Huge upper billboard It is located at the very top of the building. It responds to the CBC Tower and the Church’s steeple. It carries for a few days at a time the current main (or the current biggest) message of the building. It can be seen from afar- the Jacques-Cartier Bridge, the highway… It is the structure most striking element. It hides the most private part of the building.
CBC façade This is the most public side of the building. This is where most images are located, this is the side the crowd enters the building. It is obvious, biased, it draws all attention. It is colorful, crocked, and full of movement. It integrated most billboards and boxes.
Screen boxes Located at mid building height, they change instantly depending on what goes on at the moment in the building. They are made to be seen from people approaching the building and express its mood.
Boulevard René-Lévesque It is in essence very similar to the CBC façade but somewhat simpler. It conveys the general atmosphere of the building but insist less on outrageous messages.
Rue Amherst Very straightforward, almost boring duplex facade. It has a few strange details – no obvious door, chaos of antennas on the roof – but does not attract attention at fist sight.
Poster basis The building sits on a man-height basis. One can barely see above it. It is rough and heavy like the foundation of an old time fortress. It is covered with poster of all kind – movies, plays, shows, advertisement , propaganda…. They form second harsh envelope to the building. It is pierced once in a while by peak holes by which one can look down to the production facilities. Those look like accident in the façade, giving you a feeling of voyeurism.
Steps On the CBC side, large monumental steps lead trough the basis to the main entrance. They are imposing. They direct you toward your destination and guide your eyes. They put you in the right mood to interact with the building.
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In between skin It fills the void between the most striking elements of the building. It contains most of the public zone’s elements. This is the stable part of the building; it conveys the non-changing message if the building about freedom of speech, diffusion of ideologies, and security. Somewhat translucid, it rendered opaque by a layering of written elements.
Envelope Building Crust The exterior part of the building is its most public component. It is made to respond to different publics seeing it from different locations by using different scales. It is bold, obvious, eye-catching, and invasive.
Huge upper billboard
Poster boxes
Screen boxes
CBC façade 60m x 18m
Boulevard René-Lévesque
Rue Amherst
Poster basis
Steps
Peak holes
In between skin
13m x 9m
2 or 3 boxes @ aprox. 7m x 5m
2 or 3 boxes @ aprox. 5m x 3m
height varying between 8m and 60m, length of 26m
8m x 7,5m
1,8m x 26m
12 steps, 18m wide
0,4m thick