BRAIS, Simeon (1886-1963) was born in Montreal but no information can be found on his education and training. He opened an office there in 1921 and worked under his own name until January 1928 when he formed a partnership with Lucien Parent, the first of a succession of short-lived partnerships which Brais instigated during the Depression and after WWII. These included collaborations with Parent ( 1928-29), with Gaston Gagnier (1933-38), with J. Armand Dutrisac (1939-41), and with Jean N. Savard (1946 onward). Brais was adept at employing a variety of eclectic styles in his designs, best seen in his interpretation of the Jacobean theme for the impeccably detailed Outremont residence for Omer Lapierre (1928) and in his handling of Moorish elements in the facade of the Hospice Morin, St. Vallier Street (1930). He remained active until c. 1955 and died in Montreal on 31 July 1963 (death notice La Presse [Montreal], 1 Aug. 1963; inf. Province of Quebec Assoc. of Architects)
S. BRAIS
VAUDREUIL, QUE., presbytery for the Roman Catholic church, 1922 (C.R., xxxvi, 31 May 1922, 54)
BRAIS & PARENT
NOISEUX CO. LTD., Ste. Catherine Street West, store and office block for L.N. & J.E. Noiseux, 1928 (C.R., xlii, 28 March 1928, 49)
WALDON APARTMENTS, Beaconsfield Avenue at Monkland Avenue, 1928 (C.R., xlii, 30 May 1928, 173)
ST. LAMBERT, QUE., armoury for the Chateauguay Regiment, 1928 (C.R., xlii, 7 Nov. 1928, 48)
OUTREMONT, residence for Omer Lapierre, Beloeil Avenue, 1928 (Outremont b.p. 2381, 29 May 1928; Montreal, Les Residences, 1987, 397-99, illus.)
OUTREMONT, residence for F.E. Fontaine, Mont Royal Avenue, 1928 (Outremont b.p. 2382, 29 May 1928)
DEOM AVENUE., residence for J. Adolphe Heroux, 1928 (Montreal b.p. 5506, 1928)
PINE COURT APARTMENTS, Pine Avenue West at Durocher Street, 1929 (Montreal, Les Appartments, 1991, 284-7, illus.)
S. BRAIS
VENDOME AVENUE, at Cote St. Antoine Street, residence for Hubert Noiseux, 1929 (Montreal b.p. 4410, 1929)
(with J.E. Laliberte) LAVAL DES RAPIDES, QUE., Roman Catholic convent for the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, 1929 (C.R., xliii, 21 Aug. 1929, 96)
OUTREMONT, residence for R.A.Noiseux, Maplewood Avenue, 1930 (Outremont b.p 2690, 13 Aug. 1930)
HOSPICE MORIN, St. Vallier Street, 1930 (Canadian Hotel Review, viii, Aug. 1930, 36; Montreal, Les Couvents, 1984, 352-55, illus.)
(with Jean J. Perrault & Charles David) MONTREAL CITY HALL, Notre Dame Street, major addition, 1932-34 (C.R., xlvi, 26 Oct. 1932, 41; Gazette [Montreal], 27 July 1934, 20, descrip.)
(with J.E. Laliberte) LACHINE, QUE., major addition to Mont Ste. Anne Roman Catholic Convent, 1936-37 (C.R., vol. 50, 13 May 1936, 36; Montreal, Les Couvents, 1984, 288-93, illus.)
(with Gaston Gagnier) OUTREMONT, large complex for the Missionary Sisters of Immaculate Conception, Cote Ste. Catherine Road at Darlington Avenue, 1936-39, now part of the University of Montreal (C.R., vol. 50, 5 Aug. 1936, 33; Outremont b.p. 3416, 13 July 1939; C. Cameron et al, Le Campus: Le Patrimoine Architectural et Paysager de l'Universite de Montreal, 2010, 44-7, illus. & descrip.)
BRAIS & DUTRISAC
VERDUN, Ecole Notre Dame, Galt Avenue, 1939 (C.R., lii, 29 March 1939, 33)
CHAMPLAIN OIL CO., gas filling station, Roy Street at Mentana Street, 1939-40 (Gazette [Montreal], 11 Nov. 1939, 25)
VERDUN, church for Notre Dame Auxiliatrice Parish, Bannatyne Avenue, 1940 (C.R., liii, 26 June 1940, 18, t.c.)
GRANBY, QUE., girl's school for Sisters of Immaculate Conception, Main Street, 1941 (C.R., liv, 14 May 1941, 30)
BRAIS & SAVARD
SISTERS OF STE. ANNE ROMAN CATHOLIC CONVENT, Dufresne Street, major addition, 1946 (C.R., lix, Sept. 1946, 144)
RIVIERE DES PRAIRIES, QUE., Children's Hospital for the Sisters of Charity, Gouin Boulevard East, 1946-47 (C.R., lix, Dec. 1946, 74; Architecture Batiment Construction, ii, Sept. 1947, 96; iii, Sept. 1948, 32-5, illus.)
ST. ANDRE AVELLIN, QUE., Normal School for the Sisters of Charity, 1947 (C.R., lx, Feb. 1947, 144)
CANADA MALTING CO., St. Ambroise Street, laboratory and garage, 1950 (C.R., lxiii, Sept. 1950, 132)