The STM renames one of its committees in honour of architect Jean Dumontier

Montréal, February 6, 2019 – During its public meeting on February 6, 2019, the STM Board of Directors formally changed the name of the Montréal Métro Architecture Committee to the Jean Dumontier Committee. 

“With this new name, the STM wishes to acknowledge Jean Dumontier’s exceptional contribution to the Montréal métro. Mr. Dumontier left his mark on the métro as an architect during the construction of the initial network in the 1960s and then as head architect during its expansion in the 1970s and 80s. He saw the métro as a machine, but a machine for humans. This meant it needed to be humanized with quality architecture featuring first-class materials, large spaces and natural light,” says Philippe Schnobb, Chairman of the STM Board of Directors.

A builder of the métro

Born in Rigaud in 1935, Jean Dumontier spent his youth in Labelle in the Laurentians. Upon completing his architecture studies in the early 1960s, he was hired by the City of Montréal. He worked on various projects at the Bureau du métro before designing two Yellow line stations: Île-Sainte-Hélène (Jean-Drapeau) and Longueuil (Longueuil–Université-de-Sherbrooke). A proponent of integrating art into architecture, he was the first métro architect to create his own artworks in the stations he designed. 

When the Bureau de transport métropolitain (BTM) was created in 1970, he was named director of architecture for the expansion of the métro. He held this position until his retirement in 1992, surrounding himself with a team of talented young architects. He always maintained a keen interest in the métro, even occasionally offering guided tours. More recently, he sat on the Montréal Métro Architecture Committee, where he provided sound advice until his death, on December 27, 2018. 

The Jean Dumontier Committee

The Jean Dumontier Committee was created in 2018. Its mandate is to issue recommendations to STM management when work is required on the architecture of Montréal métro stations. A prime example of 1960s, 70s and 80s architecture, the network must be adapted to modern-day realities, such as universal accessibility, new technology and commercial revenue. Clear rules must be followed to preserve the network’s architectural integrity. 

The committee uses fact sheets for each station that contain a range of architectural information and identify what requires special attention. The information is intended for STM and external professionals for their work in the stations. The committee consists of nine members, including five STM architects, a Montréal métro historian, an architecture school principal, a representative from the Conseil du patrimoine de Montréal and a former BTM architect.