Lemay works on the New Mixed-use Project "Odea Montreal" in Collaboration with the Indigenous Architect Douglas Cardinal

Montreal based architecture design firm Lemay is working on the new mixed-use project "Odea Montreal" which is going to be a distinctive project to highlight the presence of the Cree Nation in Montreal.

Photo credit: Cogir Real Estate

Located at the gateway to downtown, "Odea Montreal" is a 25-storey project that will include 435 residential units, comprised of 264 rental apartments, and 171 condominiums for sale. A collaboration with the indigenous emeritus architect Douglas Cardinal allowed for the exploration of the Cree community symbols and the integration of a strong cultural identity in the project’s architectural composition.

By drawing inspiration from the shape of a canoe, the building acts a landmark in the urban landscape of downtown Montreal while animating the dynamics of the city entrance. The name of the project, Odea, is inspired by the Cree word “ode” which means “canoe”.

Photo credit: Cogir Real Estate

 The future occupants will be surrounded by bold and functional common spaces, including an artist's studio in collaboration with the Darling Foundry art complex, green spaces, two rooftop pools, and a sky lounge. Site preparation for construction is already underway, and Odea Montreal is scheduled to be completed in the spring of 2024.

Photo credit: Cogir Real Estate

This project was unveiled by the partnership formed by CREECO, the parent company of Eeyou Eenou Realty Properties Inc. (EERP), and Cogir Real Estate. The site, owned by the James Bay Cree since 1995, has witnessed the revitalization of the neighbourhood and will reflect the Cree’s desire to participate in community development.

Photo credit: Cogir Real Estate

A design concept rooted in the figure of a tree

The forest and the tree were the primary resources that guided the thinking behind the project. In developing the concept, a sensitive approach was taken based on the matriarchal tradition of the Cree community. The team constructed a narrative that evokes the passage of time using the analogy of the cross-section of a white birch trunk. In addition to being the emblematic species from the boreal forest, the figure of a tree also translates into the image of the bark (the building envelope) that protects the heart of the project (the interior courtyard) and the sapwood that constitutes the interior of the building.

Photo credit: Cogir Real Estate

In the same vein, the landscape architecture is strongly inspired by numerous elements specific to the Cree culture to testify to their presence in Montreal and to stamp the project with their signature. The theme of the tree and the contrast between urbanity and the forest influenced the exterior landscape design, which evokes the different layers of the boreal forest.

Giving meaning to the notion of territory

In keeping with the Cree Nation’s principle of preserving the land, an important Net Positive™ component will promote environmental protection, carbon reduction, and user health and well-being throughout the project.

Photo credit: Cogir Real Estate

About Lemay

Lemay has been imagining new ways to create spaces that engage users and aims to bring people together. Its team of architects, designers, industry leaders, and change-makers work tirelessly to cultivate innovation in their own backyards and in communities around the world. Inspired and strengthened by transdisciplinary creativity, the firm has also developed its very own Net Positive approach to guide teams towards sustainable solutions that shape a better future.