Built at the end of the 19th century for American painter Frederick James, the villa located in Percé underwent two restoration campaigns in the 1990s. These efforts preserved the building, but could not protect it from its greatest threat: the erosion of the cliff on which it stood.
Following the acquisition of the villa by the Government of Québec in 2021, a rehabilitation project was launched with three main objectives:
– To preserve the villa by moving it away from the cliff;
– To showcase the historic building by conserving and restoring its various components;
– To give the site a public vocation so that the local community and visitors alike can enjoy it year-round.
Given the emblematic and sensitive nature of the site, the architectural approach aimed to preserve the villa’s current presence in the landscape. It also sought to maintain the prominence of the historic building in relation to its extension, which was necessary to accommodate new functions.
The villa’s new location, about twenty meters from its original site, preserves both its orientation and roof height. Access to the reception and exhibition spaces, located on the new garden level, is positioned halfway along the ascent from Mont-Joli Road to the summit of the cape. The entrance, preceded by an outdoor gathering space, offers a breathtaking view of the iconic Percé Rock.
The villa’s domestic and creative spaces, on the ground and upper floors, were fully restored with the integration of modern electromechanical systems. The envelope was sealed and insulated from the exterior, and all wooden cladding on the walls and roof—primarily Western cedar shingles in a variety of shapes and patterns—was renewed.
