Though he's not exactly a household name, turn-of-the-century architect Joseph "Jos." Venne was instrumental in defining the look of Montreal, designing over 100 buildings from 1880 to 1925. Venne's ornate aesthetic can be seen in a wide variety of buildings including the Notre-Dame-de-Bonsecours chapel, the Monument-National theatre and the St-Enfant-Jésus du Mile-End church to less well-known houses, apartments, banks and fire stations around the city. Venne was also responsible for drafting Montreal's first Building Code and pioneering the construction of safer, fire-resistant buildings.
Continuing in their tradition of excavating odd and obscure bits of local Montreal history, the Écomusée du fier monde (2050 Amherst) has put together Jos. Venne Architecte, an exhibit focusing on the man's life and works. The exhibit, which runs until June 2, 2002, offers an opportunity to check out a pivotal and somewhat forgotten character responsible in large part for forging Montreal's unique aesthetic.
Though he's not exactly a household name, turn-of-the-century architect Joseph "Jos." Venne was instrumental in defining the look of Montreal, designing over 100 buildings from 1880 to 1925. Venne's ornate aesthetic can be seen in a wide variety of buildings including the Notre-Dame-de-Bonsecours chapel, the Monument-National theatre and the St-Enfant-Jésus du Mile-End church to less well-known houses, apartments, banks and fire stations around the city. Venne was also responsible for drafting Montreal's first Building Code and pioneering the construction of safer, fire-resistant buildings.