| | The
New Montreal: New Urban Projects in Old Montreal,
by Mark H. Choko, ed.
Like many North American cities,
Montreal suffered a suburban flight in the post-war years,
followed by misguided, tabula-rasa urban renewal projects
that left the city in an unfortunate state. This book features
fifteen projects -- part of a 2001 exhibition at Le
Centre de Design de l'Université du Québec
à Montréal -- that attempt to remedy this
state, using renewed interest in city centers and information
technology as a starting point. From plazas and museums
to housing and office buildings, the projects interact with
the historical city in various unique ways, something that
makes Montreal one of the most interesting North American
cities today. Projects include Dan Hanganu's Musee
Pointe-à-Callière, which traces the city's
350-year history; the Cité
du Multimédia, a large scale office development
west of Old Montreal focused on internet and other hi-tech
companies; and Palais
des Congrès, a colorful expansion of the exhibition
hall that spans the Ville-Marie expressway. Essays by Georges
Adamczyk, Bernard La Mothe, and editor Mark Choko help with
background information on Montreal, its historic center,
and the projects presented. |
