Modernisation¹

Around the 1950's, hospitals have a new mandate: they are no longer charity for the poor, they are larger scale centres for everybody. The centres are often connected with universities and are multidisciplinary (research, patient care and teaching).

IN 1956, the Children's Memorial Hospital move to a downtown location and change its name to the Montreal Children Hospital. Unfortunately, it was more an administrative decision rather than for the good of the children. The new hospital, more urban, modern and scientific ressemble more an office building rather than evoquing the image of a "big home" that it used to. It unfortunately lost its domestic and romantic imagery over modernism.

Ste-Justine Hospital move to Côte-Ste-Catherine in 1957, in order to be closer to the University of Montreal and offer better and more specialized facilities.

Both institutions follow the International style, which is based on more rational plans, unadorned boxy forms, with abundance of windows. The architecture strongly conveyed and communicated the modern, scientific interiors. Unfortunately, it is quite difficult to read from exteriors and interiors that they were specially design for children. This sober architecture made the children hospitals indistinguishable from the adults hospitals, office buildings and hotels.

Montreal Children's Hospital, principal elevation, 2000.²