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Claude Cormier
CQ RCA
Claude Cormier CQ RCA
Born	June 22, 1960; Princeville, Quebec, Canada
Died	September 15, 2023 (aged 63); Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Alma mater	University of Guelph; University of Toronto; Harvard University
Occupation	Architect
Website	ccxa.ca

Claude Cormier CQ RCA (June 22, 1960 – September 15, 2023) was a Canadian landscape architect from Quebec. The majority of his projects are located in Montreal and Toronto.^[1] His landscape practice was founded in 1994. In March 2022, the practice Claude Cormier + associes became CCxA in light of new partners.^[2]

Biography

Claude Cormier studied History & Theory of Design at Harvard University, Landscape Architecture at the University of Toronto, Agronomy at the University of Guelph, and established the firm CCxA (formerly Claude Cormier et Associés) in Montreal in 1994.^[3] Over the years, the firm has been engaged to work on major public works in Montreal, Toronto, and the USA and has received more than 100 awards. In 2010, the Harvard University Graduate School of Design organised an exclusive retrospective exhibition of the firm "Erratics". In 2009, Cormier was Knighted to the Ordre National du Québec, the province's highest distinction for individuals who have contributed to the development and leadership of Quebec. Cormier was also selected as an Emerging Voice for North America by the Architectural League of New York, as well as one of 14 international designers advancing the design field by Fast Company Magazine. Last year the firm was invited by Phaidon Press to be featured in a publication as one of the top 30 worldwide Landscape architects in the world. Serious Fun: The Landscapes of Claude Cormier, the first book exclusively dedicated to Claude Cormier's practice, was published in Fall 2021 at Oro editions. Cormier died on September 15, 2023, at the age of 63, of multiple cancers caused by Li-Fraumeni syndrome.^[4]^[5]

In 2024, Claude Cormier was posthumously awarded the 2024 Governor General's Medal in Landscape Architecture (GGMLA) from the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects (CSLA).^[6]^[7]

Projects

Design philosophy

During his time at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design, Cormier studied the works of two "seemingly contradictory" landscape architects, Martha Schwartz and Frederick Law Olmsted. He once described as main influences as "Martha is mom and Olmsted is dad".^[8]

Canada

Warehouse Campus Park, Edmonton (2022–)
Love Park (2018–2023), Toronto
The Ring, Place Ville Marie, June 2022, Montréal^[9]
RioCan Leaside Centre (2020–2024), Toronto
Leslie Slip Lookout Park (2020–2022), Toronto
Vaughan Metropolitan Centre and Smart VMC (2020–2022), Vaughan
Pensionnat Saint-Nom-de-Marie (2020–2022), Montréal
1 Square Phillips (2019–2023), Montréal
National Bank Headquarters (2019–2023), Montreal
The Well (2013–2023), Toronto
Draper Park (2022–), Toronto
Canadian Institute of the Blind (2015–2023), Edmonton
Cobe, West Don Lands (2018–2022), Toronto
St-Clair Block Development – Plan d'ensemble (2018–2022)
Garrison Point Condos – Plan d'ensemble (2012–2022), King West Village, Toronto
2-8 Gloucester (2018–2022), Toronto
88 Queen St East (2015–2022), Toronto
RCA-Lenoir (2020–), Montréal
175 Wynford-Don Valley Parkway (2020–), Toronto
King and Portland Development (2020), Toronto
Daniels Waterfront/City of the Arts (2020), Toronto Waterfront
Musée Pointe-à-Callière – Masterplan (2019), Montréal
592 Sherbourne Street/The Selby (2019), Toronto
Pôle Champlain – Proposition (2019), Ottawa
Pink Balls / 18 Shades of Gay (2011–2019), Montréal
700 St-Jacques (2018–), Montréal
Breakwater Park (2018), Kingston
River City Phase 3 (2018), Toronto
Dorchester Square and Place du Canada (2008–2018), Montréal
Collège Ahuntsic (2018), Montréal
Vaughan Metropolitan Centre – Masterplan (2018), Vaughan
Vaughan Metropolitan Centre Bus Terminal Block (2013–), Vaughan
TOM I, II, III, IV (2012–2014, 2017), Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal, Montréal
Balade pour la paix (2017), Montréal
Parc Jean-Drapeau – Plan de mise en valeur et réaménagement (2017), Montréal
Jardin Frédéric Back du Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal (2017), Montréal
Cité archéologique Place d'Youville, Musée de Pointe-à-Callière (2017), Montréal
Berczy Park (2017), Toronto
National Holocaust Monument with Studio Daniel Libeskind and Edward Burtynsky (2017), Ottawa
Curtis Block (2016–), Calgary
Scrivener Square (2016–), Toronto
CIBC Commerce Court (2016–), Toronto
The Sony Centre for the Performing Arts and L-Tower (2016), Toronto
300 Front Street (2015), Toronto
Performing Arts Centre & Brock University School of Fine and Performing Arts (2015), St. Catharines
117 Peter Street (2015), Toronto
Au grand dam (2015), Ville LaSalle
One The Esplanade (2014), Toronto
Le Château Appartements (2013), Montreal
Blue Stick Garden (1999–2013), Métis sur mer, Montreal, Winnipeg
Four Seasons Hotel and Residences (2012), Toronto
Clock Tower Beach (2012), Montreal
Parc Hydro-Québec (2012), Montreal
Canadian Centre for Architecture (1992–2010), Montreal
Sugar Beach (2010), Toronto
Evergreen Brickworks (2010), Toronto
Canadian Museum of History Plaza (2010), Gatineau
Benny Farm (2010), Montreal
Place d'Youville (2008), Montreal
HtO Urban Beach (2007), Toronto
Entrepôt Frigorifique – Masterplan (2006), Montreal
Université du Quebec à Montreal, Campus des sciences (2005), Montreal
Commissioners Park – Concept (2004), Toronto
Place des Arts – Masterplan (2003), Montreal
Lipstick Forest (2002), Montreal
Blue Lawn, Canadian Centre for Architecture (1997), Montreal

