Édifice Price

Édifice Price
Name	Édifice Price
Native name	Édifice Price
Location	Québec City
Completion date	1930
Height	82 m
Floor count	18
Architect	René-Rodolphe Tourville; A. G. Simard (engineering)
Architectural style	Art Deco
Client	Price Brothers
Owner	Government of Quebec

Édifice Price is a landmark skyscraper in Québec City completed in 1930 as the headquarters of the Price Brothers company. The building stands near Old Quebec and the Château Frontenac, forming a skyline pair with other landmarks such as Parliament Building (Quebec) and Plains of Abraham. Designed in an Art Deco idiom, it has been associated with figures including J. S. Clark, Sir Wilfrid Laurier, and corporate histories involving Dominion Textile, Domtar, and later provincial administration.

History

The commission traces to the commercial expansion of the Price Brothers timber and lumber empire, linked historically to entrepreneurs such as William Price and industrial networks including Boston and Montreal. Construction coincided with the late 1920s economic context shaped by events like the Wall Street Crash of 1929 and policies of the Government of Canada under leaders like William Lyon Mackenzie King. The building opened amid civic celebrations attended by municipal authorities from Quebec City and provincial figures from Quebec (province), reflecting ties to firms such as Canadian Pacific Railway and trade associations like the Montreal Board of Trade. Over decades it transitioned through ownership and tenancy patterns involving corporations including Price Brothers Limited, Donohue Inc., and provincial agencies such as departments located in the nearby Parliament Building (Quebec). The tower weathered episodes including the economic shifts of the Great Depression (1930s), wartime mobilization linked to World War II, and postwar industrial consolidation involving companies like Domtar Inc. and Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton-era professional services.

Architecture and Design

The tower embodies Art Deco motifs seen internationally in landmarks like Chrysler Building, Empire State Building, and regional contemporaries such as Sun Life Building (Montreal). Architects referenced regional modernists including David O. Lyon and influences from designers like Tony Garnier and Le Corbusier filtered through local practices exemplified by firms in Montreal and Trois-Rivières. Exterior massing employs setbacks reminiscent of New York City zoning-era skyscrapers and decorative elements that echo work by artisans associated with institutions like the École des Beaux-Arts de Montréal. The lobby and interior circulation spaces reference craftsmanship traditions tied to suppliers in Montreal, Boston, and Toronto, and contain finishes analogous to those in works by architects such as John Smith Archibald and Ernest Cormier.

Construction and Materials

The structural system uses a steel frame with masonry cladding, paralleling construction techniques used in projects by firms like Canadian Bridge Company and construction practices promoted by engineering schools such as McGill University School of Architecture and Université Laval School of Architecture. Materials procurement involved quarries and suppliers from regions including Gaspé Peninsula, Saint-Maurice, and Ontario providing stone, as well as foundries and manufacturers from Hamilton, Ontario and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania delivering structural steel. Interior materials include marbles and terrazzo comparable to projects by contractors like Mason & Hanger and finishing artisans associated with the Montreal Decorative Arts movement. Mechanical systems installed reflect innovations of the era influenced by companies such as General Electric, Westinghouse Electric, and heating technologies promoted through trade bodies like the National Research Council Canada.

Uses and Tenants

Originally designed as corporate headquarters for Price Brothers Limited, the tower hosted executive suites, boardrooms, and staff associated with timber and pulp operations connected to ports like Matane and Rimouski. Subsequent tenancies included financial firms similar to Banque Nationale, legal offices similar to firms in the Quebec Bar, consulting practices akin to Ernst & Young (Canada), and provincial departments that relocated functions from the Parliament Building (Quebec). Cultural organizations, nonprofit groups, and academic initiatives from institutions like Université Laval and community associations from Old Quebec have used event spaces. Retail and public-access facilities at ground level have served visitors from cruise lines docking near Old Port of Quebec and tourists visiting sites such as Plains of Abraham and Petit Champlain.

Heritage Status and Preservation

The tower's heritage recognition involved provincial registers and coordination with agencies equivalent to Ministère de la Culture et des Communications (Quebec) and municipal heritage committees in Québec City Council. Preservation efforts paralleled campaigns for other Quebec landmarks like Château Frontenac and Notre-Dame de Québec Cathedral, engaging conservation professionals educated at Université Laval and preservation bodies comparable to the National Trust for Canada. Restoration projects have addressed façade cleaning, stone repair, and retrofit work to meet building codes cited by organizations such as the Commission de la construction du Québec and standards akin to those published by Parks Canada for historic places. Adaptive reuse strategies balanced office modernizations with conservation charters inspired by international frameworks like the Venice Charter.

Cultural Significance and Public Reception

As a prominent feature of Old Quebec's skyline, the building figures in representations by photographers and artists whose practices intersect with cultural institutions like the Musée de la civilisation and Canadian Museum of History. It appears in tourism literature alongside Château Frontenac, Fortifications of Quebec National Historic Site, and events such as the Winter Carnival (Quebec City). Public reception has varied across generations, with civic debates about skyline preservation echoing discussions involving stakeholders from Heritage Montreal, municipal planners, and academic commentators from Université Laval and McGill University. The tower remains a common subject in walking tours operated by guides affiliated with Association touristique de Québec and features in studies of Canadian skyscraper history alongside entries on Toronto City Hall, Sun Life Building (Montreal), and other national precedents.

Category:Buildings and structures in Quebec City Category:Art Deco architecture in Canada