La Maison symphonique de Montreal (formerly known as L’Adresse symphonique)
Location: Montreal, Quebec
Status: In Operation
Provincial/Federal/Municipal: Provincial
Value of Partnership: $259 million (NPV)
Type of P3: DBFOM
Date of Financial Close: May 2009
Date of Substantial Completion: August 2011
Handback: 2038
Maison symphonique is a purpose-built acoustic concert hall developed for Montréal as part of the Place des Arts cultural complex in the city’s Quartier des spectacles. The project brought a new, world-class performance venue to the heart of downtown and marked Québec’s first P3 in the cultural sector.
Inaugurated in 2011, Maison symphonique is widely recognized for its acoustic quality and architectural execution. Over more than a decade of operation, it’s become a central venue for Montréal’s musical life, supporting resident orchestras and attracting internationally renowned performers while reinforcing the Place des Arts as a pillar of the city’s cultural landscape.
Designed exclusively for music performance, Maison symphonique was conceived to provide exceptional acoustics, clear sightlines and an intimate relationship between performers and audience. The venue serves as the primary home and rehearsal space for the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal and is a core element of the The Place des Arts site, which brings together major performing arts institutions within a dense urban setting.
The design pf the concert hall supports a wide range of musical genres, from large-scale symphonic works to chamber music, choral performances, jazz and select popular music events. It regularly hosts international orchestras, soloists and ensembles, contributing to Montréal’s reputation as a destination for high-calibre musical performance.
The auditorium follows the “shoebox” model, a rectangular form long regarded as the benchmark for acoustic excellence in concert hall design. Measuring approximately 50 metres in length, 25 metres in width and 21 metres in height, the space accommodates roughly 1,900 seats, expandable to approximately 2,100 depending on stage configuration.
Acoustic performance is supported by a combination of architectural geometry and technical systems. Adjustable, motorized sound reflectors suspended above the stage allow the acoustic environment to be fine-tuned for different genres of music.
The hall is structurally isolated from surrounding buildings and transit infrastructure, resting on vibration-dampening pads and incorporating advanced noise-control measures within its mechanical systems.
Partners:
Public: Government of Quebec, Ministère de la Culture, des Communications et de la Condition féminine
Private: Groupe immobilier Ovation (AtkinsRéalis (formerly SNC-Lavalin)*, Diamond Schmitt Architects, Ædifica
*In 2014, SNC-Lavalin sold it concession rights in Groupe immobilier Ovation to Industrial Alliance Insurance and Financial Services Inc. However, SNC-Lavalin is continuing to provide operations and maintenance services for the asset until the P3 agreement concludes in 2038.
Awards:
