18.04.2008 The city of Montreal is a palimpsest, a series of surfaces upon which various actors, communities and organizations have left their trace in the form of the built environment. Much as the early seigneurial system of land division is still visible in many quarters of the city, so too are subsequent layers of urban and architectural development still alive, if only in the form of memories, in present-day Montreal. What is the nature of the relationship between a city, its memories and communities, and its ongoing transformation? Graduate students in architectural history have chosen distinct sites in Montreal to explore these questions. Drawing from the past, present and even the future of their chosen sites, the presenters of Montreal as Palimpsest explore the significance of architecture within the cultural landscape of Montreal. This symposium is the result of a collaboration between the Canadian Centre for Architecture and the Department of Art History, Concordia University. Students used the archives of the CCA, and other, special collections. The presentations of April 18, 2008, and the documents available on this site are a record of the research conducted in the context of this course and are the result of the collaboration. We hope you enjoy this exploration of Montreal, a city of surfaces, layers and depths, both collectively owned and individually experienced. Dr. Cynthia Hammond
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