In a city renowned for its dramatic skyline and architectural expertise and innovation, the new Headquarters premises of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is unquestionably in a league of its own. Truly befitting the international status and unique requirements of ICAO, a specialized agency of the United Nations which has been headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, Canada since 1945.
Built at a cost of over $100 million and leased by the Federal Government, this exciting new addition to the downtown core represents a major vote of confidence in the economic vitality of the city. Not only on the part of the Government of Canada, but also ICAO, which is recognized as the premier world body for enhancing the safety, reliability and efficiency of air travel. For the benefit of all humankind!
It does so by setting international standards and regulations, while serving as the medium for cooperation in all fields of civil aviation among its 185 Contracting States.
Credited by the City of Montreal with generating some $80 million annually and creating some 1,200 direct and indirect jobs in the local economy, the Organization welcomes about 1,600 visitors at its Annual General Assembly in addition to some 2,000 delegates annually from all over the globe for a study of several days or weeks.
Their future visits promise to be even more memorable as they discover their Organization's new Headquarters premises. A prestigious landmark built for the 21st century!
Its construction, which began in November 1994, created work for 1,000 person/years upon completion in the Fall of 1996 and, symbolically, it is located just two blocks south of where ICAO's Headquarters once stood from 1949 to 1975.
Facing University and bordered by Viger, Sainte Antoine and McGill Streets, it contributes immeasurably towards unifying, structuring and revitalizing the city's downtown urban fabric. Moreover, the project's design is even more remarkable because of the engineering challenge posed by the Ville-Marie Expressway, a major East- West artery, beneath the site.
In essence, the building, which encompasses an area of 40,000 square meters, comprises two distinct components linked by a glass-covered atrium, as well as by flying bridges and escalators. One component is a 15-storey tower housing the offices of the Secretariat and ICAO Delegations, the other a five-storey structure containing state-of-the-art conference centre facilities.
Combined, they represent the first phase of the Place de la Cite internationale complex. The second phase will comprise two additional buildings to be erected immediately east of ICAO Headquarters facing Victoria Square. One will contain up to 12,000 square meters of floor space and the other, up to 40,000 square meters.
In October 1996, the developers announced that the former Bank of Canada building, facing the future Phase II on McGill Street, will eventually be linked with Place de la Cite internationale by an underground passage. The building is envisaged as an ideal location for consulates and other international Organizations and the project could be completed rapidly.
Both phases will eventually be linked by the central atrium, which will subsequently link all the different buildings with the Place Victoria Metro Station giving protected access to all of the neighbouring projects such as the World Trade Centre.
Namely, the office tower containing the offices of the Delegations, Secretariat and Administration functions, and the Conference facilities, which are integrated yet distinct within the building.
The inter-relationship of these functions is expressed in the dynamic intersection of these functions in the design of the basilaire of the project, where the office and conference components combine with each other. Yet, at the same time, clearly expressing the atrium as the common link to each, as well as to the infrastructure of the Cite Internationale via the future phases.
Moreover, from an architectural standpoint, the three distinct elements comprising office, conference and atrium are designed in a unifying architecture with an emphasis on blending in with that of the surrounding buildings and adjacent streets.
This is reflected, for example, in the more formal presentation onto University Street which reinforces the traditional presence of other buildings there. On the east side, however, there is a more light and free-flowing design.
On the Conference block side, where the site was fully constructed with tunnels, the block sits on these tunnels with a sophisticated system of rubber pads to isolate the conference facilities from all noise and vibration.
The special vibration and acoustic controls were designed by Lionel Lortie. The structure was designed by the engineering firm of Saia Deslauriers.
The curtain wall portion of metal and glass reflects not only a dynamic sweeping dialogue with the stone precast portion, but also reflects the profile of the highways on top of which the building is located.
As for the exterior of the building, lower parts have been designed in limestone and precast trim to reflect quality, tradition and urban context. Limestone, together with back-painted textured glass, is also used to significantly express the conference facilities.
Unique to the project, is the careful integration of natural light into all conference facilities, without compromising the need for a "controlled" environment.
In the large hall, for example, clerestory glass permits the natural light from the exterior and the atrium to enter and wash the walls with a delicate filtered effect, entering above the ceiling line and diffusing down along the walls. In the other principal rooms, the natural daylight enters behind the prosceniums and again is diffused to the main walls.
It was also essential to maintain an intimate feeling for the everyday user of the project, yet at the same time to ensure that the space was large enough to accommodate special conferences. In addition, the dynamics of the program required that parts of the conference facilities could be used by outside groups. And special care was taken to ensure a separation of usage in such instances.
With the lobby, atrium, reception areas and antechambers all linked and open to each other, while physical access is strictly limited, the spatial experience is apparent to all users and visitors to the building.
The special illuminated cornice at the top of the atrium is inspired by the indirect lighting usually found in aircraft. At the same time, it unifies the conference and office facilities while still expressing the atrium as a "linking space" to future phases of the project.
These installations will be made available to other Organizations whereby ICAO will offer them on a rental basis for international conventions and seminars.
By the use of certain visible architectural screens and other concealed devices, virtually every possible permutation and combination of the building functions can be programmed for different uses, without architecturally isolating any part of the building aesthetically or visually.