Designed by Lemay in collaboration with artist Angela Silver and the engineering team at AtkinsRéalis, Place des Montréalaises is reshaping Montreal’s civic and tourist heart by covering a sunken expressway with a vibrant esplanade.

In Montreal, women remain largely underrepresented in toponymy and Place des Montréalaises stands as an architectural response to this historical imbalance. The plaza pays tribute to the 14 victims of the 1989 École Polytechnique femicide and honours seven Montreal pioneers.

The design concept creates a strong connection with two other figures: the new plaza engages with the large stained glass panels of artist Marcelle Ferron’s La verrière, which adorn three facades of the adjacent Champ-de-Mars metro station, as well as with Place Marie-Josèphe-Angélique, redesigned in 2025 as part of the project.

The floating, inclined plane at the heart of the site constitutes the defining structure. A cylindrical mirror rises near the metro entrance. Inscribed across its entire surface are the names of the women being honoured.

The staircase provides access to the flowering meadow and serves as seating. An urban forest offers a transition zone at the site’s entrance.