Guy Desbarats

Guy Desbarats

Guy Edouard André Joseph Desbarats, architect, teacher, dean, author, consultant (b at Montréal, QC 30 July 1925; d at Sherbrooke, QC 30 August 2003). Desbarats graduated from the McGill school of architecture in 1948. He worked with Abra Balharrie & Shore, Ottawa (1948-52), and in 1952, returned to McGill as a Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation scholar. The following year he was appointed sessional lecturer (1953-58).

In 1964 Desbarats became the director of the new Université de Montréal architecture school. In 1968, when the school merged with the Institut d'urbanisme to form the Université de Montréal Faculté de l'aménagement, Desbarats was elected dean of the newly formed faculty.

Throughout his career, Desbarats was instrumental in the creation of small- and large-scale modern architectural landmarks in Canada that explore a variety of building types and styles. He received the Massey Medal for Architecture for the design of St. Gérard Majella Church and Presbytery, St. Jean, Québec (1963). With Hazen Sise, he designed the Beaver Lake Pavilion, Parc du Mont-Royal, Montréal (1955-58). Within the firm Affleck, Desbarats, Dimakopolous, Lebensold, Michaud and Sise, he contributed to several projects including the Grande Salle (now Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier) Place des Arts, Montréal (1958-63); the Fathers of Confederation Centre, Charlottetown (completed 1964); the Man the Producer and Man the Explorer theme buildings at Expo 67, Montréal (1967); and the National Arts Centre, Ottawa (completed 1969).

Desbarats was also active in public service as assistant deputy minister for design, Public Works Canada (1975) and assistant deputy minister for design and construction, Public Works Canada (1976-85). From 1982 to 1988, he directed the design of the Canada Aviation Museum (formerly the National Aviation Museum).