La Vague, a unique stopover on St-Denis Street in Montreal

Located on five parking spots facing 4301 rue St-Denis in Montreal, La Vague is made up of 74 individual wooden frames that rotate three degrees one after the other to evoke the movement of one wave coming down on the sidewalk.

The seven shades of blue used for the art installation recall the effects of colors that characterize the waves when they are perceived in daylight. Forty-five foggers are activated by a magic eye, offering an instant refreshing sensation. This sensation is caused by an increase in the percentage of moisture in the air that causes the ambient temperature to drop, and this without a single droplet of water.

Designed for the first time in San Francisco in 2007, the Parklet (temporary park) temporarily extends the sidewalk to create a private or public space of relaxation and sociability. The term "placotoir" is generally used in the Montreal area to describe this type of public space that gives back to pedestrians.

The idea of combining a cool stopover with a placotoir belongs to the mayor of the Plateau-Mont-Royal Borough of Montreal, Mr. Luc Ferrandez. He entrusted the project to Anne-Marie Collins, manager of the innovative and special projects in the borough, which has retained the Montreal firm Arcadia Studio for the design and realization of this installation.

From the sketch stage, the designers of Arcadia Studio wished to undertake the project from an artistic point of view and to enhance it with a playful component that would generate an action-reaction effect. The shape of a corridor of 2.5m X 22m being predominant, the idea of dynamising this passage by a movement - recalling the long hollow of a wave - appeared as the key element of the work.

The Misting System includes 45 nozzles that consume 0.022 liter per minute. The tank contains 415 liters and provides enough water for a one-day use of 12 hours. A rain sensor is used to stop the system to prevent water being wasted.