How Montreal falls in and out of love with Brutalist architecture

“Montreal is like the most Brutalist non-Soviet place on earth. Our entire metro system is brutalist af.” — Reddit, u/Gap1293

Montreal isn’t shy about its architectural identity.

These days, we’ve got our share of glass and steel structures like anybody else, but that’s only in addition to a skyline that leans into rawness and embraces the unapologetic honesty of Brutalism.

From the iconic Habitat 67 to the sprawling Guy-Favreau Complex, the city’s Brutalist landmarks are cultural artifacts, each etched with the ideals and contradictions of their era.

But how’d we get here?

The birth of Brutalism in Montreal