Lemay, Perkins+Will, and Bisson Fortin to Design Montreal Light Rail System

Courtesy of Réseau express métropolitain (REM)

Three award-winning architecture firms, Lemay, Perkins+Will, and Bisson Fortin, will design a new 67-km sustainable system of light-rail train stations for one of North America’s largest public transportation projects, the Réseau Express Métropolitain (REM) in Montreal. This system of train stations will be designed as part of NouvLR General Partnership’s recently won contract and will connect Montréal-Trudeau International Airport with the city’s downtown area, as well as the north and south shores of the region.

The concept for the design is based on the combination of the themes of movement, transparency, and identity. The station’s facades and landscape features reflect the experience of moving as seen through the window of a moving train. The design also contains urban features, with moments of stillness and vertical movement.

The stations also feature large amounts of glazing to both allow for daylight, and to give passengers better wayfinding opportunities. The immediate areas surrounding each REM station will become sustainable, biodiverse ecosystems, which will make the network a “green urban continuum.” Additionally, the network will also support access for pedestrians, cyclists, busses, and in three locations, metro access.

Jeff Doble, Principal at Perkins+Will, commented on the project saying, “The REM is a reflection of the same innovation and ingenuity that has made Montreal one of the world’s leading cultural and economic centers. It’s an honor to be involved in a design that approaches infrastructure as a cultural and influential amenity, with the goal of improving the quality of life for citizens, enhancing experiences for visitors, and ensuring long-term economic value for the entire region.”

Construction is scheduled to begin in April of 2018.

News via: Perkins+Will.