LUCIE K. MORISSET

Lucie K. Morisset 1

Of History and Memory: an Allegory of Identity in the Redevelopment of Place d'Youville (Montreal)

his article describes the Place d 'You ville redevelopment T project, in the heart of Old Montreal. It also delivers an account of the conceptual process whi ch led to the options ultima tely selected. Luc N oppen and I, both a rchitectural historians, worked on this project as part of a team spearheaded by the Groupe Cardinal Hardy and landscape architect, Claude Cormier. Our proposed concept and project were short-listed and la te r chosen as the w inning entry in an architectural Fig . 1. West to east (from the Grand Trunk, Canadian Express and Customs House buildings competition for redeveloping the square, held in 1997. Phase I of to the Musee d'arch9ologie et d'histoire de Pointe-8-Caltiere) aerial view of Place d'Youville , the constructi on w as completed in 2000. before the redevelopment project. In the middle of the place is the old fi re station that today houses the Centre d'histoire de Montreal. The project addressed both the historical and architectural (photo Pierre l ahoud ) components of the site. It could have been designed on a strictly functional basis, as a public retreat for residents of this a rea that is generally fl ood ed by tourists a ttracted to Old Montreal. However, this square, steeped in history, had the potential of becoming a new symbol in Old Montreal, a contemporary urban setting that serves as a showcase for ancient and modern objects, 2 3 unearthed from the soil below · This type of historical quest has become commonplace, as many developments take local identity, memory and history into account. The search for topo i is performed through various ap­ proaches: historicist or even mimetic, i.e., simply producing re­ plications of the past, functional consolidation via commemorative structures or interpretati ve institutions (which abound in Que­ bec), and lastl y allegorical fi guration, which suggests, often by mita te' the poetics of identity I space tha t are relevant to the pre­ sent'. From this perspecti ve, tha t we decided to develop Place Lu cie K. Morisset is professor in the Departe111ent d'et ndes urbaines et d'Youvill e as a palimpsest formed by the accumulati on of "layers" touristiques, Un iversite du Quebec ii Montreal, and researcher in the Centre or "stra ta" tha t, each left their own visible imprint on Old interuniversitaire d'etudes sur les lett res, les arts et les traditions (CE LAT). Montreal. In an eff ort to uncover Place d 'Youville's " true identity", we had to decode this palimpsest, and create a site that would be urban, typicall y Montreal, a place of leisu re and significance, by gaining an w1derstanding of the site "as it appears today"•, and identify ing components of its past and offi cial 7 movements that shaped its current identity . The following pages outline this approach, which takes into jSSAC I jSEAC 25, n ~ 2, 3, 4 (2000) : 17-32. © SSAC I SEAC account the square's past and present, as well as the constraints

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Fig. 2. Situation map of Place d'Youville: the project concerns the corridor-shaped area (in The old fire station (now Centre d'histoire de Montreal): the storehouses are located to the gray) between Place-Royale and the North-South axis of Rue McGill. north (left). and the Gray Nuns buildings, to the south (right). (Claude Cormier architectes paysagistes) (photo Pierre l ahoud) inherent to the completi on of such a project. Our conceptual a pproach, related to the formal components of the landscape la ng u age we crea ted, was the n anchored in this general framework. This primaril y invo lved awa kening dormant memory a nd recycling its images into a new contemporary de­ sign. * Place d'Youville, w hich is located in the Island of Montreal's southern secti on, adjacent to the Vieux-Port (F ig. 2), is one of Old Montreal's most popula r recreational and tourist areas, drawing bus loads of sightseers every year. Ye t, despite the influx of visitors, the square remains tranquil amidst several warehouses lining the central corridor, w hich have recently been converted into housing units. This corridor stretches north-south a long McGill Street, Fig . 4. East to west aerial view: the Musee d'archEmlogie et d'histoire de Pointe-a-Calliere is at the foreground. starting from the so-ca ll ed " Place Royale". At this end, the square (photo Pierre Lahoud) is home to a seri es of ta ll buildings dating back to the early twenti eth century - head offices of major railway companies­ which bear witness to Montreal's economic prosperity during that peri od . At the opposi te end of the square, sits the majestic prize-winning Musee d'nrclieologie et d'ilistoire de Pointe-ii-Calliere (Da n Haganu, Architect, and Prove nche r Roy, Architects), inaugurated in 1992 to commemorate the 350"' anniversary of the founding of Montreal (Fig. 4). Lastly, the area's central area features former warehouses on one side (F ig. 5) and a complex owned by the Sisters of Cha rity (Grey N uns) for over 200 years on the other. One of these buildings is a previous fire station, now home to the Centre d'liistoire de Mont real (Fig. 1, 3). Taken as a whole, the area appears to be residual setting, lacking any specific voca ti on, overlooked by recent restoration efforts in Old Montreal. The challenge then, was to redevelop a nd unify this clearly important and historically significant site, and especiall y to imbue it with a fitting identity.

