L ightemotion, a global lighting design consultancy that creates pathways to enhanced human ex periences, proudly presents its enlightenment of Sq uare V iger, a neglected public space bridging M ontreal’s contemporary downtown core with the preserved history of Old Montreal. Forming part of an eight- year contemporary overhaul to restore the space as a green and accessible public sq uare, the proj ect anchors around the preservation of a historic monument, and the revival of pergolas originally designed by Q uebec artist C harles D audelin. “ In the 1 9 5 0 s and ’6 0 s, Sq uare V iger was an iconic space in the style of a N ew Y ork C ity park , ” explains François Roupinian, President and Design Director of Lightemotion. “A highway through the downtown core was constructed underneath it, and it was restored in more of a Brutalist style in the 1 9 7 0 s. ” H eeding t h e c al l In addition to restoring elements of Sq uare V iger’s past, the proj ect envisioned the infusion of fresh new life to carry the public space beyond the present and into the future. “ O n a macro level, that vision unfolded through the addition of abundant perennial plants able to withstand the challenging elements of M ontreal’s four-seasons, as well as through the addition of more than 5 0 new trees, ” ex plains R oupinian. “In approaching the All the world is a stage Canada’s illumination masters Lightemotion’s personification of inanimate objects infuses life into an urban public square.
task at hand, the proj ect’s landscape architect, NIPPAYSAGE, brought Lightemotion in from the very beginning to bring it all to life. ” In the shadow of a recently built hospital complex , L ightemotion wanted to approach the
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