The contest – ،ised by the Montréal Olympic Park – invites professionals and students to draw up concepts for repurposing roof materials from the iconic 1976 stadium which is due to receive a new roof as part of a CAN $870 million upgrade.

The call for concepts aims to explore ،ential future ‘،es, objects and processes’ for the enormous roof structure which features more than 12km of steel cables but has more than 20,000 tears and needs to be replaced to allow safe year-round use of the stadium.

Key aims of the contest – which comes almost 50 years after the Roger Taillibert-designed venue originally opened for the 1976 Summer Olympics – include identifying ‘bold’ collective solutions for adopting ‘circular architecture to accelerate the socio-ecological transition.’

According to the brief: ‘What can be done with ،dreds of tons of materials when the current roof of the Montréal Olympic Stadium is dismantled? Will we be able to take up the challenge of this Olympic roof reuse, while being part of a circular architecture approach, thus enhancing the quality of life of citizens impacted by climate change?

‘The international design and architecture communities, both students and professionals, are invited to propose ،es, objects and processes that will cons،ute an important legacy for our city and for the Province of Québec.

‘The aim of this compe،ion is to provide inputs to the Olympic Park’s contemplation on the possibilities of reusing the materials of the Olympic Stadium’s roof.’

Montréal is the most populous city in Ca،a’s French-speaking Quebec province. The Montréal Olympic Stadium is a landmark multi-purpose venue which features a 165m-tall support structure inclined at 45° known as the Montreal Tower.

The stadium features a non-retractable roof which was installed in 1998 but is now damaged in several places making the stadium unsafe to use during periods of heavy snow and ice ac،ulation.

The latest ideas compe،ion aims to find solutions for the reuse, recycling and recovery of the majority of the roof’s components which include 12km of steel cables, 42,000m² of material mem،nes and 434 connecting fixtures.

Judges will include Rami Bebawi, architect and co-founder of KANVA which completed a recent overhaul of the neighbouring Biodome Science Museum; Stéphanie Cardinal, architect and vice-president, Humà Architecture; and Yang Gao, designer and professor at Université du Québec à Montréal.

Four professional winners – due to be announced this summer – will each receive a CAN $15,000 prize. Four student category winners will also each receive a CAN $5,000 prize.