A witness The site's design evolved through a stra ti fica ti on process, whi ch over the years led to the creation of the square. With the passage of time each historica l era left a distinct The storehouses. on the no rth side of Place d'Youville. ma rk - ei ther trapped in a layer of sub-soil sediment to be later (photo Luc Noppen)

18 LUCIE K. MORISSET

Fig . 6. Extra muros the stream and the General Hospital, nearing the "emplassement de Mr. de Callieres· drawn by Chaussegros de Loky in 1716. (ANC, Ottawa . NMC-11055)

Montreal's first Catholic cemetery. Thus, it is hardly surprising that when Montreal began erecting fortifica tions in 1717, Place d 'Youville was excluded from the city, as was a home for the poor that had been constructed on the site in 1694. Later, in 1747, this extra-m uros General Hospital was taken over by the Grey Nuns of Montreal, a common custom of the time. The Ruisseau Saint­ Pierre then became the site's central element, separating the fortified city from the non-city, where the General Hospital stood (Fig. 6). Successive extensions to the Grey Nuns' property, gradually pushed the limits of the fu­ ture square closer to the stream, while the ci ty's internal growth towards the north and eventual expansion of the fortification walls encroached the adjoining lots. When the walls were finall y demolished (1802-1817), the area was still no more than empty space, a vacuum. Indeed, as late as 1830 it featured only a stream, its banks and a number of small bridges.

The William collector, Sainte-Anne's market and Parliament (1831-1900) The most profound transformati on of the area occurred in 1830-1831, when a sewage system was install ed, to drain water from the platea u, the Ruisseau Saint-Martin and the Ruisseau Saint-

Fig . 7. On the soil above the new collector, the new markets: the "Rue des Commissaires· (Commissioners Street) Pierre. The construction of the William collector and the "Rue des Enfants-Trouves· (Foundling Street) frame the new place. marked the site's true birth, finally lending this (ANO, Quebec. fonds GBrard-Morisset, Quebec , Sllmina lre (a rchives) 8 ·2) "non-place" an identity (Fig. 7). The area then became the setting for various acti vities and plans unveiled by a rcheologists, or a v irtual stra tum in space, above the strea m bed . The construction of the collector and hi ghlighted in the landscape language. Thus, curiously, while resulting newly created land, (the future Place d'Youville), the surface featured commemorative structures (museums, sculp­ allowed for marketplace ex pansion from Place Ro yale (then tures, etc.) of historical figures and events, memories of the pasts known as Old Market Place)• (place du Vieux Marche), to the were preserved and imprinted in the overall shape of the square hay market in the borough of the Recollets. itself. As ea rly as 1833, Sainte-Anne's market moved to a new lo­ ca tion, based on plans drawn up by Architect George Browne. A stream, its banks and bridges (1642-1830) This building became the home of the Parliament of United Ca­ When Ville-Marie was settl ed, a stream, the Ruisseau Saint­ nada in 1844, but was destroyed by fire in 1849 (Fig. 8). George Pierre, crossed the area occupied by w hat is now known as Place Browne once again drafted plans for a market, constructed in d 'Youville. For many years, the stream determined the square's 1851. A fi sh market, also designed by George James Browne, was destiny (Fig. 18). A long time would pass before the site was added in 1879. Two streets running east-west -reminiscent of developed. Indeed, the area's fi rst inhabitants, the 1642 founders the former banks- provided both access and a framework for of Ville-Marie, quickly vacated, as the land was subject to fl ooding the markets (Fig. 7): Commissioners Street (rue des Com 111 issaires, from the nea rb y St. Lawrence Ri ver. Soon a ft er, it became commissioned to supervise demolition of the city walls and

19 JSSAC I JSEAC 25. no• 2. 3. 4 (2000l

Fig. 8. West to east view of the Parliament building. Watercolour by John Hugh Ross (1867-1919). (ANC. Ottawa, C-1 13682)

expansion of Montreal), and Foundling Street (rue d es Enfants-Trouves) which referred, of course, to the fo undlings cared for by the Sisters of Charity. On the eve of the XX'" Century, the site was very different from the time of Ville-Mari e. The construction of a canal system was central to the site's existence and responsible fo r the "corridor" shape, that stretched in a westerly direction from Place Royale. Furthermore, the main collector limited construction in the area above it. In short, from an y p erspecti ve, the William collector triggered the establishment of Place d 'Youville (Fig. 9, 18). The era of markets was short-lived. Inten­ tionall y located behind Place d 'Youville, west of Place Royale, to distance them from the ci ty, the­ se markets were deemed unhealthy, particularly Fig . 9. "St. Ann's Market, Montreal, 1901 " The place is now represented . when built in an area that was regularly fl ooded . (painting by Lillian Tucker, ANC , Ottawa, C-77) The markets were finally demolished at the turn of the century. Meanwhile, after the great fl ood of Montreal, dikes were erected in Pointe Saint-Charles and a donating enough land to accommodate two new streets: St. Peter protecti ve wall built around the ci ty's low-l ying areas. Popula­ Street (rue Sa int-Pierre) and Norman Street (rue Norman, later ti on growth in this ci ty district quickl y spiraled. Fortunately, as renamed, rue du Port). Thus began a new era for Place d 'You­ though acting on a premonition, in 1871 the Grey N uns departed, ville.

20 LUCIE K. MORISSET

Grand Trunk Offices and Canadian Express Butlding, Montreal, ana a

The Grand Trunk offices and the Canadian Express building, built at the west end of Place d'Youville. (BNQ, cartes postales)

Creation and consolidation of a civic space The demolition of the markets signaled the crea tion of Place d'Youville as a civic space. Indeed, it was here in 1903, that the city built Fire Station No. 1, from plans drafted by Perreault and Lesage. The choice of this location was not happenstance. The Ruisseau Saint-Pierre, the collector and the markets, had impe­ ded the site's development. While the rest of the city was imple­ menting services, Place d 'Youville was the only spot in this sector where fire engines could still be easily manoeuvred. The launching of Place d'Youville as a civic site, first initiated w ith the construction of this municipal building was later confirmed in 1903-1904, when a small square was established within the rectangular area facing the fire station. New fat;:ades sprang up around the square, followed within a few years by the construction of some grandiose buildings (Fig. 10): offices of the Grand Trunk Railway (1898), the Canadian Express (1900) and Customs House (1912). Like the new site, these buildings were testimony of burgeoning harbor operations, which were facilitated by maritime improvements and draining of low-lying areas.

