Architecture in the city (1099)

Habitat 67, often simply known as Habitat, is a housing complex located at Cité du Havre on the Saint Lawrence River in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was designed by Israeli-Canadian-American architect Moshe Safdie, originating as his master's thesis at McGill University's School of Architecture. An amended version was built for Expo 67, the World’s Fair held from April to October 1967, and is situated at 2600 Avenue Pierre-Dupuy, near the Marc-Drouin Quay. Habitat 67 is widely regarded as an architectural landmark in Montreal.Initially conceived as part of Safdie’s architecture thesis, the project gained attention but faced controversy, highlighted by its failure to win the Pilkington Prize, a top thesis award for Canadian architecture students. After working briefly with Louis Kahn in Philadelphia, Safdie was invited by his former thesis advisor, Sandy van Ginkel, to join the master planning team for Expo 67. Safdie proposed his thesis design as one of the pavilions, and after receiving approval from officials in Ottawa, including Minister Mitchell Sharp and Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson, he was granted permission by Expo’s Director of Installations, Edward Churchill, to focus exclusively on Habitat 67 as an independent architect. Montreal-based Anglin-Norcross Ltd. completed the construction, despite Safdie’s youth and limited experience—a chance he described as 'an amazing fairy tale.'While the initial vision for Habitat 67 involved constructing 1,200 units at an estimated cost of $45 million, funding limitations allowed for only a scaled-down version, built at around CA$22.4 million, funded by the federal government. In 1985, tenants of Habitat 67 formed a limited partnership to purchase the building from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, and they remain its owners. Habitat 67 was commemorated in 2017 by Canada Post with a special stamp for its 50th anniversary, symbolizing its enduring legacy.From June 1 to August 13, 2017, the Centre de Design at Université du Québec à Montréal hosted an exhibition titled 'Habitat '67 vers l'avenir / The Shape of Things to Come', which displayed archival materials alongside conceptual drawings and models, offering insights into both built and unbuilt aspects of the project.As a defining symbol of Expo 67, which attracted over 50 million visitors, Habitat 67 earned global recognition as a 'fantastic experiment' and an 'architectural wonder.' Although it did not lead to a wave of modular affordable housing as Safdie had envisioned, it successfully redefined urban living and launched Safdie's distinguished career, which now includes over 75 architectural projects worldwide. His continued focus on high-density housing and social integration in architecture remains synonymous with his work. However, some have critiqued Habitat 67 as a 'failed dream' due to its limited impact on affordable housing solutions.In 2023, Safdie Architects partnered with Epic Games to recreate Safdie’s original, larger vision of Habitat 67 in Unreal Engine, allowing the world to visualize the full scale of his pioneering design.

The Maison Saint-Gabriel Museum in Montreal, Quebec, preserves the history, heritage, and artifacts of New France’s settlers from the mid-17th century. This museum, which includes a historic farmhouse, has been maintained for over 300 years by the Sisters of the Congregation of Notre Dame of Montreal, an order founded by Marguerite Bourgeoys in 1658.In 1662, Paul de Chomedey de Maisonneuve granted land in Pointe-Saint-Charles to Bourgeoys to establish a farm that would support the congregation's mission. Over time, this farm became a vital resource, initially providing food and support for the Congregation and later serving as a preparatory school for young women and the Filles du Roi (King’s Daughters), who were recruited to settle in New France.In 1693, the original farmhouse burned down, but it was rebuilt using surviving foundations, and its structure retained 17th-century architectural features. Through the 18th century, the Congregation expanded the farm by acquiring more land, constructing stables, barns, and a chicken coop. By the 19th century, farm-raised animals were essential to producing various goods like butter, wool, and soap.As Montreal grew, urban expansion eventually reduced the farm’s land. However, interest in preserving the farmhouse and its history culminated in its restoration in the 1960s, with efforts led by architect Victor Depocas. The goal was to conserve the house's historic walls and recreate the living conditions of the early Sisters. This restoration included the kitchen, common room, chapel, and dormitories, each carefully outfitted with artifacts to evoke life in 17th-century New France.Today, the museum hosts costumed interpreters, demonstrations of 17th-century crafts, and gardens inspired by traditional horticulture. Its extensive collection of 15,000 artifacts includes original and reproduced domestic objects, religious attire, correspondence materials, and trade tools. The Jeanne-Leber house, now part of the museum complex, houses a gift shop and a room for cultural activities, providing visitors with an immersive historical experience and connecting them to the legacy of Marguerite Bourgeoys and the Congregation of Notre Dame.

