René Menkès
OAQ OAA FIRAC RIBA AIA
1932-2019

Rene Menkes, Canadian architect, died October 7th in Montreal, Quebec. Rene was 87. He will be greatly missed by his loving wife Ann and their children Katrina, John (Honor Moor), Alexandra (Mariano Espada) and grandchildren William and Ava Menkes, in addition to countless friends. He will be remembered as a man of tremendous depth of character and intellect who carried himself with singular composure, elegance and discreet wisdom. Rene was a voracious reader of all literature and had a profound love for classical music and the fine arts. He enjoyed solid political, philosophical and architectural discussions with colleagues and friends, freely sharing his wisdoms while always maintaining a healthy respect for differing points of view. His most precious and private times were spent with his family and close friends. He loved to travel, especially to Europe and was considered an expert skier, keen golfer and thoroughly enjoyed mountain and road biking with friends and family. He was the son of Issia and Tussia (Sobelevitch) Menkes, born on February 10, 1932 in Paris, France. His family left Paris shortly before its occupation, resettling in Montreal. In his youth he showed great interest in the design and construction of buildings. Rene attended Lower Canada College (LCC) before McGill University where he earned his Bachelor of Science in Architecture in 1955. He began his career in New York for the international firm of Harrison & Abramovitz Architects participating in the design -among others- of the Time Life Building and the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center. He returned to Montreal in 1960 where he launched an exhilarating business career that spanned over 50 years and included the foundation and management, along with his partners, of two highly rated architectural firms. His first, Webb Zerafa Menkès Housden (WZMH), perhaps best known for its design of Toronto’s CN Tower, and his second firm, Menkès Shooner Dagenais Letourneux (MSDL), which spun out from the WZMH Montreal headquarters in the mid 1990s. With offices throughout the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s in Montreal, Philadelphia, Toronto, Paris, Los Angeles, Houston, Denver, Irvine California and New York City, and signature buildings throughout Canada, the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia, both firms have contributed to the evolution of Canadian architecture and the prominence of Canadian firms working globally today. The Shanghai Securities and Exchange Commission (China), Tour Total (France), 527 Madison Avenue (NYC), the Royal Bank Plaza and the Scotia Tower (Toronto), and in his beloved Montreal The Canadian Space Agency, BNP Paribas Tower, the Casino de Montreal, and Place de la Cathedrale/KPMG Tower are amongst the most remarkable projects of his national and international career. Rene satisfied every aspect of his creative spirit, leading both an exhilarating and richly fulfilled personal and professional life. His family can attest to his limitless devotion to them, his boundless generosity, and profound love for nature in all its forms. A funeral service will be held privately by family. A celebration of Rene’s life will be held at The Mount Royal Club October 17, 2019. In lieu of flowers a gift in Rene’s memory can be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.