Downtown Montreal will soon get six new interactive attractions for you to discover over the next year, starting this fall.
The Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal (CCMM) has unveiled the second phase of its "J’aime travailler au centre-ville" project, which is behind popular installations like the nrml bskt multimedia basketball court and ARcade augmented reality games.
The goal is to make people excited about going downtown again after a pandemic-time lull and to showcase the city's artistic and technological creativity. Here's what to expect:
Les fleurs sont partout (Flowers are Everywhere)
People walk by a metallic floral structure.
Les Productions LNDMRK Inc. | Courtesy of CCMM
Where: TBA
When: Fall 2022
Reason to check it out: This floral installation will last through all seasons as a reminder to celebrate "the little things in life that make us smile." It pulls from a universal symbol of beauty and strength as a tribute to enduring the pandemic.
Méditations Interactives (Interactive Meditations)
A multi-coloured head with many faces.
Nicolas Grenier | Courtesy of CCMM
Where: Place Ville Marie
When: Spring 2023
Reason to check it out: This project will feature digital works by Quebec artists that focus on technology, including a massive walk-in installation that explores the latest in artificial intelligence (AI).
Visitors will be able to interact with AI that speaks to them while they're bathed in colourful pulsating projections. The installation will offer a meditative and hypnotic experience that's intended as a relaxing break for anyone who stops by during their work day.
Les salles extraordinaires (The Extraordinary Rooms)
An outdoor seating installation.
Richard Thibodeau | Courtesy of CCMM
Where: PVM Esplanade and Notman House
When: Spring 2023
Reason to check it out: Aire Commune, the group behind this summer's urban oasis work stations, is designing a series of new themed outdoor meeting areas in collaboration with local artists.
The rooms will have WiFi, projectors and electric outlets, along with green walls, artworks and cool furniture. Each space will be unique, offering a change of pace for anyone looking to switch up their usual work or study environment.
Dans le fleuve (In the River)
Someone stands next to a projection of a dancer on a brick wall.
Where: 1250, boulevard René-Lévesque (between Bonaventure metro station and the building)
When: Winter 2023
Reason to check it out: The metro corridor will plunge visitors into the Saint Lawrence River and humanize the waterway through projections and sound effects. The installation brings together live and digital arts through recordings of choirs and projections of modern dancers, embodying the movement of water.
La MUe de la Place Dupuis
A mural of an Indigenous woman on a brick wall.
Olivier Bousquet | Courtesy of CCMMWhere: Place Dupuis
Reason to check it out: Mural organization MU will upgrade the bland walkways in Place Dupuis with new murals. The artworks will be created by local muralists with help from visual arts students at UQÀM and the Cégep du Vieux Montréal.
Portail
Two figures touch pulsating spheres.
Moment Factory | Courtesy of CCMM
Where: Gare Viger
When: Winter 2023
Reason to check it out: From the creators of ARcade, this interactive multimedia experience will immerse visitors in a series of playful, dream-like rooms. Each one is conceived by Moment Factory and will "ignites the senses," encouraging exploration and discovery.