REIMAGINING THE TRADITIONAL CIRCUS
[ University of Montreal | Studio VI ]
[ University of Montreal | Studio VI ]
LOCATION
Montreal, Canada
YEAR Spring 2014
ADVISOR(S) Temy Tidaffi
Individual
Keywords | Parametric design, art center, urban integration
YEAR Spring 2014
ADVISOR(S) Temy Tidaffi
Individual
Keywords | Parametric design, art center, urban integration
This studio was an opportunity to learn how to use the parametric plugin Grasshopper to develop appropriate spaces and volumes for a circus complex in Montreal’s art district. The challenge was to create a building that stands out from the urban landscape in order to attract and intrigue passers-by.
The design rethinks the traditional circus tent and offers unconventional stage layouts to promote the use of new technologies in the art scene. From outside, veil-like longitudinal stripes cover the complex, reinventing the classic look indicative of traditional circus tents. Inside, two stages revolve around the concept of immersion whereby the audience enters into a magical ball. On occasion, the upper stage opens up to the lower stage to accommodate a larger audience. On the outside, the major cantilevered extension to the southeast aims to establish a presence on Place des Arts (a major performing arts plaza in the heart of Montreal), featuring a “floating” informal circus stage atop typical Montreal duplexes, extending the enchantment of the circus to public spaces, enhancing accessibility and inviting engagement.