A quiet architectural image focused on texture, memory, and the feeling of place.
walking downtown Montreal with a friend named dax and I see this architecture and this color pop out compared to all the other buildings around it to me it kind of looked like a picture from a puzzle. the jigsaw kind obviously and I just had to take it. it was Beauty hidden in the most random of places.
The Memory of Architecture Dax and I were very close friends, but he moved to Vancouver right around the time I got married. Not long after that, my husband became jealous and made me delete my social media, causing me to lose contact with him. Dax was supposed to come back to Montreal eventually, but I don’t know if he ever did. Even though he told me his real name, I always knew him as Dax—and now, he's simply gone from my life. I didn’t know it at the time, but that day he made me see Montreal in a new light. We were discovering a new part of the city, and I was amazed by the hidden gems downtown—old, beautiful buildings that looked like literal puzzles. I felt a sudden urge to take a picture of one in particular, and I’m so glad I did. Today, that building has been 'preserved' as a historical landmark, but it was modified during the renovation. They painted it white, and in my opinion, it lost all its punch; I much prefer the original green. Now, it stands as a reminder of how things change over time—and not always for the better. That building is a memory of my friend, someone I hope to randomly meet again one day. Life has a funny way of making that happen, but I also have to live with the fact that I might never see him again. I’ve looked for him, even making a fool of myself with a few strangers named 'Dax' on the internet, but who knows what life has in store.
The building at 2092-2094 Rue Atateken (formerly Rue Amherst) is a fascinating piece of Montreal's architectural "puzzle." Since it recently gained national attention for a marketing campaign, quite a bit of its history has come to light. 1. The Origins: Late 1800s When it was built: The house was built around 1870–1880. The Style: It is a Victorian Duplex. Specifically, it features Second Empire influences (the mansard roof) and Queen Anne details (the bay windows and "fish scale" shingle work). For whom: During this era, the street (then Rue Amherst) was part of a rapidly developing bourgeois neighborhood. It was built for the French-Canadian middle class—likely professionals or merchants who wanted to live near the Saint-Jacques Market (which is still right across the street). 2. A Duplex by Design The architectural design suggests it was built as a duplex from the start. In 19th-century Montreal, building "side-by-side" or "stacked" duplexes was a common way for owners to live in one half and rent out the other to pay off the mortgage. The two distinct doors (2092 and 2094) have been there since the beginning, reflecting that classic Montreal "plex" lifestyle. 3. The "Green" Era & Longevity Ownership: For a significant portion of its recent history, the house was owned by the same family. In recent interviews, the current owner, Amélie Dumoulin, mentioned that her family had owned the building for years. The Green Paint: The "pale green" I remember was a staple of the building for a very long time. Google Street View records show it was already that color in 2007, and it likely stayed that way until the massive change in 2024. Survival: Amazingly, the building survived the many fires that have plagued the Ville-Marie and Village sectors over the decades. While many surrounding structures were lost or replaced by modern concrete, this one stood its ground. 4. The 2024 "Choose Happy" Transformation The most dramatic event in its 150-year history happened just recently. Renovation: In June 2024, the building was leased by Koodo Mobile for a marketing campaign titled "Choose Happy." The Colors: They painted the entire facade in neon pink, lime green, blue, and yellow. It became a viral sensation (and a point of controversy) because it was such a jarring change for a historical Victorian home. The Reason: The owner agreed to the campaign because it allowed her to finally get the building professionally repainted and refurbished—something that is normally very expensive and difficult to get permits for in Montreal’s historical districts.