The historical sources of struggle that lead to the shaping of the City of Montreal could be summed up into three major activities. These are colonial, commercial and religious activities. Arguably, the City was started off by the arrival of French settlers who were in their adventurous tours of the world. The arrival of French in around 1640 found the basis for the beginning of the City (Lesson 6: Old Montreal). However, it needs to be noted that the French settlers in Montreal did not merely repeat the cultural practices they had carried with them. Instead, the development of the City can be argued to have assumed a unique form that is not strictly speaking French. It is this basis that founded the development of the architecture of Montreal. However, it needs to be equally noted that the colonial times by the British later lay the foundation for the type of architecture that Montreal has been built upon. For instance, the Victoria Bridge construction was carried out largely by the Irish immigrants working during the colonial times. In addition, the colonial families to a great extent directed the character of architecture. For instance, the Brossard Family of 1750 developed the Montreal Architecture through the establishment of the Brossard House (Lesson 7: Old Montreal). In appreciating the colonial legacy of the City, the Fort of Senneville which was built of stone and wood needs to be noted. It was this Fort that was used for purposes of military camping during the pre-colonial times. The use of wood and stone perhaps informs the current architecture which continues to use the same.
Secondly, the historical struggle on religion could have influenced the development of the current City architecture. The Church of the Holy Guardian Angels in Lachine was built for purposes of advancing religious causes (Lesson 8: Lachine). However, the architecturally sound structure has won the admiration of several dwellers and perhaps led to the development of the current structural forms. Other religious inspirations are found in the statue of Father Nicolas Viel. The statue was built in commemoration of the founding father. The place of the church in the City’s architecture is further captured by the current Riviere des Prairies Church and Village (Lesson 4: Riviere des Prairies). The architectural developments in the village continue to inspire the city’s upcoming structures.
Finally, the commercial historical struggle has often had an influencing role in the direction of architecture for the city. The commercial struggle can be traced back to the colonial times. The French arrival and consequential settlement was informed by the need to secure themselves a place that would be commercially viable for their economic transactions. In addition, the fur trade which is traced back to the journey by Cavelier de La Salle to China continued for centuries on. It was this commercial nature that had influenced the bulk of structures in the city. Currently, the recent changes have seen an adoption of modern trading structures. In fact, modern Montreal is replete with typical commercial structures including red light districts (Lesson 5: the Main). This architectural development has been primarily influenced by the adoption of the capitalist setup and lifestyle. With the opening of the Saint Lawrence Shore structures such as the Natatorium with a capacity to handle 1150 bathers at a time did emanate (Lesson 3 : Saint Lawrence shore). Indeed, the commercial influence on the architecture remains the one that has remained most relevant with religion and colonialism moving to the background.
Works Cited
eConcordia. Montreal: Evolution of a City through its Architecture and Urbanism. 3 March 2013. 19 July 2013. <http://www.econcordia.com/courses/architecture_urbanism/lesson8/>.
Gravenor, Kristian and David Gravenor. Montreal: The Unknown City. Quebec: Pulp Press, 2010.
Lauzon, Gilles and Madelleine Forget. Old Montreal: History Through Heritage. Quebec: Les Publications Du Quebec, 2004.
Louis, Regis. Montréal and Québec City. Quebec: Lonely Planet, 2010.
Marsan, Jean. Montreal in Evolution: Historical Analysis of the Development of Montreal's Architecture and Urban Environment. Quebec: McGill-Queen's Press, 2008.
