By Lidija Grozdanic / Source: Inhabitat

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The Montreal velodrome originally built for the 1976 Olympic Games is closing soon for an exciting new renovation. Design studio KANVA collaborated with NEUF architect(e)s to design the winning competition proposal which will revitalize what is now the Montréal Biodôme with a more immersive environment. The upgrades, both simple and powerful, are expected to strengthen the relationship between visitors and the fauna and flora introduced throughout.

The Biodôme is part of a series of museum pavilions collectively named ‘Space for Life’ located within the Olympic Park in the East side of Montreal. Its redesign, initiated as part of a city-wide renewal plan to celebrate Montreal’s 375th birthday, is based on the idea of deepening visitor experience of the animal and plant species clustered in four ecosystems: Tropical Rainforest, the Laurentian Maple Forest, the Gulf of St Lawrence, and the Sub-Polar Regions (Arctic and Antarctic).

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The new revitalization strategy will result in reorganized spaces that make better use of the structure’s height and better focus visitor’s educational experience. A skin-like envelope will wrap around the existing building, utilizing residual spaces and offering a high level of flexibility, while new rest areas and amenities will further enhance time spent there. The Biodôme will close in September, 2016 for the construction process.

Read more @ Inhabitat