--- title: "Critique : La collection Claude Gingras" description: "Discover the project to showcase and digitally archive Claude Gingras’s critical collection, designed by Kffein." url: "https://kffein.com/en/projects/critique-la-collection-claude-gingras" date_modified: "2026-10-18T11:32:28-04:00" --- *Version française : [Critique : La collection Claude Gingras](https://kffein.com/fr/projets/critique-la-collection-claude-gingras)* # Project: Critique : La collection Claude Gingras **A digital journey through a half-century of music and memory.** The Université de Montréal Libraries commissioned Kffein to bring La Presse’s iconic music critic Claude Gingras’ collection to life. - **Client:** Les bibliothèques / Université de Montréal - **Category:** Installation - **Year:** 2025 - **Website:** ## A Digital Museum Experience for a Unique Collection Les bibliothèques Université de Montréal (UdeM) was bequeathed legendary music critic Claude Gingras’ personal collection. Gingras was best known for his role as a critic at La Presse, a position he held for more than 50 years, and for the part he played in shaping Québec’s cultural landscape. The university commissioned Kffein to create an immersive, editorial, digital, and physical experience celebrating this generous donation. ## Challenges The project posed several significant challenges: designing an interactive narrative that could house an entire archival collection while remaining accessible; building a portable physical installation that could be deployed across different library branches; creating an immersive digital experience combining visual and audio content; and presenting the collection through an intuitive, self-guided touchscreen interface. **Our Approach** Our team created a digital museum experience structured as a journey through Claude Gingras's memories, organized around eight key themes. Each tableau presents a selection of objects (records, audio excerpts, or documents) accompanied by an original animated illustration and an immersive soundscape. We began with a thorough review of the complete archive, identifying the most significant pieces in the collection, and then developed a unique visual identity that landed somewhere between a cataloging system and a musical daydream.We also collaborated closely with an industrial designer to bring an elegant, functional, and mobile physical installation to life. Features Delivered ### An interactive installation designed for the space The experience takes place on a touchscreen integrated into custom-built furniture, designed to blend seamlessly into the University's library settings. ### A portable and adaptable installation The installation was conceived to be easily transportable, allowing different UdeM libraries to host the experience according to their own programming. ### Thematic navigation across 8 universes Users explore the collection through 8 curated panels built around major themes from Claude Gingras's career, each with its own distinct atmosphere. ### Animated illustrations to enrich exploration Each panel opens with an original animated illustration, designed as a visual and poetic entry point into the theme it explores. ### A rich digital treatment of the archives The featured objects (record sleeves, audio excerpts, articles, videos) were digitized and integrated cohesively to compose a complete editorial experience. ### An immersive soundscape The experience is accompanied by a subtle soundtrack that envelops the browsing journey and deepens its sensory dimension. In the press ## Collection stats - **6,000+** : books - **17,000+** : vinyl records - **2,400+** : scores