Segal Centre hosts Walrus Foundation public arts and architecture debate

By P.A. Sévigny

During last week’s arts roundtable at the Segal Centre under the aegis of the Walrus Foundation, veteran La Presse reporter Nathalie Petrowski moderated a debate between architect Witold Rybcynski and NTS (National Theatre School) director Simon Brault about the validity of the city’s efforts to build the downtown core’s new Quartier des Spectacles.

“People should consider how in English, you ‘moderate’ a debate,” joked Petrowski. “In French, we ‘animate’ the debate,” which had a lot to do with the way she handled much of the evening’s spirited, and sometimes impassioned discussion.

While there were more than a few questions posed about the city’s multimillion dollar commitment to promote arts and culture within the downtown core, Brault had a lot to say about the city’s already vibrant arts establishment when he faced off against Rybcynski who is one of the leading authorities on modern urban architecture. Even as Petrowski valiantly tried to keep the debate on track, there was far more talk about the validity of urban art infrastructure than there was about the kind of money it costs to build and maintain that kind of infrastructure. Insofar as the Tremblay administration has already invested millions of dollars in the Quartier, Rybcynski told the audience urban architecture was a far more complicated process than just building a plaza and a few venues. While Brault agreed, he qualified his position by repeating his belief about successful art [and architecture] being the result of an organic process that occurs when talented people with original ideas come together for a common purpose.

“Consider the success of the new Bibliothèque National,” said Brault. “For any number of reasons, that building is a big success because it’s being used by all sorts of people for all sorts of reasons which is exactly what you should expect from such a building.”

Others agreed with Brault. As a communications executive for the Quartier des Spectacles, Katia St. Jean could hardly contain her enthusiasm for what she considers one of the city’s singular projects.

“Keep it real,” said St. Jean. “Keep it real and the rest will take care of itself.”

While most consider the Quartier to be nothing more than the plaza near and around the side of the Place Des Arts plaza, St. Jean said the Quartier is, in fact, an organic collection of more than 80 different venues located within a single square kilometre deep within the city’s downtown core.

“It’s not just about going to see a show,” she said. “It’s about the show, going out for a meal, having a few drinks, catching a couple of sets down on Rue St. Denis after which you stop for a souvlaki before finishing off the evening in a drag bar down in the Village.”

During the evening’s question period, the audience posed several questions about public transport, parking issues and the ongoing exodus as young families who continue to make their way out of the city and into the suburbs. When asked if they will ever come back to the city, Rybcynski said he didn’t think so because leaving the city is just as much a choice about lifestyle as it is a choice about a home’s location where you and your family are going to spend a good part of the rest of your life. While some believe the Quartier may be the means by which the city can reverse the exodus of young families to the suburbs, others believe the Quartier will develop into nothing less than a collective venue for a new generation who are determined to make and enjoy their lives within the city and preferably within walking (or biking) distance from its downtown core.

During a quiet talk with The Suburban after the event, Brault said the success of any modern city depends upon such collective and coherent debates.

“Every successful city needs a good debate,” he said. Insofar as there were no overt references to urban disasters such as the city’s disastrous Olympic experience compounded by its quasi-abandoned billion-dollar stadium, Brault said public consultations are always necessary “because people make mistakes when there’s no debate.”