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Structures d'exposition Regarde!
By : Studio Overall
GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN 19th edition
Distinctions
Discipline : Product
Categories : Exterior / Urban Furniture & Streetscape Products : Gold certification
Categories : Special Awards — Product / Products + Materials : Gold certification
Categories : Special Awards — Product / Sustainable & Environmental Design : Gold certification
Sober, assertive and elegant, the stele Regarde! transforms the Faubourgs Cultural District into an open-air gallery in the borough of Ville-Marie.
After four editions of this free visual art tour, bringing together 41 carefully chosen works distributed on structures, walls, screens, and windows, the City wanted to move from temporary MDF structures to a permanent identifiable infrastructure usable in all four seasons, capable of withstanding Montreal's harsh conditions.
The exhibition system proposed by Studio Overall, selected following an ideas competition, offers a strong visual signature that nevertheless recedes before the artwork to better magnify it. The technical challenge was great: creating nine identical structures, 2.2 m high, allowing quick rotation of the works and simplified maintenance by blue-collar workers in summer and winter on the narrow sidewalks of Ville-Marie, while respecting a strict pedestrian clearance of 1.8 m and anchoring constraints specific to each of its locations. The principle is based on a robust, secure support that not only carries art; it requalifies the territory. The formal and material concept, inspired by the area's industrial past, incorporates a bold graphic identity (Pantone Orange 172C contrasting with Florida Grey), creating a warm yet powerful presence.
The technical execution is at the heart of the project. The structures are made from 1/8’’ folded and welded aluminum (alloys 6061/7075), offering an optimal weight-to-strength ratio for installation on existing sidewalks. The base, the centerpiece of the project, is cut from a polished matte DEER ISLE granite block, ensuring absolute resistance to snow removal and freeze-thaw cycles. The innovation lies in a double-play mounting plate system (1/4’’ aluminum): the replacement artwork is pre-printed and prepared in the studio, allowing installation without delay so that the steles are never empty during rotation. The AAMA 2604 electrostatic powder finish (architectural quality) with anti-graffiti and UV protection guarantees a lifespan of over 10 years. The branding of the Cultural District is engraved directly into the mass (water/jet plasma), ensuring a lasting integration of the brand.
The project embodies best practices in universal accessibility: optimized reading height (zone 90-140 cm), visual contrasts of 70%, absence of sharp edges, and detectability by white cane. Ecologically, the switch to permanent eliminates the impacts associated with annual transport and storage. The circular design approach favors local materials and PVC-free vinyl films (Envision 3M), renewing content without generating massive structural waste.
The Regarde! structures thus become tools for anchoring culture at the heart of daily life, 365 days a year.
Collaboration
Industrial designer : Studio Overall
General contractor : Escouade l'atelier
Photo credit