Opened in 1976, this complex appears heavy and austere from the outside. The vast interior plaza, better suited to the Montreal climate than an outdoor plaza, consists of four towers embracing an immense polygonal atrium lined with three levels of shops. This layout is reminiscent of an amphitheatre, in which passersby are both spectators and players. The atrium is the site of exhibits and popular cultural activities, in contrast to the Place des Arts, which during the 1970s acquired a reputation as a symbol of elitist culture. The Wilfrid Pelletier Auditorium and the Guy-Favreau Complex are visible from the atrium through huge windows to the north and south.