André Sauvé left an indelible mark on the profession, through both the excellence of his work and his passionate engagement with his many communities. He was at once a landscape architect and advocate for the profession, an agronomist with a life-long love of arboriculture, and an energetic and inspirational leader.
In 1955, André Sauvé graduated from the University of Montreal (B.S.Agr.), and was awarded the Lieutenant-Governor's Medal of Québec. Four years later, he completed his graduate studies in landscape architecture, ornamental horticulture, communications and urban design at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
Sauvé worked initially for the Quebec Ministry of Agriculture, and then the urban design firm of Lahaye & Robert. By 1967, he had established his own consulting firm, punctuating his work history by becoming project manager for LA, urban design and regional planning for the multidisciplinary firm of Beauchemin, Beaton, Lapointe Inc. of Montreal (1970-73).
In his private practice, Sauvé also took on park and site planning, master planning and environmental impact studies, and furthered his own studies while teaching part time at the Universities of Montreal and Laval.
Mr. Sauvé had an exceptional history of service to the profession. He was twice President of the Association des architectes paysagistes du Québec from (1974-1976, 1978-1979). As the AAPQ grew to encompass more than 50 LAs, President Sauvé established its first “circular to members.” Historian Ron Williams remembers the slim, photocopied leaflet, duly typed on an IBM Selectric, published bi-monthly as of February 1975. “Les Nouvelles” was the forerunner of a series of ever-improving publications which became for many years the French language voice of landscape architecture in Canada.
Sauvé was CSLA President (1983 - 1984) when the CSLA’s 500 members were preparing to mark the Society’s Golden Jubilee (1984). Sauvé, with Congress Chair Dieter Gruenwoldt, took “immense pride” in this historic professional milestone which, he believed, promised a new era of hope and professional pride.
Although Sauvé died just two years later, the CSLA presented Sauvé with the Schwabenbauer Award (formerly President’s Award) in 1992, and the AAPQ established the Prix André-Sauvé, which for over a decade, was granted to a graduating University of Montreal LA student.
Photos
- OALA Review, 1982 and 1984.
- Congress logo and images from Fifty Years of Landscape Architecture in Canada, 1934-84, by Cecelia Paine (Editor).
- André pictured with Janina Stensson and Edwin Skapsts.
