JULY 2024 “We get very enthusiastic and go as far as creating narratives around our projects. We put a lot of effort in explaining our projects and their impact on the city,” she says. “We bring those ideas to our clients, using visuals to help them understand. We then hope for the best.” Peter further credits the firm’s growth to his and Fannie’s personal involvement in every project, an involvement that remains intact even though the firm has grown over the years. “We’re always closely involved with our clients, and I think this shows how much we care,” he says. “Many of our clients work at the municipal level although we do have private clients. Both types of clients like the fact that we’re not too corporate, that we don’t have too much of a corporate attitude towards the work.” “At the same time,” he adds, “our clients appreciate the fact that we are aiming for maximum quality. This is reflected in the way we talk about a given project, the way we design it, and the way we make sure it gets built correctly.” In recent years, civiliti has been involved in some high-profile projects, which have helped the firm earn greater renown in Montreal and beyond. The firm’s on-going work on Mount Royal has been widely recognized for its quiet, innovative approach. According to Peter, however, it may be their master plan for the Saint-Laurent Biodiversity Corridor that attracted most attention and boosted their reputation. In 2018 their proposal was the winning entry of a national multidisciplinary landscape architecture competition. Their team included the firms LAND Italia, Table Architecture, and Biodiversité Conseil. Fannie, who took a leading role in the development of the master plan, speaks of it proudly. “It was meant to be an important new green and blue infrastructure,” she explains, “it represented a new way of thinking about biodiversity. It was first and foremost intended to provide animals and insects with viable habitats while making it possible for citizens to get acquainted more closely with nature. The intention behind the master plan was to connect all living things, that is fauna, flora and humankind.” The ideas introduced by civiliti on the Biodiversity Corridor master plan reappeared in other major projects. One of the most significant of these is the McGill College Avenue project, linking McGill University to Montreal’s famed Place Ville-Marie. The existing four-lane avenue is in the process of being turned into a pedestrian esplanade featuring an urban forest meant to be enjoyed throughout the seasons. An ephemeral stream— and an innovative water management scheme— will add welcome features to this project that promotes urban biodiversity. Maisonneuve Library, Montreal - Photo: ©Adrien Williams
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