A new world from two old ones: the evolution of Montreal's tenements, 1850-1892

Abstract

Tenements became Montreal's dominant dwelling type in the second half of the nineteenth century. Morphological analysis of a sample of dwelling plans reveals the gradual transformation of housing conditions under the pressure of rapid urbanization and the introduction of new technologies, materials and ideas about domestic life. This evolution is a unique combination of older patterns, based on the French-Canadian tradition, and new elements introduced mainly by the British community. Montreal's tenements are an example of a cross-cultural exchange leading to an original urban cultural form in North America.