Atelier Big City

Cormier, Cohen, Davies, architectes
(L'Atelier Big City)
Récipiendaire du Prix de Rome 1998-99


L’Atelier Big City s’est formé en 1987 à l’occasion du concours Chaussegros-de-Léry. Le nom de l’atelier traduit l’intérêt du groupe pour la ville dans toutes ses manifestations et le slogan dont il s’est doté «make architecture a public policy» souligne l’importance qu’il accorde au rôle public de l’architecture. Plusieurs prix et publications ainsi que de nombreuses invitations à présenter ses projets et à les exposer en Amérique et en Europe témoignent de la reconnaissance de sa contribution au dynamisme de l’architecture québécoise. L’Atelier Big City réunit trois architectes qui comptent chacun vingt années d’expérience. Randy Cohen, Anne Cormier et Howard Davies sont tous trois également actifs aux plans de la recherche et de l’enseignement. Le groupe collabore couramment avec d’autres architectes, architectes de paysage, artistees et divers groupes communautaires. L’équipe s’adjoint régulièrement des stagiaires et architectes juniors. Elle recourt occasionnellement aux services de spécialistes techniques. Le personnel de l’atelier varie de cinq à dix personnes. L’approche de l’atelier est qualifiée d'innovatrice et conviviale. Deux centres d’interprétation construits en Gaspésie et dans le Bas-du-Fleuve à l’issue de concours témoignent des aspirations du groupe à assumer pleinement le rôle public de l’architecture. Les travaux de l’atelier tirent parti de toutes les conditions du projet pour en célébrer avec optimisme le potentiel. Le travail de l’Atelier Big City combine la recherche de thèmes pertinents et percutants à l’usage inventif de matériaux et d’assemblages. Les projets sont développés selon une forte approche conceptuelle fondée sur l’interprétation du programme et du site. La notion d’espace public est au coeur de ses préoccupations. Chaque projet est l’occasion de créer un milieu de vie stimulant et sensuel par le biais de moyens simples qui sont: couleur, volume, matériaux et structure. Atelier Big City (Anne Cormier, Randy Cohen, Howard Davies) is known for its innovative and often gregarious approach to architectural design. Two centres of interpretation built in eastern Quebec at Pabos Mills and Trois-Pistoles as well as a housing project on Paper Hill in Montreal (U2) demonstrate the group’s desire to build provocatively yet also deal sensitively with issues related to site organization, construction, program, and budget. The work of Big City, both built and un-built, tries to push the envelope of what we might imagine to be possible in the architectural project, converting restrictions and limitations into work that celebrates the latent potential and optimism of everyday life. Their work combines metaphorical/interpretative themes, with innovative material use and construction. The projects are structured on a strong conceptual approach based on the interpretation of program and siting strategies. Of particular interest to the group is the notion of public space in buildings and the importance of the architectural promenade, a spatial journey animated by relations established between elements of the program, and between the built project and its environment. Each project is an exploration in generating an architectural milieu of grand sensual stimulation through the use of very simple means: color, volume, material and structure. The work of Atelier Big City explores the potential for the creation of spaces in which the various themes of movement, structure, function, materiality, and form are dynamically employed. Atelier Big City has received a number of awards and honours including the Prix de Rome in 1998 and most recently a Governor general’s medal in 2006 for their innovative urban housing U2. Work by Atelier Big City have been exhibited and presented through lectures in North America and in Europe. Atelier Big City are committed educators at the university level. Anne Cormier teaches and is director of the University of Montreal Ecole d’architecture, Randy Cohen teaches at the University of Quebec in Montreal and at the University of Montreal Ecole d’architecture. Howard Davies teaches at both McGill University’s School of Architecture and in the Concordia University Department of Design and Computational Arts. The work of atelier Big City has been publicly recognized for over 20 years. Atelier Big City have been awarded 3 Canadian Governor General medals, 2 for their interpretation centers in Pabos (1994) and Trois-Pistoles (1997) and another for the Unity 2 Housing project (2007). In 2008 Unity 2 also was awarded a prize from the city of Montreal for its architectural integration within an historic context. The Interpretation Centre in Pabos was also awarded the grand prize of the Order of Architects of Quebec in 1994.In 2007 their project “Head in the Clouds” was awarded the top prize for landscape architecture in Quebec by the Montreal Design Institute (IDM) In 1998 atelier Big City were awarded the Prix de Rome from the Canada Council. Atelier Big City are frequently invited to participate in public discussion groups dealing with urban design and the future of Montreal. They have participated in many architectural competitions and urban design competitions at a range of scales locally, nationally and internationally.