A new monument in Old Montreal (1992 to date) However, pressure on this first square quickly escalated, until it became a parking lot in 1920. The eastern section, left vacant after the construction of the fire station in center of the triangu­ Fig . 11 . "The monument that marks the pla ce where Maisonneuve landed in Montreal", in 1928. ANC, Ottawa, PA-87966 lar corridor, was left primarily undisturbed. The city had

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Fig . 12. Place d'Youville as a parking lot before the redevelopment project, in 1997. (photo Luc Noppen)

undoubtedly anticipated some type of on-site construction, as the presence of the collector, could only be very costly. As if "in the meantime", the site became the storage area for the obelisk dedicated to the Pioneers (Fig. 11), the first cadastral boundary marker and the Archambault well. Yet if all these "embellish­ ments" stood as silent witnesses to a wealth of historical change, along with those preserved in the former fire stati on under its new banner Centre d'histoire de Montreal and in the Musee d'ar­ cheologie et d'histoire de Pointe-ii-Calliere, no landscape or compo­ nent had yet united, stabilized or formally established the site. Finally, in 1992, in the course of the redevelopment related to Montreal's 3501h anniversary, a virtual event/project related to Fig . 13. The Musee d'archeologie et d'histoire de Pointe-a-Calliere. the entire site's potential. France proposed five possible projects (photo Pierre Lahoud) for Montreal's Place d 'Youville, creations of five French artists (Dominique Perreault, Philippe Starck, Jacques Hondelatte, Ro­ che and Fran\ois, Jean-Marc Bustamante). Their primary aim was The forsaken Place d'Youville to pay tribute to the city's birthplace, which had been By the 1990's, Place d'Youville was no more than a 70-year old reinvigorated by recent improvements to the neighbouring Vieux­ parking lot•, in the middle of which stood the old fire station Port. (Fig. 12). The 3501h anniversary celebrations sparked new inte­ Place d 'Youville had moved beyond the stage of space with rest in the area: the Vieux-Port, redesigned by the Groupe Cardi­ potential, into the realm of a creative object, a dormant nal Hardy, has become a popular recreational and tourist attrac­ representation of a "platzwo/l en", which had been waiting tion, while the Musee d'archeologie et d'histoire de Pointe-ii-Calliere, patiently in the wings for 350 years. has embellished the area with a new monument (Fig. 13). The boundary marker and the Pioneer's obelisk still stand in the

22 LUCIE K. MORISSET

Fig . 14. The eastern area, between the Musee d'archeo­ logie et d'hisloire de Poite-a-Calliere and the Centre d'histoire de Montreal. (photo l uc Noppen)

square's eastern section; the Archam­ bault well, moved during the museum's construction of the museum, and two new sculptures that adorn the east side of the Centre d'histoire, one by Gilles Mi­ halcean, La Peur (Fear), the other, Entre Nous (Between Us) by Andrew Dulk­ ewych, further embellish these comme­ morative monuments. In this context, the redevelopment of Place d'Youville had to take into account three factors: the square's shape, structure and surrounding buil­ ding fa<;ades (morphology), future residential function in proximity to a busy recreational and tourist zone, historical past that determined the morphology and inevitably influenced the project's outcome. Place d 'Youville is distinctive from its surroundings: not exactly a street nor or a square, but a homogeneous space, still framed by streets running east-west and relatively uniform building fa<;ades that form an enclosure. In short, from Pointe-a-Calliere to McGill Street, Place d'Youville is a unique and clearly defined area. More specifically, four structuring elements combine to lend it a square shape: i) the geometric "corri­ dor" ii) segregation from the neibouring Fig . 15. The central area, in the rear of the Centre d'histoire. area iii) the site's uniform layout, (photo luc Noppen) despite the presence of the Centre d'his­ toire and iv) lastly, the visual rapport with its surroundings: the east-west axis intimate perspective some similarity to the surrounding area; its particular shape- a from Pointe-a-Calliere, or interface view from McGill Street, and sinuous corridor- is fairly typical of Montreal. Neither a Place the interesting north-south vistas of the Vieux-Port and Old Royale surrounded by homogeneous fa<;ades as in France nor an Montreal. urban residue Place d'Youville seemed to have evolved out of After taking these factors into account, as well as the fact some sort of organic development -typical of squares in that the area was divided by the presence of the Centre d'histoire Montreal. that gave it two very different perspectives, a fifth structural Structural considerations coupled with functional conside­ element appeared. The area is divided into three sectors: i) a rations (namely the square's seclusion and the archaeological fra­ narrow passage alongside the museum, between Place Royale gility of the sub-soil) underscored the need for a formal and Rue de Calliere, ii) the area stretching from the Centre d'his­ redevelopment solution that would reinforce the square's resi­ toire to Saint-Pierre Street (Fig. 15), and iii) the more geometrically dential vocation, while fostering the neighbouring recreational shaped square, circa 1903, between the Centre d'histoire and McGill and tourist activities. The resulting autonomous and unified "pla­ Street (Fig. 14). Although unique and secluded, the square bears ce-object" would in turn, determine its role in the area's leisure

