Share to
Église unitarienne de Montréal / The Unitarian Church of Montreal
By : ARCHITEM Wolff Shapiro Kuskowski architectes
GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN – 14th edition
Discipline : Architecture
Categories : Other categories in architecture / Continuing Value
The building currently occupied by the Unitarian Church of Montreal dates back to 1996. Nine years earlier, the community’s former home on Sherbrooke Street had been destroyed by an arson-induced fire, which left two firemen dead.
As architects, we were mandated to come up with a spiritual, multifunctional, space that would reflect the Church’s inclusive philosophy and its openness to the community at large. Our challenge was to design a facility that would withstand the test of time despite a stringent $1.2M budget.
The entrance is highlighted by a Memorial Tower, which incorporates stone elements, salvaged from the Church’s 1906 building. The entrance hall leads directly to the semi-circular Sanctuary where large, glazed surfaces separate the curving copper roof from its solid base, allowing natural light in. A space of contemplation was created within the Memorial Tower’s top lit interior.
Unaffected by the years, the Church still stands today, transmitting a message of peacefulness.
Collaboration
Architect : ARCHITEM Wolff Shapiro Kuskowski architectes
