(Montreal) Quebec architect Claude Provencher, considered one of the instigators of new urban architecture, died Friday at the age of 72.
Posted at 10:22 p.m.
The firm Provencher_Roy, which he founded in 1983, made the announcement, “with great sadness”, in a press release on Sunday.
Principal designer for four decades, the architect launched the firm alongside Michel Roy.
Mr. Provencher is notably the prime contractor behind the World Trade Center, which opened its doors in 1992. This major project was the result of a reflection on the fate of a neglected island, occupying a strategic site in the heart of Old Montreal, reminded Provencher_Roy.
The J.-A. Desève Pavilion for the University of Quebec in Montreal, in 1998, the Technopôle Angus development plan, in 2014, the reception pavilion of the National Assembly of Quebec and the new Champlain Bridge, in 2019, are also among the achievements of the architect.
“Tracing the thread of his work, one thing is obvious: what the metropolis inspired him, Claude Provencher returned to him a hundredfold with beauty, delicacy and modesty,” underlined the firm Provencher_Roy.
Mr. Provencher and his firm have received numerous awards for their work. Among other things, he was received as a member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts in 2014 and as a Knight of the National Order of Quebec in 2021.
“Passionate, enthusiastic, intuitive, constructive, emotional, Claude Provencher made an important contribution, through his aestheticism, his open-mindedness and his unwavering commitment, to our architectural heritage”, is it added in the press release.
Claude Provencher is survived by his spouse, Lucie Bouthillette, his children and his many loved ones.