23 JSSAC I JSEAC 25. n" 2. 3. 4 <2000J

Fig. 16. The proposed layout. McGill Street is at the upper end of the image. (Groupe Cardinal Hardy and Claude Cormier archltectes paysagistes)

and tourism redevelopment. In short, Place d 'You ville had to become a "must-see" (a sight) in Old Montreal. Thus, o ur team prop osed a lan dscap e d esig n ed for individuals rather than crowds; a place of memory, sensitive to the past, but not dedicated to commemorati on. In fact, we realised that simply choosing either a functionalist approach (a place designed only to please local residents) or a d is play of artifacts (a museum-square of Old Montreal) would not address all is­ sues. It did, however, seem feasible to reconcile both approaches and create a square that would delight its residents, highlight some of Old Montreal's historica l aspects, and attract, nowadays. Thus, significance became the nucleus of our design.

From palimpsest to significant patchwork The square's identity, we felt, should be based on the stability of its structural makeup and on the permanency of its rela ti onship to the city (the latter to stimulate and justify its desperately needed redevelopment). A site's permanency, acquired over time, is the main vehicle of memory and confers historic character. Short of d isrupting all of Old Montreal to include some exogenous object, it seemed pertinent to draw from the panorama of urban forms that had shaped the site over time. In other words, a more promising possibility was to recycle existing structural elements into a comprehensible contemporary landscape rather than adding new expensive elements, which entail a risk of rejecti on. We p roposed updating the square in an indigenous fashion (i. e., consistent w ith local morphology), applying landscape organisati on and layout details that would contribute to the site's structure and significance.

Reclaiming the past Thus, Place d 'You ville was a kind of pa limpsest, its numerous sedimented layers of history with their accompanying "movements" had each imbued the site w ith a different spirit (Fig. 16). Our vision of this palimpsest was an "ever-evolving" patchwork quilt. The project we proposed would add a seventh layer or chapter to the saga of Place d 'Youville, a story that began with the stream and grew into an urban space. This concept of an "unveiled " palimpsest would be expressed both materi ally (the project itself deposited on the surface li ke a thin layer leaving the soil bed undisturbed ) and virtuall y, (formal configurati on of this ultimate stratum or its "writing" would retain the imprint of everything buried below). In other words, the rearranged palimpsest, would blend the logic of its surface with the historical significance buried it its soil. The formal organisa ti on of such a palimpsest is based on evoking the past, beginning with memories anchored in the site's

24 LUCIE K. MORISSET

structural elements (morphology). In assembling the components mtnJmJztng their significance. However, it is possible and of the final arrangement, we thus separate the interpretative from preferable to underscore many events, considered by today's stan­ the evocative, and the "factual memory" from "structural dards as important, in the appropriate showcases (the museum memory" (or morphological memory). and historical center). Factual memory refers to factual memory of past episodes, On the other hand, marrying function with historical interest moments or events that explain the square's ontogenesis( its life), in Place d'Youville, by creating an urban setting against a which did not really impact its structural or morphological backdrop of undisturbed history that merges them into a single development (apparent form). In historical literature, this entity, involved multiple components. Public access to these generally takes the form of a commemorative monument that components, tales or, as in this case, stories would be facilitated supposedly represents, or is reminiscent of the past. It includes through "educational" activities organized by the museum and dates, names, places and famous personalities, which being cultural center. In fact, evoking factual memory involves as many without substance, are the essence of an interpretative monolo­ relics (or clues) as the number of facts to be recalled. Structural gue of the past. In Place d 'Youville, for example, this type of memory evocation draws upon a different level of understanding: memory can be found in the Musee de Pointe-a-Calliere, the Centre at first glance, an evocative ingredient may also appear to be an d'histoire or on the commemorative plaque adorning the obelisk. inseparable part of a larger whole. Incidentally, the only factual memory of interest to us in this ins­ In this context, we proposed a plan inspired by structural tance, is that associated with urban elements such as fa<;ades, memory: installing the ultimate layer of the palimpsest in a streets, alignments, plants, etc. It is not actually anchored to the manner that would synthesize the whole, re-surfacing and actual site unless, of course, it features story-telling panels or breathing life into various meanings considered long-buried. symbolic figures (e.g., bronze statues). Factual memory must be Indeed, the layout itself contributes to in this evocation, confronting continually rewritten, as our interpretation of the past is visitors with visible historical references, monumentalized in formal intertwined with our ever-changing present. configurations. The site then becomes a relic, a sightseeing Structural, or morphological, memory (what has been attraction10 in the heart of Old Montreal. Instead of being only uncovered in the site's various strata), is built over time and didactic, Place d 'Youville, as both a living and a historical setting explains the site's logic, makes sense of it. Structural memory is moves to a cultural level, improving its chances of durability and responsible for the very existence of a significant and valid entity thus its resistance to the passage of time. (space). Without explaining all the events that have occurred therein, this type of memory accounts for the cultural essence of Actual and virtual witnesses the object to which it relates. It can also be responsible for our Defining and extracting the structural memory, as sketched understanding of each of the visible elements, as they are by the previously identified historical inputs, involved recycling associated with a specific era in history, via its relationship to the history as a design material". Streams, and city walls are not part others and how it fits on the logical (spatio-temporal) continuum. of the vocabulary used nowadays for designing squares. Lastly, structural memory transcends the "here and now", the Moreover, simply replicating such items would only have ephemeral and rhetoric. As it is written in time, it becomes resulted in a chaotic layout. evidence and is permanent when etched into the landscape. Therefore, we chose a design process aimed at paying Our decision to opt for a design based on structural memory, homage to the memory specific to each historical element, thereby seemed appropriate for a context that appears more urban than incorporating the site's morphology into a single, significant historical. It should be borne in mind, that the apparent amnesia entity. This process makes it possible to raise each layer of the surrounding Place d'Youville could not have been caused by a palimpsest to the surface, altered by time but still comprehensible, lack of factual memory interpretative structures, as the square is in the light of other existing elements (real witnesses, such as littered with commemorative tributes to Montreal's past (a building fa<;ades and virtual witnesses, i.e. recent replicates of museum, historical center, monuments). Additional memorials past items), using contemporary (challenging) terminology. to bygone eras and events would only lend further confusion Instead of inspiring nostalgia, the "evolving" square updates the and disarray to the site, transforming it into a kind of history past, reinterpreting and breathing new life into it. More than a book with blank pages. Also, highlighting only one time-period strict representation of the past, the memorial design is dynamic: of factual memory via a specific la yout on the site, would require an acknowledgement of history's role in shaping the future and rearranging, or even removing existing "witnesses", thereby "enriching" the soil.

