Place des Montréalaises,
design: Lemay
A public space has been created in the heart of downtown Montreal that combines the function of an urban square, a green promenade and a memorial. Place des Montréalaises, designed by the Lemay studio in collaboration with artist Angela Silver and the AtkinsRéalis engineering team, covers a section of a sunken highway and restores urban continuity between Old Montreal and the contemporary downtown. The project was realized in 2025 as the winning concept of an international landscape architecture competition announced by the city government in 2017. Today, the site functions simultaneously as a pedestrian route, a meeting space and a symbolic landmark commemorating women associated with Montreal's history.
Place des Montréalaises in Montreal - an infographic showing the location of the various buildings
photo by Vincent Brillant
Montreal's new plaza covering the highway
For many years, the sunken road artery cutting through this part of Montreal was a clear boundary between the historic Old Town and the developing downtown. The transportation infrastructure, while essential to the functioning of the metropolis, created a barrier in this part of the city that was difficult to cross - both spatially and visually. The realization of Place des Montréalaises changed the character of the place. A section of the highway was covered with an extensive esplanade, which made it possible to restore the continuity of pedestrian routes and reconnect two important parts of the city. The former infrastructure gap was transformed into a public space with a distinct social function.
Place des Montréalaises in Montreal - 21 species of plants arranged in 86 planting groups were planted here
photo by Vincent Brillant
Commemorating women in Montreal's public spaces
One of the most important goals of the project was to create a place that would restore the memory of women associated with the city's history. In many metropolises, public space still reflects little of their contributions to society. The names of streets, squares or institutions most often refer to male figures. Place des Montréalaises provides an architectural response to this imbalance. The square pays tribute to 21 women elected by the Conseil des Montréalaises. It commemorates the 14 victims of the 1989 femicide at the École Polytechnique: Geneviève Bergeron, Hélène Colgan, Nathalie Croteau, Barbara Daigneault, Anne-Marie Edward, Maud Haviernick, Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz, Maryse Laganière, Maryse Leclair, Anne-Marie Lemay, Sonia Pelletier, Michèle Richard, Annie St-Arneault and Annie Turcotte. The square space also recalled seven female pioneers with ties to Montreal: Myra Cree, Jessie Maxwell-Smith, Agnès Vautier, Ida Roth Steinberg, Idola Saint-Jean, Harriet Brooks and Jeanne Mance.
The new space is also in dialogue with existing elements of the cityscape. Of particular significance is the monumental stained-glass installation "La verrière" by Marcelle Ferron, which adorns the facade of the nearby Champ-de-Mars metro station. Also in the immediate vicinity is the Place Marie-Josèphe-Angélique square, redeveloped in 2025 as part of the same urban planning initiative.
Place des Montréalaises in Montreal - one of the project's most important objectives was to create a place that would restore the memory of the women associated with the city's history
photo by Vincent Brillant
Architecture and form of Place des Montréalaises
The spatial composition of the square is based on one clear architectural gesture. The central element of the establishment is a sloping, rising landscape platform, which is also the roof over a section of the highway. The surface of the platform was shaped as a gently rising terrain leading users towards the upper part of the esplanade. The transportation system was subordinated to this topography - stairs and pedestrian routes lead to the upper level, while creating places to stop and observe the surroundings. An oculus - a large opening piercing a suspended meadow - was also introduced into the structure of the platform. It allows the existing tree growing at street level to remain in the landscape, while reducing the load on the slab structure. This element makes the architecture and landscape intermingle, and the project retains a clear connection to the site's previous structure.
Place des Montréalaises in Montreal - bird's eye view
photo by Vincent Brillant
Flower meadow and landscape over infrastructure
The most distinctive feature of the square is an extensive floral meadow extending over a sloping platform. It is planted with 21 species of plants arranged in 86 groups of plantings. The composition changes with the seasons, thanks to which the space retains a dynamic character. The symbolism of the plantings refers to the number of women commemorated, but the landscape design also has an important environmental function. In a densely built-up part of the city, vegetation was introduced to increase biodiversity and improve the microclimate. A small urban forest was also created north of the square. It was planted over railroad tunnels and infrastructure installations, which required particularly careful selection of species. Plants were chosen for their resistance to limited soil depth and adaptability to urban conditions. As a result, more than half the area of the entire establishment was covered with greenery.
Place des Montréalaises in Montreal - a cylindrical mirror was placed near the entrance to the subway station
photo by Vincent Brillant
Art installation and interaction with the space
A cylindrical mirror was set up near the entrance to the subway station as the centerpiece of an art intervention by Angela Silver. The names of the commemorated women were engraved on its surface. The letters were designed to visually "flow" from the mirror onto the nearby stairs. Passersby can arrange different combinations of names from them, interacting directly with the installation. In this way, the memory of the project's heroines was not enclosed in the static form of a monument, but became part of the daily experience of the square's users.
Place des Montréalaises in Montreal
photo by Vincent Brillant
A new meeting place in downtown Montreal
Since its opening in spring 2025, Place des Montréalaises has quickly become one of the most visited places in downtown Montreal. The square functions as a daily strolling and meeting space for residents, as well as a stage for art events and community initiatives. The project demonstrates how contemporary landscape architecture can transform difficult infrastructural spaces into active parts of the city. At the same time, Place des Montréalaises introduces into the urban landscape a narrative about the memory and history of women associated with Montreal.
Elaborated: Anastazja Gibas
Illustrations provided courtesy of studio Lemay.
