Montreal's St. Joseph's Oratory renewal means 360-degree views

Montreal’s beloved Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal minor basilica is being given a unique makeover that when completed will give visitors new access to the structure’s outer dome with 360-degree views of the city.

A team led by Atelier TAG and Architecture49 was recently named winner of a design competition to create integrated platforms that will bring visitors from the base of the basilica up through a new stairway or via an elevator to an observation level at the top.

Architecture49 principal James Bridger explained the design involves both spiritual and physical components in that visitors negotiating the new accessways will be invited to take in the oratory’s pilgrimage experience. The storytelling will be presented in mesh drapery to honour the legacy of Brother Andre Bessette, a devotee of Saint Joseph.

As part of the project, the space between the basilica’s inside and outside domes will become accessible to the public and the site’s museum will be upgraded to modern standards with its huge trove of artifacts to be better preserved with new strategies for public viewing.

“Given that it’s a highly visible and important public institution that Montrealers are very attached to, we felt very engaged by the fact that we had to do as good a job as possible,” said Bridger.

“The architectural competition was very specific in terms of completing the pilgrimage to the oratory. It is a pretty important magnet for tourism and local tourism in Montreal.”

The top of the outer dome at the peak of Mount Royal is the highest point in Montreal, making the basilica a major tourism attraction beyond its service to Roman Catholics as the city’s largest worshipping space.

Eighteen teams in total participated in the two-stage juried design competition process, with the winners selected June 4. Other members of the winning team include SDK et associes Inc, structural engineers; Stantec Expert-Conseil Ltee, electromechanical engineers; GSM Project, visitor experience designers; and CS Design, lighting consultant.

Bridger said the team members were eager to work on the prestigious project and the winning vision came together quickly.

“I think what the jury members came back with, our proposal had the strongest narrative and vision behind it,” said Bridger, noting one key constraint is that only 17 people can be allowed into the upper dome, or “lantern,” due to building code restrictions.

“Public circulation is an important aspect of the design, we had to make sure we demonstrated an understanding of the loads, and the circulation, because the lantern is what everyone will be gunning for, the view from the top. We wanted to make sure they experienced the view first, and after that when they come down they will see the multimedia presentation in a relaxed state of mind.”

There will be heat and humidity controls incorporated into the interdome space to ensure the integrity of the outer dome with the influx of visitors, he said. The main materials are concrete and copper.

The project has a budget of nearly $80 million, with the federal government contributing $22 million, the Government of Quebec spending over $30 million and the City of Montreal committing $10 million. The oratory will fund the rest, with the support of its foundation.

Construction of a welcome centre is scheduled to start this year with the museum upgrades, dome accessways and observation spaces designed by the competition winners targeted to get underway in 2020.

Brother Andre Bessette began construction of a small chapel on the site in 1904, and a larger Roman Catholic church was completed in 1917. Construction of the oratory was finally wrapped up in 1967. The basilica is considered the largest shrine to Saint Joseph in the world.

“It is very typical for buildings of Renaissance-type inspiration, religious buildings, the Duomo in Florence and St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, to have inner and outer domes,” explained Bridger. “The scale of the roof, which is the outer dome, is responding to the scale of building as seen from the outside, and then the inner dome is designed to reflect the scale of the inner space.”

Services will continue during construction.