TUXEDO, designer of the wooden terrace for the Montreal Fashion and Design Festival Montreal, September 24, 2014 – For the second year in a row, Tuxedo designed and created a LARGE RUNWAY TERRACE for the 2014 Montreal Fashion and Design Festival, in collaboration with the Quebec Forest Industry Council, at the Festival’s new location at Place des Festivals, right in the heart of the Quartier des spectacles. Hoping to continue the relationship between wood and the world of fashion that began during the first edition, the venue was more spacious, refined and remarkable this year, with the terrace structured around the water features of the Place des Festivals. The terrace invited the public to “strut” along the low walkway leading to the seating area located in front.

An elevated area where one could relax and admire the designers’ fashion shows on the Festival’s official runway, the terrace also contained a family space where children could play and cool off thanks to the water features. The terrace was an intermingling of wood and water, an association greatly appreciated by the audience. “The most rewarding thing was to see people take ownership of the space, to see the children playing in the water and the participants taking full advantage of the runway,” stated Nathan Nardin, architect and design team leader with Tuxedo. Thanks to the partnership between the Fashion and Design Festival and the Quebec Forest Industry Council, wood species from Quebec were showcased in the piece: cedar, cherry, sugar maple, red oak and spruce. In an effort to maximize the potential of the materials, the elements of the installations from the 2013 Festival were reused for the terrace and will be used again next year.

Photography: Sébastien Roy
Environmental Design Team: Laurent Guez/Nathan Nardin