Exploring Montréal’s brutalist architecture
Patrimony and Architecture
Brutalism played a pivotal role in shaping Montréal’s mid-20th-century aesthetic. Emerging in the post-World War II era, the architectural style emphasis of raw materials like exposed concrete and bold geometric forms found a place in the city’s rapid urbanization and embrace of modernist principles—making an innovative statement with then-contemporary urban development while departing from traditional design—during the 1960s and 1970s.
Today, Montréal boasts a remarkable collection of Brutalist structures that stand as enduring symbols of this influential movement. These buildings, characterized by their imposing forms and utilitarian materials, offer a unique lens through which to explore the city’s architectural evolution.
The essentials
RÉSO (Underground City)
Montréal’s Underground City, known as RÉSO (from the French word “réseau,” meaning “network”), is an extensive 33-kilometre network of interconnected tunnels beneath the city. Serving as a prime example of Brutalist architecture applied to urban infrastructure, RÉSO connects shopping centres, hotels, museums, universities, and metro stations, facilitating seamless movement throughout downtown Montréal, especially during harsh weather conditions.
Habitat 67
Conceived by architect Moshe Safdie for Expo 67, Habitat 67 is a pioneering residential complex that reimagines urban living. Comprising 354 interconnected concrete units, it forms 158 residences, each featuring a private terrace. Recognized as one of the most beautiful brutalist structures in the world, the complex offers panoramic views of the St. Lawrence River. Esteemed globally, Habitat 67 has been highlighted in Architectural Digest’s compilation of stunning Brutalist structures. Bonus: They provide guided tours of its space.
Cité-du-Havre, 2600 Pierre-Dupuy Avenue
The Olympic Stadium
An iconic structure that defines the city, the Olympic Stadium was designed by French architect Roger Taillibert as the centrepiece of the 1976 Summer Olympics. Many consider it a striking example of brutalist architecture, but it also deviates from the rigid, blocky forms typically associated with brutalism. That includes its towering, inclined mast—the tallest of its kind in the world—which adds a distinct sculptural quality that sets it apart, blending raw materiality with sweeping, futuristic curves.
4545 Pierre-De Coubertin Avenue
Downtown and academic icons
Brutalist architecture found a natural home in downtown Montréal and on the city’s university campuses, where its emphasis on durability, functionality, and cost-effective materials aligned with the needs of expansion. The style’s stark concrete forms conveyed a sense of permanence and stability, while its modular, no-frills approach allowed for practical, high-density designs that could accommodate growing populations.
Beyond function, brutalism’s bold, sculptural aesthetic gave these campuses a distinctive visual identity, reinforcing the idea of universities and other multifaceted buildings as centres of intellectual and social structure.
McGill University
McGill University’s campus is home to several notable examples, each reflecting brutalism’s emphases while showcasing the bold, pragmatic vision that defined its design. The McLennan Library Building serves as a central academic hub, its imposing façade a hallmark of the era’s architectural philosophy. Burnside Hall, a towering 14-story structure constructed for the Faculty of Science in 1970, stands out for its stark concrete exterior and rigid geometry. Meanwhile, the Stephen Leacock Building exemplifies the style’s no-frills approach, prioritizing function over ornamentation.
805 Sherbrooke Street West
Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM)
The Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) features striking examples of Brutalist architecture that reflect the era’s emphasis on raw materiality and bold geometric forms. The Pavillon Judith-Jasmin stands out with its angular design and textured concrete surfaces, embodying the sculptural quality of the style. Nearby, the Pavillon Hubert-Aquin reinforces a sense of pragmatism with solid concrete construction and a focus on functionality.
405 Sainte-Catherine Street East
Place Bonaventure
Place Bonaventure is one of Montréal’s most ambitious Brutalist structures, a massive multi-purpose complex that embodies the style’s emphasis on raw concrete and imposing scale. Originally conceived as a hub for commerce and events, it houses exhibition halls, office spaces, and a hotel within its fortress-like exterior. Built during a period of rapid urban expansion, its design reflects the era’s push for monumental, functional architecture that could accommodate a growing city’s needs while making a bold visual statement.
800 De La Gauchetière Street West
Complexe Desjardins
Designed by architect Jean-Claude La Haye and completed in the 1970s, Place Desjardins is a sprawling mixed-use complex that exemplifies Brutalist design at a city-wide scale. It’s a massive mixed-use complex that integrates office towers, a shopping concourse, and a hotel within a bold concrete framework. Its imposing façade and rigid geometric layout may reflect the era it was built in, but its central atrium introduces openness and light to balance the weight of its materials.
150 Sainte-Catherine Street West
Brutalism meets hospitality
While Brutalist architecture is often associated with institutional and civic buildings, its principles also found a place in Montréal’s hospitality design. Hotels built in this style emphasized durability, efficiency, and a sense of urban integration, making them well-suited for a bustling city centre. They not only bear a striking, modern identity, but their functional layouts prioritize guest comfort within a rigid architectural framework.
Hôtel Le Germain Montréal
Bringing a refined approach to Brutalist architecture, Hotel Le Germain integrates concrete elements with warm, modern finishes to create a sleek yet inviting atmosphere. The building’s geometric forms and industrial materials reflect the structural honesty of the style, while its interiors soften the aesthetic with thoughtful design details. Positioned in the heart of downtown Montréal with a stupendous paint job, it exemplifies how brutalism can be adapted for luxury hospitality and contemporary comfort.
2050 Mansfield Street
Hôtel Bonaventure Montréal
Perched atop Place Bonaventure, Hôtel Bonaventure transforms the Brutalist ethos of concrete and function into an elevated and experiential retreat. Its minimalist façade and rigid forms reflect the era’s architectural pragmatism, but inside, the design embraces contrast—lush rooftop gardens and a heated outdoor pool create an unexpectedly serene environment within the imposing structure. By combining durability with elements of leisure, the hotel reinterprets the style to offer a uniquely urban escape.
900 De La Gauchetière Street West
Structures like these tell the story of Montréal’s embrace of Brutalist architecture, as well as the city’s longstanding bold and design-driven spirit. These raw concrete forms helped solidify its reputation as a creative powerhouse, earning it the designation of a UNESCO City of Design in 2006. From visionary housing experiments to monumental urban infrastructure, brutalism remains an integral part of Montréal and its design identity’s foundational belief in the possibilities that lie in innovatively shaping space around us.
JP Karwacki
JP Karwacki is a Montréal-based writer and journalist whose work has appeared in Time Magazine, the Montreal Gazette, National Post, Time Out, NUVO Magazine, and more. Having called the city home for over a decade and a half, he regularly focuses on spreading the good word about the amazing things to eat, drink and do in Montréal. One half raconteur and the other flâneur (with just a dash of boulevardier), when he wasn’t working on the frontlines of the city's restaurants and bars, he spent his time thinking about, reading about and writing about restaurants and bars.