CONTEMPORARY
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© Kuehn Malvezzi + Pelletier de Fontenay, Visualization: Secchi Smith
A NEW SPACE FOR
ART AND CULTURE
PHI Contemporary will consolidate the full breadth of PHI’s public cultural offer – currently distributed across its three buildings at 451 Saint-Jean Street, 465 Saint-Jean Street and 407 Saint-Pierre Street – under one roof.
The Institution | Construction Progress | The Competition | The Architects
Photo: ©️ FEED / Vincent Castonguay / PHI Contemporary
The Institution
Opening its doors in 2029, the project will be an institution dedicated to the ongoing exploration of the contemporary through art and culture.
Carefully and critically curated exhibitions will meet vanguard works from burgeoning creative territories, allowing PHI to fully explore the emergent synergies and curatorial opportunities they represent. Housing exhibition spaces and a generous public domain, the project represents a new cultural infrastructure for the public to engage with PHI’s multi-dimensional presentation of art, discourse and creative practices. This new cultural landmark will engage with the local community, visitors to the city of Montreal and PHI's ever expanding network.
Work is underway!
PHI is entering a new phase in the creation of its future cultural venue, PHI Contemporary.
Any questions? Send us a message!
Starting August 4, 2025, preliminary work will begin on the historic buildings of its site in the heart of Old Montreal:
This essential step aims to secure and reinforce the heritage masonry façades of the buildings on rue Bonsecours and Saint Paul;
The work is expected to continue through Fall 2025;
This marks a significant milestone in the transformation of the site into a major new cultural centre dedicated to contemporary art and public engagement;
Measures are in place to minimize disruptions and ensure the safety of pedestrians.
PHI’s activities at its current locations will remain accessible throughout the duration of the work.
This project is funded in part by the Government of Canada and the Government of Québec.
What is being built here?
An innovative cultural venue that consists of exhibition and mediation spaces, as well as a generously sized area open to the public.
When is it scheduled to open?
PHI plans to open the new location in 2029.
Who are the architects and what measures are being taken to preserve the heritage?
The consortium is composed of Kuehn Malvezzi (Berlin), Pelletier de Fontenay (Montréal) and Jodoin Lamarre Pratte (Montréal) who are the architects of the PHI Contemporary project. These architects were selected by a jury in an international architecture competition that took place in 2022.
What’s planned for the first phase of construction and will there be any impacts?
The first phase includes masonry restoration, foundation waterproofing, and excavation work. The work complies with standard construction industry practices, and dust and noise protection measures are being implemented. During this work, sidewalk detours will be necessary on Saint-Paul and Bonsecours streets, but the team is working to minimize the impact on the neighbourhood and traffic.
Photo: ©️ FEED / Vincent Castonguay / PHI Contemporary
The Competition
On August 26, 2021, PHI launched an International Architecture Competition for the design of PHI Contemporary.
July 15th, 2022 marks the completion of the competition and the commencement of the design phase wherein the winning proposal will be developed towards realization by the winning architectural firms, in partnership with PHI and the project’s stakeholders.
Visit the Competition website to learn more about the process.
"This competition and project testify to the crucial importance of institutions such as PHI Contemporary in amplifying their contributions to contemporary culture worldwide. The new institution will be significant in re-affirming Montreal’s immense creative potential, one that is no secret to those who know and love the city and support its importance as a major capital for contemporary art and culture from around the world."
The Architects
The call elicited 65 world-class entries from architectural firms from 14 countries, from which the Jury selected 11 to compete. In the second and third stages of the Competition, the Jury selected 5 Finalists and 2 Grand Finalists, respectively.
Kuehn Malvezzi + Pelletier de Fontenay,
OFFICE Kersten Geers David Van Severen, Stage 3 Grand Finalist
Adjaye Associates,
Stage 2 Finalist
Bruther,
Stage 2 Finalist
Dorte Mandrup,
Stage 2 Finalist
architecten jan de vylder inge vinck,
Stage 1 Competitor
Carmody Groarke,
Stage 1 Competitor
in situ atelier d'architecture,
Stage 1 Competitor
Lina Ghotmeh — Architecture,
Stage 1 Competitor
Smiljan Radić Architecte – Inversiones Sin Mas,
Stage 1 Competitor
SO–IL,
Stage 1 Competitor
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This project is funded in part by the Government of Quebec.
This project is funded in part by the Government of Canada.
