Commemoration and restoration plan for a public square
Dorchester Square was Canada’s wealthiest neighborhood at the end of the nineteenth century; its monuments and surrounding edifices are emblematic of the history and fabric of Montréal. Built between 1876 and 1880 upon a desacralized cemetery where 50,000 human remains are still buried, the square is significant in terms of archeology, architecture, and landscape history.
Commemoration of site history is foregrounded in the project. A subtle ground pattern of cross prints in staggered rows recalls the cemetery below. The proposal aims to restore the original Victorian public square, enhance links to urban generators of social activity, and remove incompatible uses to this classic oasis of grandeur in one of the city’s most venerable districts.
