Claude Cormier studied History & Theory of Design at Harvard University, Landscape Architecture at the University of Toronto, Agronomy at the University of Guelph. In 1995 he established the Landscape Architecture firm Claude Cormier et Associés, which has received about 100 awards over the years. The team’s work is distinguished not only for its inventiveness but also its tenacious optimism in the power of design. The firm celebrates manmade nature and is deeply committed to the specific qualities of each site – its natural conditions, its cultural history, its sociology, its politics. It hopes to translate each unique situation into a bold and pleasurable design that will connect with people physically, sensually, and playfully.
Artwork description
The Ring, commissioned by Ivanhoé Cambridge, is a customized art installation and a one-of-a-kind reflection of the symbolic importance of Place Ville Marie, an icon of Montreal’s modernity. The suspended metal ring is a site-specific installation that conveys monumentality and humility. It highlights a unique visual perspective where the McGill University campus, the architecture of the Victoria Hospital, the steep slope of Mount Royal, and the Mount Royal Cross follow one another. The Ring frames this axis of strength and contributes to the physical, symbolic, and functional articulation of Place Ville Marie pole, which marked the birth of the modern city.
This artistic installation reinforces the timeless character of the whole of Place Ville Marie through a gesture of great sobriety, of an elegance that gives a dimension of durability. The Ring is a unifying project, a new element of the Montréalité, a proof of love for Place Ville Marie, downtown Montreal and Mount Royal.
The Ring was designed by Claude Cormier + Associés and manufactured in Quebec by Marmen in collaboration with consulting engineers NCK inc., Claude Bernard (Formaviva Inc.), Gilles Arpin (EP Éclairage Public), Stantec, Cohésio Architecture, JCB Construction Canada, Bendtec, and Patrice Blain.
With this art installation, Ivanhoé Cambridge is helping shape living spaces in ways that create value for its communities. The installation symbolizes the strong connection between Montreal, its citizens and its visitors.