25 JSSAC I JSEAC 25. no• 2. 3. 4 12 000J

Fig . 17. The three areas. distinguished by the dimensions of the green segments. their hwefr and the paving density of the "co mings and goingsh· the civic space (upper), the intimate place (middle) and the public area (lower). (Grou pe Cardmal Hardy and Claude Corm1er arch1tectes paysag1stes)

The va rious elements involved in this synthe­ sis can be classifi ed under five themes: a "central green", "comings and goings", "the coll ecti on and the coll ector", "vegetati on landsca pe" and "li­ ghting". Together they would serve to attract both residents, seeking an ori ginal and relaxing environment, as well as visitors and tourists, searching for new clues to Montreal's history.

Spatial-defining of the site: the central green

The geometry of the public property The p rop osed redevelopment is designed w ith minimized disruption, in an effort p reserve the various archaeologica l strata contained in the soil. Phase 1 of the project is a centra I green space, baptized the "central green ". It w ill restore vegetati on, and serve as the baseline of he a rea's geometry, w ithout disturbing the site. This p rocess involves laying turf in the center of the square, between Place Royale and McGill Street, in a sha p e (irregul ar) tha t is reminiscent of the former winding stream and of a contrasting color (green ) that defines the central area, enhancing the special alignment of the fac;a des generated by the old city walls and the General H ospita l. Giving priority to the square's center enables the vari ous crossings and lateral walkways to be p reserved and serves as common space for local residents. Furthermore, it acts as a deterrent to motorists, thus slowing tra ffi c along Saint-Pie rre, du Port, a n d d e Calliere Streets, safeguarding the site's tranquility. morphogenetic continu ity, framed by Commissioners Street and Fo und ling Street as ea rl y as the 19'" Century, as well as to the Protection of the sub-soil traditional principles of Montreal square design. A carpet of green From a design perspecti ve, this thin green layer adopts the that fir mly and clearly defines the cente r offers ba lance for the contours of the underlying strata, thereby eloquently highlighting surrounding fac;ades. the ex isting p alimpsest, while physicall y, the green covering This green space then becomes the focus for completing the protects the ground beneath. In other words, the grassy area ser­ project, the site's fundamental element to the whole picture ves as the foundation for the surface layout, with minimum offered to loca l residents, as well as a sightseeing attraction in disruption of the sub-soil , w hil e serving as a protective tarpaulin O ld Montrea l. This carpet of green links the square's three sec­ of the historical vesti ges buried below. tions, defines the fac;ades of the north and south ex tremities, lending coherency to the square as it is today w ith the main struc­ Spatial continuity tural elements of its irregular corridor shape. Obviously, our decision to establish the square's definiti on by working outward fro m the center, corresponds to the site's

26 LU CI E K. MORISSET

Fig . 18. The bridges and th e evolu tion of the "comings and going s" on the si te as the place comes to existence: from a first stage in 1826 (upper) until th e "" birth "" of the pla ce, in 1844 (lower). (ANO. Quebec. fonds Gerard-Monsset. Quebec. semma1re (archives ). C-2. AN O . Quebec. fonds Gerard-Monsset. Montreal . H6p1tal general. C-2. ANO. Quebec , fonds Gerard-Monsset. Quebec. sE!m1n a 1re (archives ). 8 -1)

The three sections The g reen turf is th e site's unifying element. Consolida ting the unus ua l geome tric sha pe accentuates Pl ace d 'Youvill e's visual perspecti­ ves, tracing a penetra ting line from the Vieux­ Po rt (F ig. 19). This penetrant had to be tha t of a n intima te space, so the g reen unde rscores the rhythm of the three a reas w ith the soil ma te ri a ls. Perpendicul a r streets fo rma ll y di vid e this a rea into three secti ons: the de Calli ere, w hich is pu­ blic and ca n accomm od a te crowds, the mo re intimate centra l secti on and Yo uville, more pu­ blic and sca led to the dominating fac;a des. Still in a n e ff ort to unify the squa re, we divid ed the g reen space into three further dis­ tincti ve a reas, by va rying the dimensions of the g reen segments, the ir "weft" a nd the paving w idth of the "comings and goin gs" (F ig. 17).

