“Weightless Mass” is a proposed design for a concert hall and performing arts center located in Montreal, Canada. The overarching concept is that a large mass is placed on the site in such a way to appear weightless. From the initial form of a pyramid, the form for the envelope was designed using a series of folding and rotating operations to create a monolithic crystalline structure protruding from the ground. The programmatic layout responds to the design intent by reacting with the ground as the entrance underneath the contradictory “weightless mass” and providing circulation where the back of the building is activated with folded surfaces. In addition to a structural elevator core that extends to the top floor, there is an external glass elevator that reaches a second lobby distinctly for the use of the theater. The remaining space within the building creates a meandering pathway to the other programmatic elements: galleries, a black box theater, bar, restaurant, and gift shop.

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