Restoration and Enhancement of the Archaeological Remains of Montreal’s Fortification Walls at Champ-de-Mars

The archaeological remains at Champ-de-Mars are a complete remnant of this bastion of Montreal’s former military fortifications (1717-1817). A valuable military heritage site, exposed in 1992, the remains were showing signs of serious deterioration. The multidisciplinary team was commissioned to design and implement their conservation and enhancement, and to support the revitalization of the Champ-de-Mars.

While the project pays particular attention to strict restoration of the foundations and rehabilitation of the visible remains, the contemporary intervention is revealed in the design of the protective crown. Conceived as a landscape piece rather than a simple architectural device, the design features alternating bands of limestone and grass following a strict repetitive logic. The strategy subtly interweaves the remains and the grassy plain, revealing the dual reading of the remains as structure and landscape. The visual perspectives offered by the composition, the ever-changing visual encounter, help to renew the perception of the site and charge the experience of the site with a new poetic dimension. In the evening, the lighting highlights the scale and figurative geometry of the remains. For the first time, the effect offers a monumental, event-driven vision of the Champ-de-Mars.