The "comings and goings": between the city and the site The green ca rpet is interspersed with d ia­ gonal and perpendicul a r pa th ways, evoking the comings and goings in the squa re of people and goods since sma ll bridges first connected the banks of the stream (F ig. 18). As illustrated, the wa lkway d esig n stages inte rcepting tra ffi c (F ig. 17), and the pathways suggest an urban pa rk for leisurely strolling (Fig. 20, 22 ).

Three types of visual connections These walkways a lso serve the sp ati al struc­ tu ring functi on of creating a rela ti onship a mong the surrounding wa ll s, bringin g a city view to a doorstep o r linking a carri age entrance to a fa­ cing passageway; each axis becomes a visua l structure linking the square to its boundari es. The "comings and goin gs", each depictin g a "mi cro­ hi storic" portra it, tha t actuall y built the landsca­ pe, are s imulta neously a li ve, me m o ri a l a nd urban.

Three types of walkway, three types of material By o utlining the g reen segments a nd the "weft" w ith wa lkways, we not onl y create a n

27 JSSAC I JSEAC 25. no• 2. 3. 4 (2000J

Fig . 19. The axis penetrating from the Vieux­ Port into Place d'Youville. (photo Lu c Noppen )

hierarchical arrangement of the visual links according to the scale of each fac;ade, we also call to mind the palimpsest's three layers: the fortifications, the General Hospi­ tal (an era of wooden private walkways), Place d 'Youville's founding period, when walkways were upgraded around the mar­ kets and paved with stone, and lastly, the era of concrete si­ dewalks that integrated the squa­ re into the city. Together, the three types of sidewalks are testimony to the site's longevity and dif­ and the din of foundlings), drawing on knowledge gained from ferent eras. These "comings and goings", residential pathways, the archaeological findings. commercial walkways and municipal sidewalks, trace the pha­ Thus, these memories we suggest commemorating are not ses of the square's relational history- private citizens, groups and really factual in nature, rather an imprint of a number of realities eventually Montreal itself. that contributed to the square's "evolution". Use of these "history hatches" is a patchwork guilt approach to the redevelopment Things to see and follow: project: assembling on the surface layer of the palimpsest today's the collection and the collector archaeological findings as a characteristic and structural element. This access to samplings and knowledge provides further input The collection to the project. We strove to incorporate them as structural Place d'Youville has a vast eclectic array of commemorative memory, in a form that would evoke both the act of digging and and historical objects (the Centre d'histoire, the sculpture La Peur, the acquired knowledge of the history of Place d'Youville. This, the boundary stone, the obelisk, the Archambault well and the of course, adds to the recounting of the site's colourful history. Musee de Pointe-ii-Calliere, before which stands the sculpture, En­ tre Nous), which together form an incongruous collection of The collector components lacking a formal common thread. In short, to the Compiling commemorative objects may enhance the square's untrained eye, there is no evidence of the vast historic wealth historic value and potential, but this process is only significant contained in the square that is supposedly represented by its when such objects are displayed as part of a coherent unit. To various monuments. While developing the site as a unified object link these objects formally and symbolically, we proposed a de­ would validate these structures, as a series of parts making a sign based on the site's most determining structure: the William whole, we proposed integrating them into a portrait, a site­ collector, represented on the surface in the shape of a slightly tapestry. rounded "human spine". Despite the apparent profusion of objects, the collection is This lends the collector its true significance, as being incomplete, as many noteworthy artefacts found in Place responsible to a large extent for fusing many past events that are d'Youville during archaeological excavations were left in situ. In commemorated. Now, the collector of the comings and goings of an effort to highlight this archaeological presence, (as though a yesteryear, would bring together today's pedestrians. Its protective "tarpaulin" was placed on the soil to preserve imprints) secondary function as a "collector" of artefacts, lends coherence we proposed patterning the smaller triangles (too small for turf) to the entire tapestry, by cutting through it and uniting objects in in a crisscross design resembling scattered artefacts as in the its path, including both Pointe-a-Calliere and the Centre d'his­ conventional image of an archaeological site. Similarly, we toire, drawing them into the picture, so to speak. suggested implementing "history hatches" to reflect the "faults" associated with archaeological findings (above-ground), using sound to recall specific facts / events (e.g., debates in Parliament

28 LUCIE K. MORISSET

Fig . 20. The collector. also ~ collecting" th e walkways/comings and goings. of th ree differen t types . (pho to Den1s Farley)

various constraints linked to tree planting, pa rticularly the necessity to avoid disturbing archaeological remains, an east-west axis consistent with the square's alignment was chosen, which would delineate the green carpet, ensuring that it remain inviting to visitors. The visual result of this east-west perspective would be a seri es of a li gnments consolidating the square's unity; the transversal, less ordinate view (as seen from the buildings along the periphery of the square, or the bordering streets), would mainl y consolidate the central space of the site. The homogene ity of this vegeta tion la n gu age, which va lidates the trees as elements of the squa re's evocati ve arrange­ ment, w ill be ensured by using a single species: the honey-locust (gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis), chosen for its limited root system, growth ra te, extensive li fespan, resistance to urban con­ ditions a nd easy m ainte n ance . Moreover, this species is particul a rl y ideal, as it grows 15 to 20 m eters high with light and airy foliage, w hi ch provides the necessary transpa rency to preserve coherency of the w hole layout (Fig. 21).

