Charles Baillairgé : architect & engineer

During his architectural career, he designed major public buildings such as the Salle de musique du Québec, Université Laval, Sainte-Marie de Beauce church and Dufferin Terrace, and supervised the architect for the first Parliament buildings in Ottawa. He was responsible for introducing the Gothic and Neo-Greek styles to Quebec City, and promoted the use of contemporary materials in residential and commercial structures. Christina Cameron's biography of this remarkable man includes an analysis of innovations in architectural design and construction technology in mid-19th-century Quebec City, and includes a discussion of the radical change in the role of the architect from the architect/craftsman of the previous century to the professional man who no longer took part in actual construction. In this first large-scale study of Baillairgé, Cameron has provided a fascinating picture not only of the life of an important architect, but also of developments in Canadian architecture during this period. Translated with DeepL.com (free version)