitudes, pour permettre une nouvelle conception de la vie urbaine d’émerger. Ce défi comportera probablement la remise en question de certaines idées reçues concernant l’ensoleillement, la hauteur des bâtiments et la densité des quartiers. Notre proposition offrira un plateau pour tester et explorer des styles de vie durables et novateurs.

Images (courtesy of CU+AE+AR) : Above (left to right) Newspaper clipping from ‘Le Devoir ’ following the public presentation, Sign from the site: the nursery for nurturing the trees that later are planted throughout the neighbourhood. Historic photos of the Last Spike 1 8 8 5 , a c e l e b r a t i o n o f t h e C P l i n e t r a v e l i n g t h r o u g h t h e s i t e . S i t e p h o t o : u n d e r t h e Va n H o r n Vi a d u c t , a r a i s e d r o a d w a y . B e l o w, a p e r s p e c t i v e o f o n e o f t h e n e w l y d e v e l o p e d i n t e r s e c t i o n s o f t h e s i t e , w i t h t h e e m p h a s i s o n “ s h a r e d s p a c e ” . R e n dering of an aerial view of the site: the train tracks are over come by a rising green spaces, the width of a city block, connecting the neighbourhoods on either side of the track by bike, pedestrian walkways and road.

Opposite Page: Final Presentation Board. The theme of the Project: Building a neighbourhood in an Urban Forest.