1501 McGill College
Encyclopedia
Le 1501 McGill College, also known as La Tour McGill, is a 158 m (518 ft), 36 story skyscraper
in Downtown
Montreal
. Named for its address at 1501, McGill College Avenue
, it was completed in 1992 at the same time as the city's two tallest, 1000 de La Gauchetière
and 1250 René-Lévesque
. It is connected to the McGill
Metro station via the Underground City
.
Designed by WZMH Architects
, the building's postmodern
form features a glass curtain wall
that varies between blue and green depending on sunlight. The top 4 floors form a pyramid-shaped mechanical penthouse that is lit white at night. At certain times of year, it is lit with a colour (or colours) relating to a holiday or event. For example, it is lit white, green and red during the Christmas
holidays (in a similar manner to the Empire State Building
), purple and yellow for Easter
, orange for Halloween
, green for Saint Patrick's Day
, red for Valentine's Day
, and, as of April 2011, blue, white and red to support the Montreal Canadiens
during the Stanley Cup playoffs
.
Skyscraper
A skyscraper is a tall, continuously habitable building of many stories, often designed for office and commercial use. There is no official definition or height above which a building may be classified as a skyscraper...
in Downtown
Downtown Montreal
Downtown Montreal is the central business district of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is nearly enitirely located at the southern most slope of Mount Royal and is approximately bounded by Sherbrooke Street to the north, Papineau Avenue to the east, Guy Street or until Shaughnessy Village to the west,...
Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. Named for its address at 1501, McGill College Avenue
McGill College Avenue
McGill College Avenue is a street in downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada.Named for McGill University, the street was widened in the 1980s and transformed into a scenic avenue with McGill's Roddick Gates on Sherbrooke Street at its north end and the Place Ville Marie plaza at its south end...
, it was completed in 1992 at the same time as the city's two tallest, 1000 de La Gauchetière
1000 de La Gauchetière
1000 de la Gauchetière is a skyscraper in the Canadian city of Montreal and is the tallest building in Montreal. It is named for its address at 1000 De la Gauchetière Street West in the city's downtown. It rises to the maximum height approved by the city at 205 m and 51 floors...
and 1250 René-Lévesque
1250 René-Lévesque
1250 Boulevard René-Lévesque, also known as La Tour IBM-Marathon, is a , 47-story skyscraper in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.The building was designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates for IBM Canada and Marathon Realty, hence the former name "IBM-Marathon." It is now named for its address at 1250 René...
. It is connected to the McGill
McGill (Montreal Metro)
McGill is a station on the Green Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located downtown in the borough of Ville-Marie in Montreal, Quebec, Canada . The station opened on October 14, 1966, as part of the original network of the metro...
Metro station via the Underground City
Underground City, Montreal
Montreal's Underground City is the set of interconnected complexes in and around Downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada...
.
Designed by WZMH Architects
WZMH Architects
WZMH Architects is an architecture company based in Toronto, Canada. The firm was founded in 1961, and is known for the design of landmark structures, skyscrapers, major mixed use, commercial, institutional, residential and hospitality projects, as well as renovation and retrofit projects...
, the building's postmodern
Postmodern architecture
Postmodern architecture began as an international style the first examples of which are generally cited as being from the 1950s, but did not become a movement until the late 1970s and continues to influence present-day architecture...
form features a glass curtain wall
Curtain wall
A curtain wall is an outer covering of a building in which the outer walls are non-structural, but merely keep out the weather. As the curtain wall is non-structural it can be made of a lightweight material reducing construction costs. When glass is used as the curtain wall, a great advantage is...
that varies between blue and green depending on sunlight. The top 4 floors form a pyramid-shaped mechanical penthouse that is lit white at night. At certain times of year, it is lit with a colour (or colours) relating to a holiday or event. For example, it is lit white, green and red during the Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
holidays (in a similar manner to the Empire State Building
Empire State Building
The Empire State Building is a 102-story landmark skyscraper and American cultural icon in New York City at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and West 34th Street. It has a roof height of 1,250 feet , and with its antenna spire included, it stands a total of 1,454 ft high. Its name is derived...
), purple and yellow for Easter
Easter
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
, orange for Halloween
Halloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
, green for Saint Patrick's Day
Saint Patrick's Day
Saint Patrick's Day is a religious holiday celebrated internationally on 17 March. It commemorates Saint Patrick , the most commonly recognised of the patron saints of :Ireland, and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland. It is observed by the Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion , the Eastern...
, red for Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day
Saint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day, is an annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. The day is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine, and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 496...
, and, as of April 2011, blue, white and red to support the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
during the Stanley Cup playoffs
Stanley Cup playoffs
The Stanley Cup playoffs is an elimination tournament in the National Hockey League consisting of four rounds of best-of-seven series. Eight teams from each of the league's two conferences qualify for the playoffs based on regular season records...
.