Luminous Pathway

As the core of Quartier des Spectacles’ visual identity, the Luminous Pathway highlights the area’s wealth of attractions. A unique, powerful and distinctive urban experience awaits!

The Luminous Pathway’s four elements

Shared lighting signature

The sidewalks outside cultural venues are lit with two rows of round red dots, a reference to St. Catherine Street, the Quartier’s main path to discovery. The lighting creates a fun and vibrant red carpet at street level, and indicates the venues.

Architectural lighting

Architectural lighting on building façades, windows and other elements highlights the identity of each cultural venue. As well as the building itself, each site’s function and character are expressed through the work of a variety of lighting designers.

Cégep du Vieux Montréal

Centre de design de l'UQAM

Photo credit: Martine Doyon

 

Cinémathèque québécoise

Conception: Lightemotion

Photo credit: Martine Doyon

Clocher de l'UQAM

Club Soda

Conception: Moment Factory

Photo credit: Martine Doyon

Église St.John The Evangelist

Conception: Lightemotion

Gesù

Conception: LumiVision et Les Éclairages Lou

Photo credit: Martine Doyon

Goethe Institut

Grande Bibliothèque de BAnQ

Photo credit: Martine Doyon

La Maison Théâtre

Conception: Axel Morgenthaler

La Vitrine

Conception: Moment Factory

Photo credit: Alexandre Donato

Maison du Festival Rio Tinto Alcan

Conception: Gilles Arpin, Éclairage public

Photo credit: Martine Doyon

Maison Symphonique

Conception: Gilles Arpin, Éclairage public

Métro Saint-Laurent

Photo credit: Martine Doyon

Métropolis

Conception: Moment Factory

Photo credit: Martine Doyon

Monument-National

Conception: Axel Morgenthaler, Photonic Dreams

Photo credit: Martine Doyon

Musée d'art contemporain

Conception: Lightemotion

Pavillon Président-Kennedy de l'UQAM

Photo credit: Martine Doyon

Place de la Paix

Photo credit: Martine Doyon

Place des Arts

Conception: Lightemotion

Photo credit: Martine Doyon

Place Émilie-Gamelin

Photo credit : Martine Doyon

Société des arts technologiques (SAT)

Conception: Photonic Dreams

Photo credit: Martine Doyon

Photo credit: Sébastien Roy

Théâtre du Nouveau Monde

Conception: Claude Accolas

 

Conception: Axel Morgenthaler, Photonic Dreams

Photo credit: Martine Doyon

Video projections 

Eight building façades in Quartier des Spectacles have been selected for artistic video projections, helping Montreal establish itself as an international leader in the digital arts. In fact, it is the world’s only city with year round artistic video projections.

The façades have been digitized in order to precisely define the projection areas. As a result, the buildings’ architectural elements are integrated into each creation.

Artists have access to 28 projectors managed by the powerful Photon software by Montreal-based VYV. Thanks to this equipment, the artists can focus all their energy on content creation and R&D in the digital arts. As a result, the Quartier has become a canvas for them to showcase their talent for local and international audiences.

Content is renewed regularly and two events – organized by the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership and original content creators – are synchronized to make the Quartier a must-visit destination: the Parcours Numérique and Luminothérapie

Discover our video projection sites and media arts events.

Special crosswalks

A system for marking crosswalks using projections on the ground is currently under development. The system will direct pedestrians crossing at intersections along St. Catherine Street toward nearby cultural venues.

Works

Today, nearly 30 public spaces and cultural venues are illuminated, with more being added every year.

The Luminous Pathway is designed to make Quartier des Spectacles a leader in urban branding while protecting the night sky from light pollution and using energy-efficient technology. Most projects use LED lights, which draw 15 times less energy than incandescent lights and can last up to 25 times longer.

In 2012, the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership, in partnership with Mutek, joined the Connecting Cities network. As the only members in North America, the Partnership and Mutek have made Montreal a key member of this network of cities known for exploring the creation and exhibition of urban digital art.

The Luminous Pathway’s innovative, environment-friendly and cost-efficient qualities have earned it several awards in Canada and around the world. It has also been featured on the covers of a dozen specialized magazines worldwide.
Awards list

Ruedi Baur and Jean Beaudoin of Intégral are the artistic directors of the Luminous Pathway. A number of different lighting designers work with the venues to implement the Luminous Pathway throughout the Quartier: Axel Morgenthaler (Photonic Dreams), François Roupinian (Lightemotion), Gilles Arpin (Éclairage Public), Lucion Média and Moment Factory. The lighting signature was designed by Axel Morgenthaler.

Quartier des Spectacles has produced the Luminous Pathway since 2006, with the financial support of the Ville de Montréal, the Ministère des Affaires municipales, des Régions et de l’Occupation du territoire du Québec, Economic Development Canada and the participating public spaces and cultural venues.