Underground City (RESO)

The harsh Montreal winters and the city's burgeoning metro system spurred the creation of a remarkable urban innovation: the Underground City, or RESO. Its origins can be traced to the construction of Place Ville Marie in 1962, which included an underground shopping concourse connected to the Central Station. However, the true expansion began in anticipation of Expo 67 and the opening of the Montreal Metro in 1966. The initial connections linked metro stations, office buildings, and shopping centers, allowing residents to navigate downtown Montreal in comfort, shielded from the elements. This visionary approach to urban infrastructure transformed the city's pedestrian experience, turning what could be an inconvenience into a unique and practical feature of Montreal life. What began as a series of disparate connections has grown into a vast, sprawling network, making Montreal a pioneer in integrated urban design.