Canadian Center for Architecture in Montreal  

phyllis lambert
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The Toronto-Dominion Centre.
The Toronto-Dominion Centre.
Phyllis Barbara Lambert, C.C., G.O.Q., M.Arch., O.A.L., F.R.A.I.C., F.R.S.C., R.C.A., LL.D (née Bronfman, born January 24, 1927) is a distinguished Canadian philanthopist and member of the Bronfman family.
Born in Winnipeg, she studied at Vassar (BA-1948). She moved to France in 1949 and married Baron Jean Lambert, a banker and Rothschild cousin, but they divorced in 1954.
She moved to New York City in 1954 and became involved in architecture; she graduated from the Illinois Institute of Technology in 1963. In the 1960s, she designed the Saidye Bronfman Centre in Montreal, named after her mother. Working with Ludwig Mies van der Rohe she was also influential in his two most successful skyscraper projects, the Seagram Building and the Toronto-Dominion Centre.
In 1979, she founded the Canadian Centre for Architecture, a museum and research centre with an international reputation in Montreal. She has donated generously to the Centre, giving it 750,000 shares of Seagram.
In 1990 she received an honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts, Architecture from the Pratt Institute. In 1992, she was made Officier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres de France. She holds honorary degrees from some 26 universities in North America and in Europe.
Her work includes:
* Seagram Building in New York with Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (as director of planning).
* Restoration of the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles with Gene Summers (as developer).
* Toronto-Dominion Centre in Toronto with Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (as consultant).
* Saidye Bronfman Centre in Montreal, Quebec with Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.
In 1985 she was made a Member of the Order of Canada, promoted to Officer in 1990, and promoted to Companion in 2001. In 1985, she was made a Knight of the National Order of Quebec and was promoted to Grand Officer in 2005.

Thank you, LRF....
The book I'm reading describes her in this way though through shorthand, but its helps to see her unusual combination of deep pockets and training in architecture laid out explicitly. One could say that she could have had all of those awards, honors and positions without ever having picked up a book about architecture, had she chosen the easy way and given what the Bronfman fortune means in Canada. But in fact she did get trained and she did practice and she did put her money where her mouth was and her taste and talent and skill on the firing line so to speak. And she did help Mies build a first rate building. And she did not stop pushing the envelope.
Now to reiterate, has anyone seen the CCA building and would they like to comment on its architectural and design merits and demerits?
It would be easy to say that she, CCA and the Bronfmans are too imposing for us all to talk frankly about the building, but from what little I have learned about her so far, I would believe she would insist on an honest, spirited discussion of the significance and merit of her buildings, especially the CCA building by she and Rose. It seems far the more innovative and far the larger leap into the unknown when compared to the Seagrams Building, given that Mies was already a 68 year old legend of modernism, when she retained him to build another skyscraper in Manhattan. Creating a building for CCA in Montreal with a young architect after getting frustrated with her own efforts at designing the CCA, took some courage, some confidence in her judgement about young talent, and some humility about her need for help with the CCA project.
Anyone?

27-Jun-07
phyllis lamber...
27-Jun-07
phyllis lambert is a true legend in the field .. she grew up privilaged but choice to do something that she really loved and enjoyed and chice to better the field of Architecture I have read for years about what she started with the CCA.
I have known people in NYC over the last 25 years who have been close friends with her and her brothers . Even the old man Sam commmisioned Mies to build the Segrams building he did so with the stipulation that Phyllis get hands on experience. not only from Mies but from the contractors on every aspect of building the building that bears the company name .
The sad thing is she did such a good job on that building she should have continued building great post modern buildings after Mies passed away... she
and Florance Knoll were perhaps the two woman who knew Mies better than anyone and how he thought and designed , .

I do not know Phyllis very well...
We have shaken hands a few times as people do that live in the same city and are interested in the same things. I do not know Peter Rose personally although I was a member of the jury that gave him both first and second price in one of his early architectural competitions. But...I know the CCA, at least the public parts inside out. Phyllis Lambert is known for liking those people who speak their mind and although I have great respect for her involvement in the culture of Montreal, which goes well beyond her generosity, most known buildings and the visionary collection she put together in the CCA, the building itself is not as good as one would expect. Post modernism has something to do with it. First of all I do not think that there was an obvious alternative to choosing a architectural approach other than an "historical" understanding of the grey stone mansion that is the preserved center piece of the building. I do not think that it is as much Post-modern as it is respectfull for that existing building. So it is mith some hesitation that I call it post-modern. The proportions of the building are superb, the detailing is in some parts "over-constructed" but in general it has an understated elegance that makes it worthwhile to visit, no matter how long the trip. The craftmanship of the wooden paneling inside, and of all architectural details is consistant with the perfectionist mind of Phyllis Lambert. Probably with the exception of the bookstore (one of my favorite places) the entrance and a small rotonda on the right side going up the stairs in the entrance, the inside spaces are not of the quality one would expect when you look at the building from the outside. The superb quality and good choice of materials is still there but not the proportions. It might be one of these typical "concessions" one has to make when the outside volume and geometry is made so important, but in this case I find that concession too heavy a price. I did not mention the garden but part of the mansion is mirrored on the other side of the street (former Dorchester, now René Levesque) in a typical Melvin Charney fashion. He also did the bronze sculptures in the garden and the planning of that part. The other side is a more small scale residential area and the CCA is build on the far end of the lot. Giving ample space to a large and well trimmed garden. The CCA attracts scolars from around the world but the public part is the home for regular exhibitions. It is certainly worth visiting and not far from Mies Van der Rohe's Westmount square. It is hard to do justice to Phyllis Lambert's involvement in architecture, from her protest actions against the demolition of small scale neighbourhoods north of Sherbrooke street, to the monumental collection of the CCA, it is good to have her!