Illumination of the city, the square, its monuments In addition to ma king the square safe at night, lighting is also an integral pa rt of the site-as-monument. Three levels of lighting Vegetation landscape: serenity and distinction were proposed: the first belonging to the urban space, the se­ In an attempt to imbue Pl ace d 'Yo uville with a distinct character, cond defining the site, and the third for highlighting architectu­ we chose a "green space" (in addition to the ca rpet of green), ral elements and morphology, whi ch so far have been excluded where people would be drawn to enj oy a stroll through the squa­ from the synthesis ground-level layout (Fig. 23). These various re. Once again, however, the selection was in-cha racter with Pla­ levels of li ghting establish a clear distinction between the contai­ ce d 'Yo uville" , i. e. using vegetation (function) to enhance both ne r and the contents in th e site's la yout, dissociates the site to be the leisurely aspect (form) and the p otential meaning (signifi­ seen (the sight) from urban illumina tion and that of the city that cance). frames it. This dissociation is reinforced by the use of contrasting li ghting, warm for the framework and cool for the object enclosed . Choice of planting site The lighted fa.:;a des, verti cal elements of the tapestry, together In fact, we felt tha t th e Place d 'Youville landscape project with the arrangements at ground level, are both container and s ho uld reflect its o ri g ina l d esign, which no doubt was contents because they frame the square which is in turn framed spontaneous and irregul ar, like the banks of the Ruissea u Sa int­ by the urba n e nv ironme nt, dis tinct from the m onume ntal Pi erre. Conjuring up this memory ca ll ed for organic mate ri al, li ghting. w ithout pla nting an entire forest, as the choice of trees and their placement should not ha mpe r one's view of the entire site. The City lighting id ea was to have them blend in w ith the environment (fa.:;ades As Place d 'Youville is an urban site and an integral part of w ith their idiosyncrasies, heterogeneity, and rela tionship to each present day Montreal, it was normal that its lighting be an ex­ other from va ri ous perspec ti ves), while assuming a distinctive tension of the city's system. To integrate the sidewalks and streets role. as part of the public space, li ghting from console lanterns atop Adopting an a rrangement that would ha rk bac k to th e ori­ lampposts tha t are set well back on the sidewalks (minimal con­ ginal vegetati on, the w inding stream and ali gnment of th e wa ll s, gestion) was proposed . This li ghting, similar to tha t of the whi ch together defin ed the site's geometry, a spa rse planting of surrounding city, would be modified to accentuate the distinc­ trees (spaced at 10-12 meters), was proposed. Whil e respecting ti ve character of the squa re; the addition of a refl ective accessory

29 JSSAC I JSEAC 25. n"' 2 . 3. 4 C2000l

Fig . 21 . Th e vegetation strata emulating the original stage of the site . (Groupe Cardmal Hardy and Claude Corm1er architectes pays ag1stes )

,.~ ,f I In additi on to meeting certain functi onal requi­ rements, such as pedestri an security, residential tranquility, access and development of cultural ac­ ti vities, the main objecti ve of the Pl ace d 'Yo uville project was to enhance a secti on of Old Montreal. Historica l significance is the essence of this area, and by evoking the structural memory we unders­ core its specific identity, uniqueness, and re-esta- blish its link w ith the past a nd w ith Old Montreal. to the functional li ghting would create ambiance illuminati on As th e city's birthplace, Place d'Youville then becomes the refe­ for the buildings that frame the site. rence th at va lida tes and explains dete rmining factors of Mon­ treal's identity. Lighting of the sight In other words, Place d'Youville's rediscovered identity is The central sight of the redevelopment, the site-tapestry, is the result of a harmonious ble nding of history wi th the highlighted w ith ground-level illumina ti on, unde rscoring its conte mporary, and the public with the priva te square. This formal definition and anchoring its composition to the structu­ renewal represents a discovery for all of Montreal - the va luabl e ral element, the collector. To draw attention to the "site to be seen", evidence of its collecti ve memory. Place d 'Youvi ll e is in fact, an we proposed using bolla rds in quincuncial (staggered) arrange­ interface between the city and its hi story. ments that would emit soft aqua blue li ght, to link the spectacle Thus, our project was no t didactic in nature, which would of the site with that of the neighbouring Vieux-Port. have involved emphasizing the inte rpreta ti ve rather than the evocative. instead, our approach embraced the simple p leasure Monument lighting of being- Place d 'Youvill e as a " leisure" or a "mise en bonheur", In addition to the abovementi oned li g hting, monument w hich draws upon the a rt of landscape to develop a contempo­ li ghting wi ll be installed in accordance with the Pl a n Lumiere rary design, the li ghting and selected materials blending perfectl y du Vieux-Montreal, in an effort o hi ghlight the built pa rtitions (fixtures, li g hting, etc.) into Old Montrea l. This backd rop for re­ that now frame the square and lend rhythm, through their special sidentia l, recrea ti ona l and tourist activities, both past a nd pre­ shapes, to the successive periods that built the palimpsest. More sent, is the place to see and be seen, wi th a layout that marries precisely, it is a matter of integrating the retrieved (real) memorial current surroundings with memories of days gone-by. w itnesses, namely those linked to the site's oldest inputs (the The aim of this project was to heighten unde rstanding a nd Yo u vi ll e stables, the General Hospital), the wih1esses of th e first interest in Place d'Youville by add ing a new, unification layer. Place d'Youvill e (the Fire Station, the Customs House, Canadian This square is not a museum, but a n anchor, the main element of Ex press, the Grand Trunk Railway /Guy Godin) and those of its its renaissance being a rear- view mirror with a very contemporary consolida tion (224, Place d'Youvi lle), as well as the embryos of perspective. Indeed, Place d'Youville may be the ideal gateway the site tha t came later, while hi ghlig hting the site's histori c and to Montreal as the city approaches its 400th birthday. contemporary characteristics (Musee d'archeologie and d 'histoi re de Pointe-a-Calliere).

