The house-workshop of the sculptor Charles Daudelin will not be razed. The municipality of Kirkland was considering letting it go last October. The Ministry of Culture and Communications expresses its intention to protect it by classifying it, and finally to ensure its proper preservation, in the name of its historical and cultural importance.
In the fall, the new owner of the residence had asked the municipality for the right to wipe the slate clean of the buildings in order to rebuild up-to-date residences. The state duly notified him that he was henceforth prohibited from doing so.
Born in 1920 in Granby, Charles Daudelin is one of the most acclaimed Quebec artists of the XXe century. His home, an extension of his own work, was built thanks to the contributions of several renowned architects. “The house and the studio respond eloquently to the changing needs of the artist throughout his career. The division and articulation of the interior spaces, both for the house and for the studio, testify in particular to the adaptation of the architecture to the specific needs of the artist. The abundant fenestration of the house and the workshop offers several visual breakthroughs on the gardens, which induces close links between the living and creative spaces, both inside and outside the buildings. »
The house, the workshop and a portion of the landscaped garden they occupy are covered by this notice of intent to classify.
Since he has been at the head of this ministry, this is the first gesture of protection of its kind that Mathieu Lacombe has taken, confirms his cabinet. The Minister says he recognizes “the historical, architectural and landscape values” of the places and goods concerned.
“The Charles-Daudelin house is a residence-workshop built from 1951 and enlarged in 1986”, indicates the MCC in its notice of intent to classify. “It represents an exceptional witness to the life and work of Charles Daudelin, a major artist of modernity in Quebec, more specifically in the field of public art. »
In October, The duty had drawn the public’s attention to the risks that this witness to Quebec cultural life was running in the immediate future.
The house, following an outcry, was eventually placed by the state under a 30-day special order regime. This exceptional measure expired yesterday. “During this period, we carried out several analyzes which concluded on the importance of taking strong action to ensure the conservation of these assets,” indicated Minister Lacombe.
The city of Kirkland, for its part, did not see fit to mention this building, even if the law on heritage allows municipalities to use certain legal provisions to preserve important buildings.