Impostor / Les Malcommodes

Architects: Les Malcommodes
Area: 19 m²
Year: 2017
Photographs: Simon Parent
Manufacturers: Fisher & Ludlow, Polyalto
Lead Architects: Marie-Jeanne Allaire-Côté, Alexandre Morin, Simon Parent
Other Participants: EXMURO arts public, Quirion Construction Inc., LARO EXPERT-CONSEIL INC.
City: Québec City
Country: Canada

Impostor, an installation by Les Malcommodes in Québec City, challenges the relationship Quebeckers have with their built heritage by contrasting it with its tourist-heavy surroundings. This pink monolithic passage offers an immersive experience as it guides visitors through a historical structure with colorful light beams penetrating its perforations, creating an illusion of crossing into a different realm. An inclined mirror at the end of the passage hides reflections and reveals a new path, questioning the authenticity of the area. The installation reinterprets the royal battery, a 17th-century fortification on the St. Lawrence River, now reconstructed after years of neglect. The project critically examines the role of this historic structure in the contemporary city by juxtaposing a false passage with a false battery, prompting reflections on authenticity and heritage.

The project questions the relationship Quebeckers have with their built heritage by introducing a distinctive element that contrasts with the highly touristic environment it critiques. The pink monolithic passage creates the illusion of a crossing, offering visitors a vibrant and immersive experience that transports them into a different realm while navigating through a historical architectural structure.

The perforations allow hundreds of light beams to penetrate the passage, following the sun’s cycles. An inclined mirror at the end reflects the back of frames painted in contrasting colors, creating an illusion of continuity. The mirror’s angle obscures reflections, revealing an alternate path and giving the impression of crossing an otherwise impassable fortification.

The royal battery originally served as a defensive front along the St. Lawrence River. Constructed in the late 17th century, this fortification was intended to protect the territory and its resources from potential invasions.

Over the years, the structure vanished from the Québec City waterfront, becoming obsolete and abandoned. It deteriorated and was eventually buried under layers of bitumen. In 1977, the drum was unearthed and rebuilt. Today, the water once again touches the base of the fortification in cyclical intervals, allowing the remnants of its history to sporadically reclaim their significance.

The project raises questions about the decision to rebuild what was once forsaken. Ironically, the impassable moat no longer exists, leading to reflections on its role in the contemporary city. Impostor challenges the authenticity of the area by creating a false passage within a false royal battery—two fabricated elements that meet, questioning what remains genuine in this context.

False moat, false drawbridge—raising the question of who the true impostor is. The project challenges what remains authentic in this sector: the battery, the passage, or perhaps just the perception of them.