A place of leisure, a tapestry: a dialogue between the city and its birthplace The re-designed Place d 'You vill e ca n be spati a ll y appreciated from four perspecti ves: the Vieux-Port, McGill Street, the tapestry from the adjoining buildings, or strolling its streets. In short, from any angle the square is ori gin al and tranquil offering hi storica l significance and various layers of meaning conveyed by multi­ ple la ng uages. The s ite's his to ry is accessible throug h the commemorati ve monuments (e.g., the boundary stone, obeli sk) or interpreti ve centres (Fig. 22).

30 LUCIE K. MORISSET

Fig . 22 . The eastern area of Place d'Youville as it is today. (photo Oem s Farley)

Notes

The au thor g ra te full y ack­ nowledges the Socia l Sc iences and Humanities Research Council and the Fo nds pour Ia formation des chercheurs e t !'aid e a Ia recherche for their unflagging support. 2 The development of this lan­ g uage is based on recent research into urban analysis and architec­ ture. Luc oppen and I proposed in an earlier paper, that the "me­ mo ri a l lang uage" in question should " use h isto ry as one of the project materials", in the sense that interpretati on of the past should not be restri cted to the act of cons­ tructi on , but pe rfo rmed in con­ juncti on w ith it, as input to the urban or architectural project. For more on this subjec t, see Luc Nop­ pen, Lucie K. Mo ri sset, "edifie r une memoire des li eu x en recy­ clant l' hi sto ire", Jacques Mathieu, ed., Ln un'uwire dnns In culture (Sain­ te-Foy: Les Presses d e I'Un iversite Lava l, 1995), 203-234; also, Lu c oppen, Lucie K. Morisset, "L'his­ toire, materiau du projet urbain. L'exemple du reamenagement des boulevards du centre-vill e d e Que­ bec", jean-Miche l Lacroix, ed., Vi l­ Ies et politiq ues urbnines nu Cnnnda el nux Etnts- Un is (Paris: Presses de Ia Sorbonne ouvell e, 1998), 275- 293. 3 This process refers to recycling meaning rathe r than s hape, and ca ll s for new terminology. In this sense, our a pproach borrows from Eisenman's fictiona l archaeology, w hi ch has been adapted to allow for intertw ining memory and spa­ ce in ord er to anchor the p resent structure in a n hi storic topological continuum. Regarding our theore­ tical background, see especially Noppen et Morisset, "edifier. .", is mentioned above.

31 JSSAC I JSEAC 25. n•• 2. 3. 4 C2000l

Fig . 23 . "By night" . (photo Den1s Farl ey)

4 The word mita te is taken from Augustin Berque, w ho ex pl a in ed this reference-by-a na logy process a pplied to Japanese la ndscapes. C f. "Paysage, milieu, histoire", in Cinq propositions pour une theorie du paysnge (Paris: C ha mp Va ll o n, 1994), 13-29. 5 To red evelop Montreal's Place Emi li e-Ga me lin, Philippe Poul­ laouec-Gonidec favoured an ap­ proach inspired primaril y by ur­ ban landscape and only to a limi­ ted extent, by the site itself. A si­ milar approach could be used as a the baseline for future re-landsca­ ping initia ti ves in the same a rea. However, as our main obj ective was to achieve precisely the op­ posite, we drew essentiall y from 10 For more on significance and our adopted conceptua l vocabula­ sights, see, of course, Dean Mac­ ry. Cf. Philippe Poull aouec-Goni­ Cannell , The Tourist. A New Th eory dec, "La ' place Berri' a Montrea l", of Leisure Class (New York: Shoe­ La place publique dan s In ville COII­ ken Books, 1979). temporaine (Montrea l: Meridien, 11 Fo r information related to re­ 1995), 101-108. cycling hi story, see Rossi, Gregot­ 6 The process in volved a classic ti, as well as the abundant litera­ morphologica l ana lysis of a site. ture on the subject, and more spe­ 7 Beyond typomorphology, the cificall y our theoretical approach, challenge is to trace a link between Noppen and Morisset, "edifier une the site's physical aspects and the me moire des li e u x en recyclant continuum of past events. l'hi stoire", Jacques Mathieu, ed., 8 Our use of English place names La menwire dan s Ia culture (Sa inte­ correspo nds to those g ive n in Foy: Les Presses d e I'Uni versite maps and plans of the d ay. The Laval, 1995), 203-234. French translations now in use, 12 With respect to the potential came later. s ignificance o f vegetation, see, 9 The "spell " cast on the square a mong others: Luc Noppen, Lucie was highlighted in an a na lysis of K. Morisset, "L'urbanisme vege­ the "ravages" of modern urbanism tal : de !'usage historique et post­ observed in va ri o us cities, see moderne", G uy Mercier etjacques France Vanlaethem in La place pu­ Berthemont, ed., La ville en quete de blique dans In ville contemporaine nature (Sill ery / Lyon (France): Sep­ (Montrea l: Meridien, 1995), 14. ten trion I Centre Jacq ues-Ca rtier, 1998), 211-239. Of course, this to­ pic is well document by landsca­ pe architects, particularly Bernard Lassus, in France. Additional refe­ rences are provided in the above­ mentioned a rticle.

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