Le Ber-Le Moyne House, or Maison Le Ber-Le Moyne in French, is Montreal's oldest intact building, constructed between 1669 and 1671. Situated in the borough of Lachine along the Saint Lawrence River, between the Lachine Rapids and Lake Saint-Louis, it was designated a National Historic Site of Canada on June 19, 2002. The house and its archaeological collection have also been recognized as heritage assets by Quebec’s ministère de la Culture et des communications since 2001.Originally built as a fur trading post between 1669 and 1687, the house was constructed on land once owned by French explorer René-Robert Cavelier de La Salle. Wealthy merchants Jacques Le Ber and Charles Le Moyne purchased the property in 1667 to control the primary trade routes around Lake Saint-Louis. Records suggest that the building ceased to serve as a trading post between 1680 and 1685, making it the last surviving structure associated with Charles Le Moyne’s career.After Le Moyne’s death in 1685, his widow, Catherine Primot, sold the property in 1687 to Guillemot dit Lalande, who abandoned it in 1689 following the Massacre of Lachine. Marguerite Chorel, wife of Guillaume de Lorimier, acquired it in 1695 and resided there until her death in 1736. Her family continued to occupy the house until it was sold in 1765 to Irish innkeeper Hugh Heney, who modernized it but never lived there himself, leasing it to tenants instead.By 1844, the property was significantly diminished due to the expansion of the Lachine Canal. It was acquired by retired Colonel Edward P. Wilgress, and during this period, several artworks captured its transformation, including Frances A. Hopkin’s 'Wilgress House and Garden, Lachine' and J.E. Taylor’s 'The Cottage, Lachine.' The house became the summer residence of the Curie family after merchant William Curie purchased it in 1901.In the 1940s, Lachine Mayor Anatole Carignan recognized the historical importance of the Le Ber-Le Moyne House, leading to the City of Lachine’s purchase in 1946 for $25,000. The building was converted into the Manoir Lachine Museum, which opened to the public on June 24, 1948. A fish hatchery with rearing ponds and aquariums was added to the site in the early 1950s, drawing public interest, but the hatchery closed in 1962.The museum underwent major restoration in the 1980s to reveal the original stone walls and beams, removing 1950s additions and restoring the house to its 17th-century appearance. Archaeological digs conducted between 1998-2000 and 2009-2010 by the firm Archéotec unearthed around 32,000 artifacts, documenting various phases of the site’s history, including pottery shards and tools that confirm a Native American presence dating back 2,000 to 2,500 years.Today, the Le Ber-Le Moyne House is part of the Musée de Lachine, which includes the heritage site, an archaeological collection, 17th-century buildings, and a sculpture garden known as the Musée plein air de Lachine. The garden, one of Canada’s largest, features works by artists such as Bill Vazan, Ulysse Comtois, Marcel Barbeau, Michel Goulet, and Linda Covit. In addition to historical exhibits, the Musée de Lachine also hosts contemporary art exhibitions each year.Located 6 kilometers (4 miles) from Angrignon Metro station, the museum is accessible via the 110 and 195 buses operated by the Société de transport de Montréal, with a travel time of approximately 40 minutes.The Le Ber-Le Moyne House exemplifies French Colonial architecture, notable for its cedar-shingled roof and absence of dormers.

