In the landscaped setting of Montreal's Champ-de-Mars stands the last vestige of Montreal's 18th century forticiation walls. Restored for the 350th anniversary of Montreal's foundation in 1992, the levelled walls have since suffered from a lack of protection. With a new contemporary crown consisting of a stainless steel frame, limestone slabs, grass, and light, the recently completed 3.5 M$ restoration will preserve this archaeological gem well into the future an dpromote th eknowledge of the walls and its place in the city's ties to its French heritage. Design credits go to Urban Soland, Lafontaine and Soucy Architects and Genivar.
The restoration of the 200 meter-long double wall remains of Montreal's 18th century fortification was as much a mission to restore, rebuild where necessary and protect an important, cultural icon as it was to re-establish the significance of the city's Champ-de-Mars as a window into Montreal's past. The decision to adopt a contemporary crown and a strong lighting scheme follows th eneed to telescope the past and reaffirm the meaning of the city's history in the public's collective imagination. While the strong repetitive motif underscores the military geometry of late Renaissance fortification theory, the alternating design of stone and grass reveals the ruins' levelled architecture and once-buried past. The design also introduces strong visual rhythms transforming the soft landscaped setting of Champ-de-Mars into a new public experience.
