Place Ville-Marie Montréal by MagikUnicorn
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Description
The name "Place Ville-Marie" is often used to refer to the cruciform building only, but it also applies to four shorter office buildings which were built around it in 1963 and 1964, and to the urban plaza which lies on top of the largest section of the shopping promenade, and between the buildings. From a postal point of view the cruciform tower is "1, Place Ville-Marie" and the lesser buildings around it are "2, Place Ville-Marie" and so on. The buildings and the plaza have been given many facelifts over the years. In the latest facelift, much of the grey concrete and terrazzo of the plaza was covered with grass, flowers and shrubs. The complex has 2,700,000 square feet (250,838 m2) of space and parking for about 900 cars. There are about 70 tenants with 3,000 employees. Via Rail has its headquarters in "3, Place Ville-Marie".
Place Ville-Marie was one of the first designs of Henry N. Cobb and I. M. Pei, who was later to become a famous master of Modernist architecture. His design was controversial from the start given its proximity to many Montreal landmarks and the vast changes it would bring to the downtown core.
According to design historian Mark Pimlott, "The most radical aspect of the Place Ville Marie project was that nearly one-half of its 280,000 square metres area were beneath street level... deriving the obvious benefit of being protected from Montréal’s extreme winter and summer climate." Its vast network and multi-purpose is juxtaposed with a continuous interior "with episodes of civic gravity and monumentality".
At the time of construction, the main tower was known as the tallest skyscraper in the Commonwealth, and was the third tallest skyskraper on earth outside the United States. The equivalent of three floors was added late in the project to ensure that this building would not be topped by the neighboring Tour CIBC which was built at the same time.
Conceived and built at a time when Montreal was the Metropolis of Canada during the 1960s, the structure's largest occupant and anchor tenant was the Head Office of the Royal Bank of Canada, the country's largest bank. The central plaza became an important new public space in downtown Montreal, hosting an historic election rally for Pierre Elliott Trudeau during the 1968 federal election.
Developer William Zeckendorf lost a bet to then Royal Bank President Earle McLaughlin, making payment in full (US$0.10) in an elaborate dime encased in acrylic. Exactly what the bet concerned is unknown.
Though the Head Office was moved to Toronto in the 1970s, RBC still maintains the regional headquarters there.
In 1975 Air Canada's headquarters were at 1 Place Ville-Marie.
Mayor Jean Drapeau chose the name himself. Ville-Marie was the name of the Catholic colony founded at what is now Montreal in 1642.
Place Ville-Marie official website
Thanks
Magik
Comments (64)
thecytron
Reminds me the first time I saw it in the early seventy!
KnightWolverine
Got a neck ache just look'n up at this monster...lol...Cool Capture Rea'l!...
JaneEden
Wow this is really such ahuge building and excellent photography Magik. Your intro too was very interesting, thank you. hugs Jane xx
mariogiannecchini
Great building and perspective ! Interesting info !
jmb007
tres interessant!!!
drifterlee
Very cool shot, Magik!!!
Mel3d
Great shot Réal :)
willpee
In our county in Florida no buildings are allowed to be over 3 stories !
brycek
Beautiful capture and history!!
carlx
Excellent POV and capture, MU!!!
emmecielle
Spectacular perspective! Excellent capture! :)
giareg
great composition!
cricke49
outstanding photo capture and thanx for commentary, great work my friend!:)*5
DRAKELOT
Xcellent Magik !
Bossie_Boots
That is some POV superb capture !!
Sylvia
Montreal is one of the most ~Beautiful~ Cities in the world... my second home :-} THANKS for sharing!!!
Star4mation
Super shot Magik :)
T.Rex
Thanks for the historical overview. I remember the place well from my time at McGill Univ. 1974-8. I loved the underground shopping centers and integration with the rail station. I watched a lot of the 1976 Olympics at the restaurant there (Electrohome video projector!). This is a beautiful photo of the large office building, but, how does one get a photo that renders justice to the fantastic underground complexes? That's really quite a challenge. Would you mind trying? :-)
UteBigSmile
Great capture of a great building!!
junge1
Great capture and interesting history!
sandra46
WONDERFUL POV GREAT BUILDING
kftate
Wonderful capture! Great POV and excellent work!
jeroni
Wonderful and very creative work
flavia49
wonderful
MOSKETON
ME GUSTA. 9
greyone
Amazing POV of this impressive building. Excellent capture
danapommet
Beautiful building and wonderful POV. Dana
adrie
Wonderful capture and POV....my friend.
mickeyrony
I like this building on the cross. Congratulations again and many thanks for sharing ((5 ++) J'aime bien ce building en croix . Bravo encore et mille mercis de partager ((5++))
prutzworks
cool POV