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New article published in Le Devoir by Yolene Handabaka Ames, student of the individualized doctorate in architecture at the École d'architecture de la Faculté de l'aménagement: What's behind the demolition of Chocolats favoris' building in Vieux-Lévis? "The case of the imminent demolition of Chocolats favoris has been making headlines since October 2023, when a public notice of demolition request from the City of Lévis was posted on the building's façade. The saga, which lasted almost two years, revealed recurring conservation issues surrounding Quebec's built heritage. So much so that the Lévis residence has become an emblematic case of what lies behind most heritage building demolition projects: the social value of a “living” heritage. In autumn 2022, the house that had housed Chocolats favoris since 1996 was closed due to water infiltration and deteriorating masonry. After professional appraisals, letters signed by heritage advocates, requests for review and the active participation of Lévis residents at public hearings, demolition was approved on December 16. A request for a one-year moratorium did not change the building's fate either. On June 19, at a regular meeting of the municipal council, elected officials voted against accepting the request. The house of Chocolats favoris will soon fall under the demolition pick... " Read more on Le Devoir’s website. Photo by René Bélanger (Flickr).

The City of Montreal has selected the Canada Research Chair in Architecture for research on the lived experience of quality by users of public buildings. Jean-Pierre Chupin, Bechara Helal and Carmela Cucuzzella will develop a protocol for collecting lived experiences with doctoral students: Firdous Nizar, Paloma Castonguay-Rufino, Yolene Handabaka, Shantanu Biswas Linkon, Cyrille Tchango Ngamaleu of the Individualized PhD in Architecture program. The proposal from the Canada Research Chair in Architecture, Competitions and Mediations of Excellence (CRC-ACME) team was selected in Stream 1 of the call “Developing a Stronger Design Culture, Together – 2nd Edition” (Call for Proposals 2023-2024). Project: Protocol for investigating and qualitatively assessing the social value of public buildings through the collection of lived experiences by users Description: Post-occupancy quality assessment protocol providing methods for collecting and analyzing testimonials about the experience of municipal sites and buildings, and creating a collection of stories and records of remarkable lived experiences. The aim is to gain a better understanding of the factors that influence the quality of the experience of municipal sites and buildings. The project will enrich the strategies and actions for sustaining quality presented in the Quality Toolkit Design Montréal (section Quality Vision). It will also contribute to achieving the results of the Montréal 2030 strategic plan, particularly with regard to the following priority: Priority 19 – Provide all Montrealers with safe, quality living environments and a local response to their needs. To learn more: https://designmontreal.com/trousse/la-qualite-ca-se-vit-au-quotidien For more information on the program of Design Montréal: https://designmontreal.com/appels/developper-ensemble-une-plus-forte-culture-du-design-edition-2?section=3948 Consult the complete report: https://designmontreal.com/s3fs-public/2025-05/protocole-valeur-sociale_udem.pdf?VersionId=wAorph2CDytrmoi-T9vjUZthx9Znz-Z

Toronto 2025 Convention Program : Toward a White Paper on Quality... The final program for the 2025 Annual Convention is now available. From April 30 to May 2 in Toronto, the event will bring together experts, researchers, and practitioners to advance a national strategy for quality in Canada’s built environment. We are happy to share with you this program and hope you are as excited as we are for those great speakers, roundtables discussions and site visits that will take place during the convention.   Jean-Pierre Chupin, PhD, Professor, Architect MOAQ, MIRAC. Holder of the Canada Research Chair in Architecture, Competitions and Mediations of Excellence at Université de Montréal and Principal Investigator of the SSHRC Research Partnership on Quality in Canada’s Built Environment.

