Viewers create a unique coloured spark by sending a Tweet
directly to the bridge’s own dedicated hashtag #illuminationMTL.
Hourly show
On every hour, at night, short 8-minute animations create a Big
Data-driven show that visually translates Montreal’s activity and
mood based on different types of daily data: the weather, traffic,
news, major events, and more. This changing content makes the
bridge a true barometer of Montreal life.
As the seasons change, so does the light.
The bridge changes hue with the seasons thanks to a 365-colour
calendar. Day after day, the bridge’s ‘heart’ gradually changes
from an energizing spring green to a radiant summer orange,
a voluptuous fall red, and finally an icy winter blue. Like the
forested mountain after which the city is named, the colours
change gently with the seasons, the light subtly evokes the
passage of time as an enduring artistic expression that reflects its
surrounding ecosystem.
• 600 METERS LONG + 15,650 TONNES OF STEEL: a true iron
giant, the bridge’s superstructure definitely pulls its weight!
• 2x LARGER : THE EIFFEL TOWER is 300 meters in height &
contains 7300 tonnes of steel.
• OVER 250 PARTICIPANTS from all professional backgrounds
worked on the bridge’s lighting for over two years
(creatives, engineers, lighting designers, project managers,
programmers, rope access technicians, steelworkers,
electricians, traffic officers, and more).
• 10 YEARS: of operation and maintenance were secured in
the illumination project budget.
• SENSORS : Sensors installed on the bridge track vehicle,
bicycle and pedestrian traffic, as well as wind speed, wind
direction and precipitation levels.
• 53 BIG DATA POINTS classed into 11 CATEGORIES are
consolidated into each hourly show
• UP TO 500 LIGHT POINTS, representing the most recent and
most-liked TWEETS, circulate simultaneously on the bridge’s
skin.
• 2,807 LIGHTS: a combination of projectors and tube lighting
illuminates the steel superstructure to reflect the activity of
the city.
• 50,000 HOURS: estimated minimum lifespan of the energy
efficient LED lighting technology.
• 10.4 KM: length of cabling needed to illuminate the bridge
(for data transfer and electrical power).
• 10,000 MOUNTING SYSTEMS: to secure the lighting fixtures
to the steel supports on the bridge (about 5 per light).
Key facts
• 87 YEARS : the Jacques Cartier Bridge has been a Montreal
icon for close to a century, a jewel of civic heritage, and a
source of pride for Montrealers since its inauguration in
1930.
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