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February 20, 2024

Preserving History: An Interview with Mélanie Gagnon

For Mélanie Gagnon, receiving her Canadian Association of Heritage Professionals (CAHP) designation feels like an organic next step in her prolific career. In contrast to Mélanie’s humble recollection of her extensive background in heritage conservation, her larger-than-life reputation precedes her. Now one of only three registered Heritage Professionals in Manitoba, she adds another feather in her cap, and the accolade brings with it a notable respect for her work in the field.

Mélanie is an award-winning designer and Project Director who has worked on historically significant projects both locally in Manitoba and across the country, and her portfolio is nothing short of impressive. Central to her work are projects within the Manitoba Legislative Building, an impressive 1920 Beaux-Arts Classical structure and one of the most recognized heritage buildings in Western Canada.

Mélanie managed the Republic-led team to modernize and conserve the impressive Rotunda. Innovative solutions were developed to preserve the character of the dome without impacting its heritage features while paying homage to the original design intent. In an interview with Project Management Institute Manitoba, Mélanie reflected on the significance of the project for her and the team, “There are projects that are once-in-a-lifetime projects, and I think for our team this was one of them.”

Yet, as grandiose as the Rotunda is, another room in the stately building connects Mélanie to her heritage conservation philosophy – the Legislative Chamber. The 57-seat Chamber was inaccessible for people with mobility challenges. Mélanie and the team collaborated with stakeholders to arrive at a design solution that removed limitations to accessibility while protecting and preserving the Chamber’s character-defining elements. “The Legislative Chamber is a perfect example of heritage conservation. When people say that they thought the ramps had always been there, that’s when you know you’ve done the work right.” Mélanie says that the core of heritage restoration is “ensuring that when you’ve left the space, it looks like you were never there”, and the traceless mark of a well-designed solution is all that’s left to marvel at.

For Mélanie, history is at the heart of heritage conservation, “It’s not about rewriting history, it’s not about changing [the building]. Listen to the building, take your cues from it, let the materials speak to their nature, then bring in new materials that complement the existing work cohesively,” she adds that conservation is a balancing act, a marriage of the old and the new.

At the current junction of Mélanie’s career is the convergence of the past and the future. She dreams of working on parliament buildings, an embassy in Europe, and other Classical architecture. She notes that heritage projects require setting one’s ego aside and actively listening to stakeholder groups. She looks forward to working collaboratively with clients, colleagues, and experts in the field to further expand and grow conservation work locally and internationally. She adds that anyone who is thinking of doing the work of heritage conservation should give it a try, “You won’t regret it. It’s challenging, it has another set of complexities that push you from a design perspective and in ways that you didn’t know you could be pushed.”

Heritage conservation has undoubtedly touched Mélanie, and she leaves a reminder that the relationship between a heritage conservation professional and the building is reciprocal, “As you work in the field, you find a niche that touches you. Like the feeling you get when you walk into a building and are touched in a way that takes your breath away. Once you’ve completed a heritage restoration project, the sign of success is a space that looks like you never touched it.” In an almost poetic gesture, while Mélanie leaves her heritage projects without a trace, she certainly leaves a mark.

In receiving her CAHP designation, Mélanie joins Republic’s Heritage Lead, Evan Hunter (the first CAHP member in Manitoba) to continue to preserve significant historical buildings and sites across  Canada.

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