Conference by Léa-Catherine Szacka , University of Manchester Date: Tuesday, April 1st at 5:30 pm. Location: Amphitheatre 1120, Faculté de l’aménagement, Université de Montréal Lecture series of the Laboratoire d’étude de l’architecture potentielle   Crossed Histories Phyllis Lambert, Ada Louise Huxtable and Gae Aulenti on architecture and the city   Summary: Born in the 1920s, architects Gae Aulenti and Phyllis Lambert and critic Ada Louise Huxtable were among the most influential figures in post-war architecture and design. Pioneers in a largely male-dominated field at the time, and key players in the transition from modernism to postmodernism, they set out to conquer and shape public space. This talk retraces the history and careers of these three women, who are the focus of the exhibition Crossed Histories, presented until May 2025 at the Canadian Cultural Centre in Paris.   Léa-Catherine Szacka: Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) in Architectural Studies, University of Manchester Director of the Manchester Architecture Research Group (MARG) Vice-President, European Architectural History Network (EAHN) Co-Founder, PASZA - Platform for Architectural Research

Professor Chupin was nominated by Thierry Montpetit, FRAIC, and letters of support were submitted by five renowned Quebec architects: Anik Shooner, FIRAC, Nathalie Dion, FIRAC, Gilles Prud'homme, FIRAC, Maxime Frappier, FIRAC, and Renée Daoust, FIRAC, in the category of : Outstanding scholarly contributions supported by research, publications or teaching in the field of architecture, and, Outstanding contributions to the profession fostering excellence in architectural practice through leadership in public service or industry organizations.   Fellows will be formally inducted into the RAIC College on Tuesday, June 3, 2025 at an induction ceremony held in conjunction with the RAIC Conference on Architecture in Montreal, Quebec.   Visit the RAIC website to see the 43 new Fellows 2025.

“From business districts almost exclusively reserved for commercial and professional activities, Canadian downtowns are increasingly becoming living spaces. Yet there are few elementary schools, which are essential to inclusive urban development. And for good reason: the traditional model of the single-purpose, low-rise school building, with a large playground at ground level, is at odds with a high-density, high-value environment. The heart of metropolises attracts developers, all the more so as urban planning regulations allow them to erect high-rise buildings, a source of significant revenue. So what kind of school architecture can we imagine for our city centers? And what might it offer schoolchildren?” - A. Cormier, A. Paré and G. Adamczyk, En centre-ville : une architecture à hauteur d'enfant, Potential Architecture Books, Montreal, 2024   The Laboratoire d'étude de l'architecture potentielle (LEAP) recognizes the importance of the stakes involved in building schools downtown, and held a round table on this theme to mark the launch of the book En centre-ville : une architecture à hauteur d'enfant.   Moderator Jean-Pierre Chupin, Architect and Professor at the School of Architecture, Université de Montréal, Chair Holder of the Canada Research Chair in Architecture, Competitions and Mediations of Excellence and Director of the LEAP   Panelists Robert Beaudry, Montréal city councillor, Member of the Executive Committee, Responsible for OCPM urban planning and homelessness Carol Bélanger, Chief Architect, City of Edmonton Anne Cormier, Architect, Professor at the School of Architecture, Université de Montréal, Researcher at the LEAP Ève Desrosiers, Architect, Héloïse Thibodeau architecte Maryse Laberge, Architect, nfoe Claude Laurin, Architect, Real Estate Planning and Development Coordinator, Centre de services scolaires de Montréal Jordan Owen, Junior Developer, Mondev   The round table is supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), the Vice-rectorat à la recherche, à la découverte, à la création et à l'innovation de l'Université de Montréal (VRRCDI) and the Laboratoire d'étude de l'architecture potentielle (LEAP).[vc_video link="https://vimeo.com/1011071339/907b73b83c" css=""]

Raising awareness of the issues and principles of universal accessibility in public spaces

This book provides an in-depth exploration of the rich and persistent use of analogical thinking in the built environment. Comparing views on the role of analogies and metaphors by prominent voices in architecture and related disciplines from the 17th century to the present, the book shows how the “analogical world of the project” is revealed as a wide-open field of creative and cognitive interactions.

On the occasion of accessibility week at the Senate, La Presse echoes the research coordinated by researchers from the Université de Montréal who are members of LEAP and the SSHRC partnership on quality. Click here to read the article.

The Rise of Awards in Architecture is the first scientific study to focus on awards in architecture and the built environment. This book analyzes in detail what these awards are meant to embody, symbolize and measure. Find out the authors' thoughts on their respective chapters in video!