The Molson Bank Building was constructed in 1866 at the corner of St. Peter and St. James streets (now rue Saint-Pierre and rue Saint-Jacques) in Old Montreal as the headquarters for Molson Bank, founded by William Molson (1793–1875). This was Montreal’s first building designed in the Second Empire style, a design led by architect George Browne and his son, John James George Browne.Molson Bank merged with the Bank of Montreal in 1925.The construction of the Molson Bank Building began in 1864 and completed in 1866. Due to outgrowing its previous location on St. James Street, Molson Bank acquired a neighboring lot in 1863, and an architectural competition awarded the design to George and John James Browne. Construction involved demolishing existing buildings on the site, with the bank’s counters and offices located on the first floor and basement. The upper floors, accessed from St. Peter Street, were leased to various tenants, including a publisher.In 1870, Molson Bank expanded by opening branches, establishing its head office on St. James Street as the main branch. By 1883, the bank occupied the entire building, which was expanded further in 1900 and 1911 to cover the entire lot. The original St. Peter Street entrance was eventually replaced with an entrance on Saint-Jacques Street.Following the 1925 merger with the Bank of Montreal, the building housed a branch and international services. In 1923-1924, the first floor was extended to Notre-Dame Street, connecting to the Insurance Exchange building constructed behind it. The Bank of Montreal branch closed in 1981 and was later converted into a training center. After the bank disposed of the property in 1999, it was renovated and eventually occupied by government and legal offices by 2009.

The Saint-Sulpice Seminary (French: Vieux Séminaire de Saint-Sulpice) is a historic building located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. As the second-oldest structure in Montreal, it was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1980. Situated in the Ville-Marie Borough, in the heart of Old Montreal, the seminary stands beside Notre-Dame Basilica on Notre-Dame Street, overlooking Place d'Armes. This U-shaped building showcases a palatial architectural style and includes an annex.Founded in 1657 by the Society of Priests of Saint Sulpice, the seminary has remained under their ownership since its inception. Construction began in 1684 under François Dollier de Casson, then-superior of the Sulpicians, and was completed in 1687, with later additions, including a clock in 1701, added by 1713. The seminary was originally intended for the training of secular priests and mission work with Indigenous peoples in New France. The clock, one of North America’s oldest, was crafted in Paris, engraved by Paul Labrosse, and gilded by the Sisters of the Congregation of Notre-Dame.In keeping with monastic traditions, the Sulpicians also established a garden in the 17th century for growing fruits and vegetables. This garden, inspired by French Renaissance design, features geometrically arranged pathways, a lawn, and a central statue, making it one of the oldest gardens of its kind in North America.

The Royal Bank Tower, located at 360 Saint-Jacques Street in Montreal, Quebec, is a 22-storey, 121-meter (397-foot) skyscraper in the neoclassical style. Designed by the architectural firm York and Sawyer with the bank's chief architect Sumner Godfrey Davenport of Montreal, it was completed in 1928. At the time, it was the tallest building in both the British Empire and Canada, as well as the first structure in Montreal to surpass the height of the Notre-Dame Basilica, built nearly a century earlier.The Royal Bank of Canada initially established its head office in Halifax at Hollis and George Streets in 1879. In 1907, the bank relocated its headquarters to Montreal. By 1926, with its original Montreal building proving too small, the bank's directors commissioned York and Sawyer to design a prestigious new building nearby. To make room for the new tower, the bank acquired and cleared properties between Saint-Jacques, Saint-Pierre, Notre-Dame, and Dollard Streets, including the former Mechanics' Institute and the ten-storey Bank of Ottawa building.Although the Royal Bank moved its head office to Place Ville-Marie in 1962, it maintained a branch in the historic main hall of the Saint-Jacques building in Old Montreal until relocating to the nearby Tour de la Bourse in July 2012.