In Toronto, Cormier won two design competitions for the Sugar Beach project and for the HtO project.^[10]

USA and abroad

Cascade Park (2021), Chicago (USA)
Buchwald Plaza (2019), Mount Vernon (USA)
Rice University – Masterplan (2019), Houston (USA)
Blue Forest, Nissan Design America (2007), Detroit and La Jolla (USA)
Pergola, Biennale d'art contemporain (2006), Le Havre (France)
Blue Tree, Cornerstone Festival of Architectural Gardens (2005), Sonoma (USA)
Blue Stick Garden (2005), Chicago (USA)
Blue Stick Garden, Hestercombe Gardens (2004), Taunton (England)
Solange (2003), Lyon (France)
International Mosaïcultures of Montréal – Masterplan (2003), Dubaï, UAE
Shanghai's Montreal Garden (2000), Shanghai (China)
Red Lawn, Schindler House MAK Center (1999), Los Angeles (USA)

References

^ Kapusta, Beth (September 15, 2023). "Canadian Landscape Architect Claude Cormier, Designer of Innovative and Playful Public Spaces, Dies at 63". Canadian Architect.
^ "Claude Cormier + Associés becomes CCxA" (PDF). CCxA. October 3, 2022. Retrieved June 25, 2023.
^ Tomesco, Frédéric (September 15, 2023). "Renowned Quebec landscape architect Claude Cormier dead at 63". Montreal: Montreal Gazette. Archived from the original on September 16, 2023. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
^ "Canadian landscape architect Claude Cormier, designer of public spaces, dies at 63". CBC. September 15, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
^ Teisceira-Lessard, Philippe (September 15, 2023). "Claude Cormier, 1960-2023: Un grand architecte paysagiste s'éteint". La Presse. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
^ "Claude Cormier Honoured with the 2024 Governor General's Medal in Landscape Architecture". CSLA Canadian Society of Landscape Architects/Association des architectes paysagistes du Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2024.
^ Bozikovic, Alex (September 19, 2024). "Leslie Lookout Park is a bold, friendly face for Toronto's Port Lands". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved September 20, 2024.
^ Barth, Brian (September 15, 2023) [April 2020]. "Claude Cormier: Hell of Fun". Landscape Architecture Magazine.
^ Henri Ouellette-Vézina (April 26, 2022). "Un anneau géant au centre-ville de Montréal". La Presse. Retrieved April 26, 2022.
^ Bozikovic, Alex (September 23, 2023). "Landscape architect Claude Cormier imbued physical spaces with colour and joy". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved April 13, 2024. Mr. Cormier won a design competition for a waterfront park called HtO, and a second that became known as Sugar Beach.

External links

"Claude Cormier, Landscape Architect With a Playful Eye, Dies at 63". The New York Times. October 8, 2023. Retrieved October 10, 2023.

[1] Kapusta, Beth (September 15, 2023). "Canadian Landscape Architect Claude Cormier, Designer of Innovative and Playful Public Spaces, Dies at 63". Canadian Architect.

[2] "Claude Cormier + Associés becomes CCxA" (PDF). CCxA. October 3, 2022. Retrieved June 25, 2023.

[3] Tomesco, Frédéric (September 15, 2023). "Renowned Quebec landscape architect Claude Cormier dead at 63". Montreal: Montreal Gazette. Archived from the original on September 16, 2023. Retrieved September 16, 2023.

[4] "Canadian landscape architect Claude Cormier, designer of public spaces, dies at 63". CBC. September 15, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023.

[5] Teisceira-Lessard, Philippe (September 15, 2023). "Claude Cormier, 1960-2023: Un grand architecte paysagiste s'éteint". La Presse. Retrieved September 16, 2023.

[6] "Claude Cormier Honoured with the 2024 Governor General's Medal in Landscape Architecture". CSLA Canadian Society of Landscape Architects/Association des architectes paysagistes du Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2024.

[7] Bozikovic, Alex (September 19, 2024). "Leslie Lookout Park is a bold, friendly face for Toronto's Port Lands". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved September 20, 2024.

[8] Barth, Brian (September 15, 2023) [April 2020]. "Claude Cormier: Hell of Fun". Landscape Architecture Magazine.

[9] Henri Ouellette-Vézina (April 26, 2022). "Un anneau géant au centre-ville de Montréal". La Presse. Retrieved April 26, 2022.

[10] Bozikovic, Alex (September 23, 2023). "Landscape architect Claude Cormier imbued physical spaces with colour and joy". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved April 13, 2024. Mr. Cormier won a design competition for a waterfront park called HtO, and a second that became known as Sugar Beach.

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