Michael Fish (architect)
Encyclopedia
Michael James S. Fish is a Canadian architect
and urban conservationist
, best known for his attempts to preserve heritage buildings in Montreal
.
.
In 1970, Fish co-founded Friends of Windsor Station
with architect Peter Lanken and urban-planning professor Jean-Claude Marsan. In 1974, he co-founded Save Montreal. He has been credited with playing a major role in saving, or preventing major transformation of, such buildings as the Dawson College
building at Sherbrooke
and Atwater Street
s, the Collège de Montréal
on Sherbrooke Street, the Grey Nuns
' quarters and church at René Lévesque Boulevard
and Guy Street
, and the patriotes' prison
near the Jacques Cartier Bridge
. In the mid-1980s, he served as vice-president of the Canadian International Council of Monuments and Sites, a United Nations affiliate.
After becoming more involved in political lobbying for marginalized groups, he found less and less work available to him from private developers, who saw conservationists as "a threat", according to him. In the latter part of his career, his firm worked only on social housing projects. He has stated that a highlight of his conservation work was saving a row of greystone houses on Jeanne Mance Street, south of Sherbrooke Street.
In 1989, he advocated for the preservation of Rockcliffe Airport
hangar
s. Earlier in his career he had designed hangars for Canada's air force, and for Trans-Canada Air Lines
.
.
In 2003, he was presented with a Montreal city medal for his work with Save Montreal.
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
and urban conservationist
Architectural conservation
Architectural conservation describes the process through which the material, historical, and design integrity of mankind's built heritage are prolonged through carefully planned interventions. The individual engaged in this pursuit is known as an architectural conservator...
, best known for his attempts to preserve heritage buildings in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
.
Biography
Michael Fish began his career in Montreal in 1956, mostly involved in new apartment building construction. Soon, he developed an interest in renovating established buildings rather than constructing after demolition. He noted that it was less expensive, and less disruptive to the cohesion of neighbourhoods. He became involved in community groups that advocated to save structures such as the Van Horne MansionVan Horne Mansion
The Van Horne Mansion was a classic greystone house in the Golden Square Mile district of Montreal that once belonged to Canadian railway magnate William Cornelius Van Horne. It existed on Sherbrooke Street at the corner of Stanley Street. It was torn down by developer David Azrieli in 1973 under...
.
In 1970, Fish co-founded Friends of Windsor Station
Windsor Station (Montreal)
Windsor Station is a former train station in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, formerly serving as the city's Canadian Pacific Railway Station.Windsor Station was the Canadian Pacific Railway's headquarters built between 1887 and 1889. The Romanesque Revival building was designed by New York architect...
with architect Peter Lanken and urban-planning professor Jean-Claude Marsan. In 1974, he co-founded Save Montreal. He has been credited with playing a major role in saving, or preventing major transformation of, such buildings as the Dawson College
Dawson College
Dawson College was the first English CEGEP and is located in Westmount, just west of downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Dawson College is located near the heart of downtown Montreal in a former nunnery on 4.85 hectares of green space...
building at Sherbrooke
Sherbrooke Street
Sherbrooke Street is a major east-west artery and at in length, is the second longest street on the Island of Montreal. The street begins in the town of Montreal West and ends on the extreme tip of the island in Pointe-aux-Trembles, intersecting Gouin Boulevard and joining up with Notre-Dame...
and Atwater Street
Atwater Street
Atwater Avenue is a major north-south street located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is links Doctor Penfield Avenue in the Ville-Marie borough to the north, and Henri Duhamel Street in the Verdun borough to the south...
s, the Collège de Montréal
Collège de Montréal
The Collège de Montréal is a private secondary school for students attending grades 7–11 located in Downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada. A former Roman Catholic Seminary, it was founded 1 June 1767 as the Petit Séminaire of Montreal by the Suplician Order...
on Sherbrooke Street, the Grey Nuns
Grey Nuns
The Order of Sisters of Charity of Montreal, formerly called The Order of Sisters of Charity of the Hôpital Général of Montreal and more commonly known as the Grey Nuns of Montreal, is a Canadian order of Roman Catholic religious sisters...
' quarters and church at René Lévesque Boulevard
René Lévesque Boulevard
René Lévesque Boulevard is one of the main streets in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.It is a main east-west thoroughfare passing through the downtown core in the borough of Ville-Marie. The street begins on the west at Atwater Avenue and continues until it merges with Notre Dame Street East just east...
and Guy Street
Guy Street
Guy Street is a north-south street located in downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Concordia University's Integrated Engineering, Computer Science and Visual Arts Complex is located on this street, as is the John Molson School of Business building. The street is home to the Guy-Concordia metro station...
, and the patriotes' prison
Pied-du-Courant Prison
The Pied-du-Courant Prison is a building in Montreal, Quebec near the Saint Lawrence River and the Jacques-Cartier Bridge.- Overview :A former prison, it now houses offices of the Société des alcools du Québec, the state-owned liquor board in Quebec. It saw the incarceration and execution by...
near the Jacques Cartier Bridge
Jacques Cartier Bridge
The Jacques Cartier Bridge is a steel truss cantilever bridge crossing the Saint Lawrence River from Montreal Island, Montreal, Quebec to the south shore at Longueuil, Quebec, Canada...
. In the mid-1980s, he served as vice-president of the Canadian International Council of Monuments and Sites, a United Nations affiliate.
After becoming more involved in political lobbying for marginalized groups, he found less and less work available to him from private developers, who saw conservationists as "a threat", according to him. In the latter part of his career, his firm worked only on social housing projects. He has stated that a highlight of his conservation work was saving a row of greystone houses on Jeanne Mance Street, south of Sherbrooke Street.
In 1989, he advocated for the preservation of Rockcliffe Airport
Ottawa/Rockcliffe Airport
Ottawa/Rockcliffe Airport or Rockcliffe Airport, , a former military base, is a non-towered airport located on the south shore of the Ottawa River, northeast of Downtown Ottawa, Ontario, Canada...
hangar
Hangar
A hangar is a closed structure to hold aircraft or spacecraft in protective storage. Most hangars are built of metal, but other materials such as wood and concrete are also sometimes used...
s. Earlier in his career he had designed hangars for Canada's air force, and for Trans-Canada Air Lines
Trans-Canada Air Lines
Trans-Canada Air Lines was a Canadian airline and operated as the country's flag carrier. Its corporate headquarters were in Montreal, Quebec...
.
Awards
In 1987, he received acclaim for his "significant contribution to heritage preservation in Quebec" and was presented with a lieutenant-governor's award from Heritage CanadaHeritage Canada
The Heritage Canada Foundation , also known as Heritage Canada , is a registered charity with the mandate to encourage the protection and promotion of the built, natural, historic, and scenic heritage of Canada...
.
In 2003, he was presented with a Montreal city medal for his work with Save Montreal.