MIL Montreal Railway Bridge

At the entrance to the Université de Montréal’s Outremont campus, MIL Montreal’s new railway bridge made it possible to relocate an existing railroad line and open up the site, long occupied by the former Canadian Pacific rail yard. This was one of the first steps towards the development of the future university district.

The bridge acts as a gateway to the campus and, through its vocabulary and materials, evokes the railway origins of the site, as well as the movement associated with the passage of trains. Supported by buttresses with a pronounced formal character, the bridge has a strong graphic and luminous signature, making it a major landmark in the main axis of the campus. Inspired by American artist Sol LeWitt’s Wall Drawings, the lighting concept features some 135 LED lighting bars installed on the metal railing facing the campus.

During the day, the formal interplay of the structure confirms the presence of an architectural gesture in the design of this work of art; at night, the play of light takes over, revealing the poetry and imagination associated with the passage of trains. The program of light displays celebrates the four seasons: a rain of diagonals represents autumn, small snowflakes evoke winter, vines recall spring and fireflies herald summer.