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 19th 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
