The architecture and design blog

Photos: Provencher Roy.

When the Erskine and American Church in Montreal fell out of religious use, the preservation of its historic fabric became an important question for the city. It was built in the late 19^th century at a time when Montreal apparently contained 70% of the nation’s wealth. This spending power was reflected in the grand architectural style of the church, its limestone and Miramichi sandstone construction, and features like the 20 Tiffany stained-glass windows, the largest collection of its kind in Canada.

The conservation problem was solved by careful restoration of the historical fabric, whilst the more difficult question of what to use the building for, was solved by its transformation into a 444 seat a concert hall with a new extension housing a contemporary art gallery. Designed by Provencher Roy + Associés Architectes, the resulting scheme has won several awards. Read more

Photos: Marko Zoranovič

In any rural area, a pristine, cubic and minimal house such as this is a clear statement of intent. Where the context is historical, such as the town of Škofja Loka in Slovenia, the proposal begins to look if not provocative, then perhaps radical. That such a house can be built at all is a credit to the designers Arhitektura d.o.o as well as the local authorities who approved it. I am sure it would have a hard time gaining approval in most conservative rural areas in Europe especially England. Read more