International Design and Architecture Ideas Competition: Valorization of the Montréal Olympic Stadium Roof

The Olympic Park is proud to announce the launch of an international competition to creatively reuse and add value to all materials and structural components from the Montreal Olympic Stadium roof's dismantling, set to start in summer 2024.

An Olympic Ambition

Design and architecture professionals and students worldwide are invited to propose creative and innovative solutions to generate new life for the roof’s components, including the symbolic cables supporting the present dome, the inner and outer membranes as well as the fittings that support the structure.

The competition is open to the international community to gather optimal suggestions for environmental, economic and societal improvements. The Québec population will then be asked to vote for their favorite among the eight ideas selected by a jury of recognized experts.

This initiative is part of a broader approach to sustainable development and circular economy, to which could be added the design of an artistic course made from roofing materials. These actions will provide a new purpose for the Olympic Stadium’s roof and benefit the people of Québec.

The proposals sought must aim at the resilience and adaptation to climate change, which represents a challenge of real Olympic proportions. Consequently, proposals need to target specific outcomes that have the potential to improve residents’ living conditions upon deployment, by addressing neighborhood issues.

For instance, proposals intended for-but not limited to-the following are expected:

• to strengthen the social and community fabric;

• to create cool zones;

• to develop all seasons socializing spaces;

• to promote soft and active mobility;

• to encourage urban agriculture;

• to establish contacts with the surrounding neighborhoods;

• to foster a connection between residents and the river

Proposals That Achieve a High Level of Social Acceptability

To ensure the success of this reuse effort, certain factors must be considered. The expected proposals must demonstrate that they constitute a genuine ecological benefit and must clearly be part of a circular economy approach, through their contribution to the environment and the local community. They must be structured, have an impact in the neighborhoods surrounding the Stadium, meet the existing needs of the population and also consider the vulnerability of the territory.

Four Award Categories That Steer the Creative Challange

A maximum of four winners in the professional category and four winners in the student category will be selected by the jury. Each professional winner will receive a prize of fifteen thousand Canadian dollars ($15,000 CAD), while each student will receive five thousand Canadian dollars ($5,000 CAD).

• Award for full reuse of materials

• Award in innovation, processes and environmental impact

• Award for space design

• Award for product development

A mention for the People’s Choice Award is foreseen to promote the winning entries. The public will be invited to vote online via the website roof-reuse.parcolympique.ca for their favorite entry among the eight laureates chosen by the jury in the professional and student categories combined.

Registration

To find out more and register: roof-reuse.parcolympique.ca

Mandatory registration deadline: May 31, 2024 (11:59 pm. EST)

Proposals submissions deadline: June 11, 2024 (11:59 EST)

Laureates’ announcement: Summer 2024

People’s Choice Award announcement: Fall 2024

Stakeholders in the Competition

Competition’s responsible parties

The Société de développement et de mise en valeur du Parc olympique (Olympic Park), is responsible for the implementation of this competition.

Jury

The jury is tasked with selecting the laureates and is composed as follows:

Jean Beaudoin, architect and engineer – President, Nomade Aménagements Transitoires, member of the multidisciplinary collective Intégral

Rami Bebawi, architect – KANVA co-founder

Stéphanie Cardinal, architect – Vice-president, Humà Architecture, LEED Green Associate

Manuel R. Cisneros, architect – Director, Stratégies environnementales et régénératives, Sid Lee Architecture

Ying Gao, designer – Professor at École de design and l’École supérieure de mode, UQAM (Université du Québec à Montréal)

Annie Levasseur, Professor, Department of Construction Engineering at École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS) – Holder of the Canada Research Chair in Measuring the Impact of Human Activity on Climate Change – Scientific Director at CERIEC (Centre d’études et de recherches intersectorielles en économie circulaire) and AdapT (Institut de recherche sur les infrastructures résilientes et circulaires) on the circular, climate-resilient built environment

Eugénie Manseau, industrial designer – Dikini associate

A representative for the Société de développement et de mise en valeur du Parc olympique will be nominated shortly

In case of a tie, the jury president holds the deciding vote. If a member of the jury is unable to participate, the responsible parties will appoint a substitute whose skills are equivalent to those of the member being replaced. In such instances, competitors will be promptly notified of these changes via an addendum.

Professional advisor

The professional advisor oversees the competition process, including document preparation and activity organization relevant to the competition. The professional advisor appointed by the Olympic Park is:

Véronique Rioux, ADIQ, industrial designer