Fleurs-de-Macadam Plaza is a new public square in the heart of the Plateau-Mont-Royal neighborhood, which converts the site of a former gas station into a green space. This project marks the beginning of a new way of developing public space by exploiting its potential of “in situ” rainwater management of its urban sector to become one of the first water squares or resilient public spaces in downtown Montreal.
In addition to being a resilient space for flooding issues related to climate change, the space brings to life and pays homage to the song “Les fleurs de macadam” by famous Québec signer and poet Jean-Pierre Ferland, whose father operated the gas station that occupied the site in the 1950s.
This newly built project, adopted by its users as soon as it opened, is the result of a four year participatory process directed by the firm Castor et Pollux, which fed the design process of this plaza that is calming and vibrant with animation.
A programmed immersive rain fountain that alternates between real and metaphorical rain, depending on the weather conditions, a ribbon of varied benches strategically placed to contemplate the activity, and suspended light works changing with the seasons make it a place not to be missed.
Water Square or Resilient Public Space
The City of Montreal seized the opportunity to create a water square. In response to this mission, the design team, combining civil engineering and landscape architecture, approached the project in close collaboration, from the conceptual beginning to the final construction. The project thus combines ecological performance with creating a high-quality landscape experience and marks the beginning of a new way of imagining public space.
The square is said to be resilient because it goes beyond the on-site stormwater management and also manages the water of its extended urban perimeter. To achieve this, perimeter streets have been reshaped to direct runoff to lowered curb cuts, acting as gateways to the square’s large rain garden. From its first summer, the water square has attracted public interest, especially during a major rain event on June 16, 2022, when videos of the water-filled square scoured social media.
A Place That Pays Tribute to Its History
The toponymy and layout of the square enhance the site’s history, giving it the importance it deserves. The words of the first three verses of the song “Les fleurs de macadam”, describing neighborhood life in the 1950s, are engraved on the granite border that runs around the centre of the space.
Integrated and Immersive Public Art
An art and design competition is annually organized by a local organization to create ephemeral works suspended above the square on a permanent hanging structure. A program of winter and summer works integrating multimedia technologies alternate over the seasons and make the place a cultural destination.
This project demonstrates that green technologies can be an engine for creating landscapes or moments of beauty in urban life and experience.
Fleurs-de-Macadam Plaza
Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Client: Ville de Montréal
Designers:
EXP – Executive Landscape Architects
NIPPAYSAGE – Design Landscape Architects
Castor et pollux – Tactical planning process Landscape Architects
Other consultants:
EXP – Engineers
En temps et lieu – Artists
Image Credits:
Drawings : NIPPAYSAGE, Castor et pollux
Photo : SteveMontpetit, NIPPAYSAGE, Castor et pollux