Montreal, Canada, 2023-04-19 -  Sixty-five years ago, Denis Lamarre, Bernard Jodoin, and Gérard Pratte set up an office at 3605, rue Saint-Denis, and established a firm with the ambition to produce sustainable and responsible architecture. More than six decades later, that firm comprises six senior partners, fourteen directors, five technical directors, and a team of over one hundred architects, interns, designers, technologists, technicians, and internal services professionals. Together, they pursue the culture and the values of the founders: rigor, integrity, and collaboration. Many generations have come and gone, each introducing new ways of working and perfecting professional tools and knowledge in the fields of healthcare, transportation, education, culture, and research.

On this anniversary, Jodoin Lamarre Pratte architectes is pleased to highlight the gender parity of its leadership team, achieved with the appointment of architect Julie Boucher as senior partner at the beginning of the year. With a majority of women—three senior partners, nine managing architects, two technical directors, and over sixty other resources—the tradition of equity continues across the firm at all decision-making levels. Each makes a unique contribution to the organization and to the design of humane, sensitive, and sustainable architecture for the community.

An anniversary celebrated by supporting the next generations  
It has always been a priority for the firm to support the training of new generations of architects, technicians, and other design professionals. Through an onboarding and mentoring program, the leadership team also ensures that successive generations of employees are trained and offered stimulating careers within the firm.

For many years, the firm has engaged in partnership activities with college and university programs in architecture in Quebec, including the financing of scholarships, and several initiatives are planned for this year. The firm was already a Secondary Partner supporting the 31st edition of Objet, the exhibition-auction of architecture students at the Université Laval, as well as a Diamond Partner supporting the graduation exhibition of the Faculty of Architecture (EFFA) at the Université de Montréal.

After three years of a pandemic, the firm is delighted to renew the Bourse voyage + technique (Travel + Technical Grant) of the Jodoin Lamarre Pratte architectes Fund, a travel grant for architecture students at the Université de Montréal. The program emphasizes the importance of travel to an architect’s education, and of exploration in the development of critical thinking and constructive strategies in architectural design. This year, two scholarships will be awarded instead of one.

Expertise that benefits from international exchanges
Though the firm is now specialized in institutional fields, it began to develop this expertise in delivering projects for the community within its first decade. Today, it excels in the fields of healthcare, transportation, education, and culture by perfecting its knowledge through, in particular, tours abroad—such as in the context of the Healthcare Design Conference + Expo in Washington in 2015, New Orleans in 2019, and San Antonio in 2022; or the Passenger Terminal EXPO in Amsterdam in 2017, Stockholm in 2018, London in 2019, and, most recently, Amsterdam in 2023.

The firm also attended the Journées de l’architecture en santé à Bruxelles at the end of March, presenting its projects for the new hospital complex in Québec City—including the integrated cancer treatment centre, on which members of the health team led the design—and the redevelopment of the psychiatric care unit at the Jewish General Hospital. It is at events like these that members of the firm can take the time to learn about current trends from various international specialists.

Sustainable development and social engagement
Responsible architecture and sustainable development are part of the architect’s role in society, and the team shares a vision of sensitivity and authenticity as it develops projects in ways that minimize the impact of construction on the natural environment. As much as possible, the firm promotes and suggests local products, materials, and suppliers to its clients. For internal mandates, the firm has repeatedly called upon local suppliers to, for example, produce various elements of its identity.

Récup+Reval
In the fall of 2022, Alex Lamontagne, a team member with degrees in environmental design and architectural technology, initiated the recycling and revalorization project, Récup+Reval. The first phase involved restoring two batches of unused chairs—design icons and relics of the past—left over from the firm’s office expansion and redesign. Lamontagne was joined by Lara Champagne, a designer specialized in restoring carefully selected second-hand objects, and together they proceeded to restore eighteen Prague chairs and three Lotus chairs for resale. The funds raised will benefit PROMIS, an organization that supports immigrants and refugees, as well as their families, in their efforts toward cultural, social, and professional integration.

Continuing into a second phase, the project is now looking at a problem that other architectural firms surely face: What can be done with numerous material samples accumulated over the course of projects? Some can be kept for reference in a material library, but how can the majority of these samples ending up in a landfill be avoided? They are quality materials that can be reinterpreted, revalued, and given a new role. So, the challenge for this second phase is to design and manufacture unique pieces of furniture and household objects made exclusively from recycled material samples. Stay tuned for future communications from the firm and follow the evolution of this project!

Volunteer activities
Since it was founded, the firm has continuously supported foundations, non-profit associations, and charitable organizations that operate in Montréal, Québec City, and internationally (Architecture Without Borders). For the fourth consecutive year, the firm is donating time to Moisson Montréal —more than 1,000 hours have been donated. The tasks that team members have accomplished include the transfer and packaging of foodstuffs and the repackaging of frozen foods for distribution to community organizations.

The establishment of a social committee allowed the firm to organize activities that give back to the community, or that take action to protect the environment. The committee was able to organize clean-up operations in parks surrounding the office, as well as the first edition of Je LooP !, a circular economy event in which employees took part in a garage sale among colleagues. Beyond giving a second life to objects, the sale made it possible to give back to the community by raising funds to benefit the organization The Lighthouse, Children and Families. Unsold items were donated to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Montréal.

Recent years have been marked by the delivery of major projects     
Read about the firm's major accomplishments in recent years and upcoming projects in the full 65th anniversary press release.

Jodoin Lamarre Pratte architectes would like to thank its clients and partners for their valuable collaboration, without which no achievement would be possible!