Still waters run deep: mobilizing architecture through the art of quilting along the Lachine Canal

Abstract

The nature of Montréal’s relationship with water and the way it is used is a direct result of policies, technical decisions, and environmental transformation. Through the greenifying of the post-industrial Lachine Canal as a National Heritage Park, critical histories of residents, neighbourhoods, and industrial workers have been neglected. Only through oral histories have their narratives lived on, acknowledging a fraught yet rich and diverse history of Montréal’s industrial era. Through the intersection of interdisciplinary theory and place-based investigation, this thesis explores how architecture might utilize water as an agent to challenge existing power structures to offer cultural inclusivity and stewardship. The craft of quilting is used as a methodology for employing oral histories and establishing a framework for equitable access to the Lachine Canal. The framework is applied to one of the canal’s discarded industrial sites, addressing spatial injustices and opportunities for community engagement within the realm of public space.