Cité Multimédia 8

Cité Multimédia 8 in Montreal, Quebec by Menkès Shooner Dagenais Architects

Montreal's Cité Multimédia (Multimedia City) is a large-scale office development in an old industrial area of the city geared towards internet and other technology companies. The multiple-phase project is comprised of new construction as well as renovations, giving the area a historical character that other similarly sized developments lack. Phase 8, a new building by Menkès Shooner Dagenais Architects, sits at the southwest corner of the development, an important location that acts as a gateway to the area for those arriving via the Bonaventure Autoroute.

To relate to both the urban context to the east and the aforementioned roadway to the west, the architects split the design into two bar-shaped buildings, five stories on the east side and ten stories on the west. Furthermore, each exterior is treated differently, with the low building made up of squarish punched windows in a dark brick facade, and the high building featuring ribbon windows in a metal-panel wall. Each building has ground floor retail, and they are linked by a multi-story glass link.

The most striking element in the design is the west facade, a projected glass wall that acts as an extra layer of sound protection as well as providing protection from the afternoon sun. The latter is achieved via a fritted glass pattern that alternates horizontally and vertically in a checkerboard grid across the wall. This pattern creates a binary-like texture that's also visible to those reaching the city in their cars, creating a contemporary and hi-tech look for the development.

The building lobby, located at ground level of the multistory link, also makes an impression on the visitor. The continuity of the exterior walls and the wood slats that clad the walkways both extend the idea of layering that was established on the outside. This is an appropriate idea that can be applied to the rest of the development, which layers old upon new at the scale of the old city.

While the design is a successful element in the Multimedia City, it came at a time when the tech boom burst, leaving much of the tenant space vacant upon its 2003 completion. As other cities continue to draw residents and businesses to their centers, hopefully Montreal's investment will pay off as more people and businesses realize this as one of the city's many attractive sides.