United Memorial Church

The United Memorial Church, located between Kaye Street and Young Street in Halifax, NS, was originally designed by Andrew Cobb following the Halifax Explosion. It served as both a Memorial to the lives lost in the explosion, as well as a replacement for the Kaye Street Methodist and Grove Street Presbyterian churches.

The union of these two churches congregated here for almost 100 years until relocating in 2015. Unfortunately, the church fell into a state of disrepair and many of its character-defining details have been lost. It had been slated for demolition and complete redevelopment until purchased by Sidewalk RED and registered as a heritage property in 2022.

Fortunately, of what remains, the church’s original identity is still distinguishable in its impressive physical massing. Breakhouse has taken a rehabilitative approach to saving and reinvigorating this beautiful heritage building; a new residential addition is complimented by contemporary interpretations of lost character-defining elements including the Kaye Street parapet walls and bell tower cap. Clad with light-coloured, reflective materials, while retaining the brick church below as the focal point of the project.

The primary cross-gable volume of the church at Kaye Street is proposed to be repurposed as a commercial performance venue and community gathering space for the local neighborhood. At Young Street, a new residential addition featuring brick-clad townhouses will be constructed, straddling the church on ground level, connecting the massing of the surrounding residential area.