MONTRÉAL, Nov. 28, 2024 /CNW/ – The architecture of the Inspire bio innovations project has gained international recognition by receiving the title of Future Office: Project of the Year at the prestigious World Architecture Festival (WAF). Held in Singapore this year, the annual event gathers standout projects from around the world, recognizing the best of design through competitions before a live jury. The project, initiated by Jadco Group and designed by NEUF architect(e)s, was also honoured with a WAFX Award, an out-of-competition category highlighting the architects’ innovative approach to tomorrow’s challenges:  successfully repurposing an abandoned urban infrastructure, integrating heritage elements, enhancing community resilience, and incorporating sustainable development.

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World Architecture Festival

WAF is the only festival to bring together architects from every continent to celebrate the best in design, technology and sustainability through inspiring awards and seminars. The event features a unique live awards programme, where designers present their work to their peers. This year’s edition received almost 1,000 entries from 68 countries, resulting in almost 400 finalists. Among the winners, only one was from Quebec: the firm NEUF architect(e)s, recognized for its rehabilitation project at the Montreal Chest Institute.

Having won at previous editions of the festival, this year NEUF competed in the Future Projects-Health and Future Projects-Offices categories and received its first award during the shortlisting stage, winning the WAFX award for its exemplary approach to heritage, both respectful and creative. The presentation by Azad Chichmanian, lead designer, particularly impressed the panel of experts and elicited very positive reactions from all the members of the jury, who unanimously selected the rehabilitation project for the Montreal Chest Institute as a winner. This week, another award from the Rethinking the Future competition in the Health category and a nomination for the DNA Paris Design Awards bear further witness to the exceptional quality of the proposal.

Breathing life into an abandoned urban hospital

Constructed in the 1930s as the Royal Edward Institute, the Montreal Chest Institute (MCI) was a key medical centre in the history of Montreal and Quebec. A surgical wing was added in the 1950s. Neglected and finally abandoned, the campus will now be revived as a new life sciences hub specializing in research into respiratory illnesses, continuing the site’s original vocation at the foot of Mount Royal.

Inspire bio innovations

Located in the heart of downtown Montreal and the university quadrilateral, directly across from the Institut de recherches cliniques de Montreal (IRCM), Inspire Bio Innovations is emerging as the centrepiece of the life sciences ecosystem. This dynamic hub will bring together major pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology firms, research institutes, students, university researchers, and innovative start-ups to collaboratively accelerate the development of scientific discoveries and make them accessible worldwide. Ultimately, this Jadco Group project will provide 450,000 square feet dedicated to advancing the life sciences.

Phase 1, currently under construction, will host the global headquarters of CellCarta, a leading provider of specialized precision medical laboratory services to the biopharmaceutical industry. The second phase will bring together researchers and health technology companies in a new nine-storey addition that matches the height of the Clinical Research Institute of Montreal (CRIM), located just to the north. A glazed atrium and rooftop garden will create a simplified, light massing that will expand and frame views of the mountain, create a common meeting point and provide teaching spaces for the growing life sciences community.

Quotes

“I am delighted that the architectural excellence and innovative design of this rehabilitation project have received international recognition. This award paves the way for the next phases in the redevelopment of the former Montreal Chest Institute and heralds the fact that this new centre for employment and innovation in the health sector will help to revitalize the Milton-Parc district.” – Luc Rabouin, Mayor of the borough of Plateau-Mont-Royal, Ville de Montreal.

“As an architect, it’s particularly important to receive recognition from such respected peers, especially in a competition as prestigious as the WAF, and despite the complexity of constraints that had to be resolved for this project. This distinction is rare in our field and reflects the rigorous work of my team to achieve such a high level of design quality. We were humbled by the jury’s praise and the congratulations we received after each presentation. We are proud to bring home these awards, not only for our firm, but also for Montreal and Quebec. It’s further proof that our local talent is being recognized worldwide.” – Azad Chichmanian, Architect and Partner, NEUF architect(e)s.

“Jadco Group is very proud of this prestigious award, which underlines the exceptional architectural quality of the Inspire bio innovations project and reinforces its position as one of the world’s top life sciences innovation hubs. This recognition reinforces its status as an internationally renowned magnet for talent, biotech companies and local and international investment. – Normand Rivard, Managing Partner, Inspire bio innovations by Jadco Group.

Technical information 
Name: Rehabilitation of the Montreal Chest Institute
Surface area: 282,110 ft2/20,926 m2
Year: 2025
Location: Montreal (QC), Canada
Architect: NEUF architect(e)s
Consultants: BC2 and Fahey et associés (urban planning); Bouthillette Parizeau (building engineering and sustainable development); NCK (structural engineering)
Client: Inspire bio innovations by Jadco Group

About NEUF architect(e)s

Founded in 1971, NEUF has become one of Canada’s largest and most diversified architecture and design firms. With offices in Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto, its practice is built on lasting client relationships and the commitment of its 250 employees. Its collaborative approach has resulted in more than 8,000 projects serving communities worldwide. NEUF is recognized for the exceptional quality of its design services in several sectors, building a rich and diverse portfolio that includes projects for iconic Canadian institutions, private and public real estate developers, and state-of-the-art industrial buildings for international market leaders.

www.neuf.ca

About Jadco Group

Founded in 1987, Jadco Group is a Quebec-based real estate company that designs, develops and builds signature residential and industrial projects specifically for the life sciences ecosystem. Renowned for the high quality of its projects, which meet the most stringent ESG standards, Jadco and its institutional partners have accumulated over $1.2 billion in investments in Quebec. The company also acts as a property manager. www.jadcocorporation.com

SOURCE NEUF Architect(e)s

Media contact: Sabrina Duguay, Vice-President, Public Affairs, NATIONAL Public Relations, SMS: 514-992-8898, sduguay@national.ca