The Old Custom House (French: Ancienne-Douane), located in Old Montreal, was the city's first custom house, completed between 1836 and 1838. Designed by prominent Montreal architect John Ostell in the Palladian revival style (Palladian architecture), it features a distinguished facade with pilasters and a wide pediment. Strategically positioned on the former marketplace and facing the river, it highlighted Montreal’s growth as a commercial hub and its emerging status as a metropolis. The building served as the customs office until 1871 and retained its original architectural harmony despite enlargements made in 1881-1882. Today, it houses the Pointe-à-Callière Museum's gift shop and is designated a National Historic Site of Canada.

The Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel ('Our Lady of Good Help') is a historic church in Old Montreal, Quebec, built in 1771 on the site of an earlier chapel. Located at 400 Saint Paul Street East, near Bonsecours Market, this church is among the oldest in Montreal.St. Marguerite Bourgeoys, the first teacher in Ville-Marie and founder of the Congregation of Notre Dame, inspired the colonists to build the original chapel in 1655. She brought a wooden statue of Our Lady of Good Help from France in 1673, and the stone chapel was completed in 1678. After a fire destroyed the original church in 1754, a new structure was built in 1771, where the saved statue and reliquary now remain.Following Montreal’s capture by British forces during the French and Indian War, the chapel served Irish and Scottish troops and their families. Fundraising there helped build Saint Patrick's Church, Montreal's first English-speaking Catholic parish.In the 19th century, Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours became a pilgrimage site for sailors arriving at the Old Port of Montreal, who made offerings in thanks for safe voyages. In 1849, Bishop Ignace Bourget gifted the chapel a statue of the Virgin as 'Star of the Sea,' placed atop the church overlooking the harbor, earning it the nickname 'Sailors' Church.'Today, the chapel also houses the Marguerite Bourgeoys Museum, which honors her life and early Montreal history. An archeological site under the chapel features First Nations and French colonial artifacts, including remains of the original chapel and colonial fortifications. Visitors can also climb the chapel’s spire for views of the Old Port and the Saint Lawrence River. In 2005, the mortal remains of St. Marguerite Bourgeoys were returned to rest in the sanctuary.

Bonsecours Market (French: Marché Bonsecours) is a two-story domed public market located at 350 Rue Saint-Paul in Old Montreal, Quebec. Opened in 1847, it served as Montreal's main public market for over a century and briefly hosted the Parliament of United Canada in 1849. Named after the nearby Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel, the Neoclassical building was inspired by Dublin's Customs House and designed by British architect William Footner. Construction began in 1844, with major alterations by Irish-born architect George Browne completed in 1860.The market also housed Montreal City Hall from 1852 to 1878, including a 3,700-square-meter meeting room and a concert hall added by Browne. It continued as a farmer’s market until 1963, after which it was transformed into a multi-purpose space with cafés, restaurants, boutiques, and event halls.Designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1984, Bonsecours Market was commemorated by Canada Post in 1990 with a $5 stamp featuring its image. The stamp was designed by Raymond Bellemare and printed by the British American Bank Note Company and the Canadian Bank Note Company.

Montreal City Hall (French: Hôtel de Ville de Montréal), a five-story building located in Old Montreal at 275 Notre-Dame Street East, serves as the center of local government in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Designed by architects Henri-Maurice Perrault and Alexander Cowper Hutchison, it was constructed between 1872 and 1878 in the Second Empire architectural style. Positioned between Place Jacques-Cartier and Champ de Mars, the nearest Metro station is Champ-de-Mars on the Orange Line.As an exemplary Second Empire structure and the first Canadian city hall built exclusively for municipal administration, it was designated a National Historic Site in 1984. In March 1922, a fire gutted the original building, sparing only the outer walls and destroying many of Montreal's historic records. Architect Louis Parant led its reconstruction, designing a new self-supporting steel structure within the preserved exterior, inspired by the city hall in Tours, France. The renovations also included replacing the original Mansard roof with a Beaux-Arts style copper roof. The newly rebuilt Montreal City Hall opened on February 15, 1926.The building’s historical significance was further highlighted in 1967 when French President Charles de Gaulle delivered his famous 'Vive le Québec libre' speech from its balcony.