All of these circles repeat the primary artwork, 37 circles in coloured tile, including six huge ones some four metres across above the main staircases and on the floor of the mezzanine. These circles are by the artist Jean-Paul Mousseau, a member of the Quebec art movement Les Automatistes, signatory of Refus global, and one-time art director of the metro. This is the first artwork to be integrated into a station's architecture in the metro.

(There were originally 54 circles. When new entrances were constructed into the stations' corridors, several of the smaller circles had to be moved during the Réno-Métro renovation program. Some of these circles are now behind pillars at the top of the staircases to the platforms.)

The unsubtle design unity, recalling the dots representing stations on the omnipresent maps, is compelling and eminently memorable. The circular mosaic pattern was also repeated in two later stations, De L'Église and Georges-Vanier.

Another distinctive feature of this station: the floor of the mezzanine level is borne aloft by a series of exposed concrete pillars and beams, fastened by painted metal hanger assemblies. This gives a mechanical feeling to the platform level, added to the interest of the mezzanine level hanging there in space.

This station doesn't have any kiosks of its own, all four entrances being integrated into the façades of buildings and assimilated to the architecture thereof. For example, the Peel Sud exit in the Cours Mont-Royal building is in a classic style, whereas the steel-and-glass 2000 Peel building has an appropriately modern entrance. The tunnel between the station and the Stanley entrance contains a number of shops and services.

The work of art just outside the Peel Nord entrance, a tall metal sculpture called Enterspace, is by Maurice Lemieux, who also created the sculpture Calcite at De la Savane.

MATT'S RATING