Proposals wanted for Phase 4 of Québec City’s St. Lawrence River Shoreline project

The Minister Responsible for the Capitale-Nationale region, Jonatan Julien, is inviting landscape architects, urban designers, urban planners, and other environmental design professionals to propose ideas for the redevelopment of the east shoreline of the St. Lawrence River in Québec City, between the Baie de Beauport and Parc de la Chute-Montmorency.

The announcement was made alongside Jean-François Simard, MNA for Montmorency, Bruno Marchand, Mayor of Québec City and Marie Claire Ouellet, president and CEO of the Commission de la capitale nationale du Québec.

This project is Phase 4 of the Promenade Samuel-De Champlain with the first three phases having been successful with residents and visitors.

The goal for the competition is to inspire and bring together ideas to create an impactful concept. Minister Julien hopes that this creative exercise will foster innovative ideas for the redevelopment of the area.

“We hope that this creative thought process will allow us to propose a bold and ambitious project for the redevelopment of this high-potential area, with a view to promoting sustainable development, access to the river banks, and citizens’ quality of life. The aim of this process is to inspire and bring the best ideas together in one place for the most promising concept,” said Julien.

“We’re taking an important step towards giving the river back to the people. There are plenty of examples—such as Phase 3, which was a resounding success—that prove that citizens want to be able to enjoy their neighbourhood to the fullest. This fourth phase is excellent news for all of us, especially for the eastern part of the city. Developing this vital area is essential for our city,” said Marchand.

To oversee the competition, Minister Julien entrusted the Commission de la capitale nationale du Québec. The Commission is supported by two architects, Jérôme Lapierre, as main professional advisor, and Jacques White, as mentor. Both Lapierre and White have been mandated to define the rules of the competition, prepare documentation, decide on a project selection jury and ensure that the process runs smoothly.

Competitors will be asked to come up with concepts for the long-term enhancement of the east shoreline while considering the key issues specific to the area. These include mobility, densification, economic vitality, sociodemographic makeup, the environment, and the preservation of natural spaces.

An international, multidisciplinary jury will be responsible for evaluating the proposed concepts and selecting three promising projects for the development of the area. Those projects will then be presented to the community at a public event aimed to be held in the spring of 2024.

Teams of professionals interested in participating can do so between November 16, 2023, and February 29, 2024. A dedicated online platform has been set up for all participants to submit their applications.

Since the Phase 4 project is seeking the most impactful concept possible, the final iteration might combine elements from a range of competition proposals.