Design Montréal
Open House

2009 edition

Record turnout at the third annual Design Montréal Open House

Nearly 21,000 visits in two days!

A record number of visitors took advantage of the third annual Design Montréal Open House on May 2 and 3. A total of 20,955 visits were recorded, double last year’s number. During these two days, devoted to a gathering of Montréal designers and architects and to the discovery of inspiring places in the city, the public had the chance to see more than 65 agencies, projects and design venues free of charge. You can view an interactive map (In French) for more information on participating sites and offices, organized by neighbourhood. And for an overview see the promotional video (In French).

A weekend of discoveries

Visitors had the opportunity to meet the designers of award-winning projects in national and international competitions at their workplaces. These designers proudly displayed their most recent achievements. Projections on giant screens, 3D models, activities, guided tours and interactive workshops – all this and more was organized to give the public a better understanding of designers’ work and to demystify common images of design, in a friendly atmosphere well suited to exchanges and discussions.

Among the new features this year was the “Youth Design” component, intended especially for young people aged 10 and over. The program aimed at initiating them to the many facets of design and having them meet designers. Almost a third of the participating professional firms offered educational activities, such as animated or video presentations, sensory or sound experiences, design workshops, quizzes, rallies, interactive technological experiments, and more. This proved decisive: there were more than 1,200 visits from young people.

In addition, nearly a dozen young designers and emerging design collectives opened their doors to the public (Pecha Kucha Montréal Emerging Practices Selection). The up-and-coming generation also had a place of honour, with visitors having the chance to see exhibitions of work by university students who are graduating in the various design and architecture disciplines.

Partners

The Design Montréal Open House is an initiative of the Ville de Montréal in collaboration with the professional design community and partnership with the Ministère de la Culture, des Communications et de la Condition féminine du Québec under the Agreement on the Cultural Development of Montréal.

Organizing partners

Association des architectes paysagistes du Québec
Association des designers industriels du Québec
Association professionnelle des designers d’intérieur du Québec
Canadian Centre for Architecture
Créativité Montréal
Fonds d’études et de recherches en design intérieur de l’Est (FERDIE)
Grafika
Intérieurs
Ordre des architectes du Québec
Ordre des urbanistes du Québec
Pecha Kucha Montréal
Royal Architectural Institute of Canada
Société des designers graphiques du Québec
Stationnement de Montréal

Québec and Canadian professional competitions referenced

2008 Créativité Montréal competition
Retail business and office design competition

2008 Grafika competition
Graphic design, exhibition design, event design and Web design competition

2008 Graphex competition
Society of Graphic Designers of Canada graphic design, exhibition design and Web design competition

2008 Governor General’s Medals in Architecture
For outstanding achievements in Canadian architecture

2008 Design Exchange Awards
National competition in architecture, landscape architecture, visual communications, industrial design, interior design, fashion design and urban design

2007 Ordre des architectes du Québec Awards of Excellence
Architecture competition

2008 Canadian Architect Awards of Excellence
Canadian Architect magazine’s architecture competition

2008 RAIC National Urban Design Awards
Royal Architectural Institute of Canada regional and urban design national competitions

2008 Canadian Society of Landscape Architects Awards of Excellence
Landscape architecture competition

2008 Intérieurs FERDIE Prizes
Interior design and interior products design competition

11th Best of Canada Design Competition
Canadian Interiors magazine’s industrial design, interior design, architecture and crafts competition

2007 Marcel-Parizeau Prize
Prize awarded by the Ordre des architectes du Québec as part of its Awards of Excellence

Fashion
In the absence of a local competition, a Fashion Selection Committee was assembled by the Ville de Montréal Fashion Commissioner’s office.

Emerging Practices
Pecha Kucha Montréal Emerging Practices Selections, chosen among participants in the organization’s Pecha Kucha Nights.

Participants

On Saturday, May 2, and Sunday, May 3, between noon and 6 p.m., Montréal design offices that have won distinctions in national and international competitions over the past two years open their doors to present the work that earned them these prestige awards. The designers of Montréal-based projects will be on hand to talk about their creations and answer visitors’ questions.

50 Design offices and agencies

Architecture
Landscape architecture
  • Claude Cormier Landscape Architects
  • Daniel Arbour & Associés
  • NIP paysage
Architecture and urban design
Urban design
  • Minimum Cost Housing Group, McGill University, Alternatives and Santropol Roulant
Industrial design
Sustainable design
Interior design
Electronic design
Graphic design
Fashion design
  • Bodybag by Jude (Jude Clothing)
  • CLUC Couture
  • ENVERS by Yves Jean Lacasse
  • Harricana
  • Katrin Leblond
  • Marie Saint Pierre Design
  • Mylène B
  • Rudsak
  • Véronique Miljkovitch

6 urban spaces

9 exhibitions

  • Montréal Biennale 2009: The Good Conspiracy, walk along the Saint-Laurent Boulevard, from Sherbrooke to Duluth Streets, presented by Amuse
  • Canadian Centre for Architecture (CCA): 20 Years: 20 Hours
  • Galerie Monopoli: In Homage to the Model
  • Galerie Yellow Fish Art: Design for Heroes
  • Montréal Museum of Fine Arts: The Design Lab
  • Concordia University: Transition , exhibition by the graduating class, Design Art Program, at Galerie Push
  • Université de Montréal: Exhibition by the graduating class, Faculty of Environmental Design
  • Université du Québec à Montréal: Exhibition by the graduating class, Graphic Design, at the UQAM Design Centre
  • McGill University: Exhibition highlighting student work from the design studios of Fall 2008 and Winter 2009

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