The year 2021 marks the fifth anniversary of Action Patrimoine’s involvement in the safeguarding of the Saint-Gérard-Majella church in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu. This place of worship, erected in 1962, is an edifying example of modern architecture. In Quebec, the first manifestations of this architectural movement appeared in the 1930s, but it was especially between the late 1950s and the mid-1970s that it reached its peak throughout the province. Quebec then acquired remarkable buildings, with renewed forms, which reflected a society turned towards modernity.
Unfortunately, today we are slow to fully recognize and protect this heritage. Over the past year, Sept-Îles city hall has been in the spotlight after city council expressed its willingness to build a new building to house the town hall. This announcement immediately raised the question of the future of the current building. This important witness of architectural modernity in Quebec was erected in 1960 by Affleck, Desbarats, Dimakopoulos, Lebensold, Michaud and Sise, to whom we owe the Place des Arts in Montreal.
Although this is a municipal issue, the future of this town hall has been widely discussed. Indeed, modern heritage experts consider that it is absolutely necessary to protect this exceptional building. Anyway, the cause does not arouse the enthusiasm of the local population. This is a scenario that is repeated constantly in the field of modern heritage, since it is not yet fully appreciated by the general population. The case of Sept-Îles, far from being unique, therefore allows us to better understand why the durability of certain buildings of interest is threatened.
A lack of (re) knowledge?
Misunderstood, little known, modern architecture is nonetheless of high quality. At the time, several architects tried to think outside the box. Technical progress in construction opens up new possibilities for them. Their vision is tinged with the same optimism for the future which then animates all spheres of society, which translates into buildings marked by daring and experimentation. Sept-Îles City Hall perfectly reflects this new spirit, as evidenced in particular by its glass and aluminum curtain wall.
Most of these modern buildings are now over 50 years old and require major work. Unfortunately, in recent years, many of them have been transformed, even disfigured, without taking into account their heritage value. In Sept-Îles, for example, interventions have greatly altered the transparency of the city hall curtain wall, and inadequate actions such as these often contribute to reducing the population’s interest in these constructions.
In many cases, modern buildings remain in the blind spot of the built heritage in Quebec. In fact, even the Quebec government is slow to set an example. As proof, the recent changes made to the Cultural Heritage Act oblige regional county municipalities (RCMs) to have an inventory of buildings constructed before 1940, even though the heritage community recommended extending the period covered. The Minister has therefore chosen to ignore the era that saw the birth and shine of modern architecture in the four corners of Quebec.
Lead by example
By demanding that modern buildings be included in the inventories of RCMs, the Minister of Culture and Communications could have sent the clear message that Quebec is finally recognizing modern heritage at its true value.
But this is not the responsibility of a single minister or department. In this regard, the recent demolition of the church of Saint-Louis-de-France, in Quebec, to build a house for the elderly, shows that the Ministry of Health and Social Services is also not very sensitive to modern heritage. It should be remembered that this demolition occurred barely a year after the tabling of a damning report by the Auditor General of Quebec which called on the Quebec government to do its homework better in terms of protecting built heritage.
However, if government authorities do not recognize the importance of architectural modernity, how can municipalities and the general population be encouraged to adequately protect it?
Before it’s too late, it’s time to give this modern heritage the place it deserves alongside other buildings already recognized by Quebec society. Collectively, we need to understand that heritage is no longer limited to what is old. Newer architecture is also rightly a part of it, just as the architecture of today represents the heritage of tomorrow.
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