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| Place Bonaventure |
During the last lecture, Place Bonaventure was mentioned briefly as being a mega structure and our group thought it would be interesting to look further into the project design. After researching this design, we now understand that it is a mega structure because of its size, and the way it incorporates multiple programs and systems into one building. Place Bonaventure was designed by architect Raymond Affleck, and was built in Montreal, Canada. Upon the completion of Place Bonaventure in 1967, it was the world’s second largest commercial building.1 This mega structure encompasses an entire city block, and was designed with “a shopping concourse connecting to subway, railway, and interior and exterior pedestrian systems; an exhibition hall of 250 000 square feet; a merchandise mart of 5 floors providing offices and permanent facilities for manufacturers; an international trade center; and on the roof, a 400-room hotel.”2 With the architecture encompassing so much ground space, it becomes a center destination of the city where people may come together to take part in any of the diverse programming available within the mega structure. We feel that this type of multi-use design is relevant in today’s society and will remain relevant in the future because as the population grows, and space becomes more limited, different programs and systems will need to be combined.
1,2. Viloria, James. "Place Bonaventure." The Canadian Encyclopedia. Accessed December 3, 2011. http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0009286.
Image Source: Flickr. "Montreal Place Bonaventure." Accessed December 3, 2011. http://www.flickr.com/photos/cgouais/4073219653/.
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