Les théories contemporaines en conservation, en urbanisme, en architecture se rallient toutes pour intégrer la participation citoyenne dans leurs processus, dans la perspective d‘un développement durable. Plusieurs enjeux entrent en ligne de compte et influencent les décisions prises en ce qui concerne le destin de gares de train abandonnées. Cette etude tente d‘éclairer l‘impact de certains de ces enjeux dont : le ou les nouveaux usages qui seront octroyés à la gare dans sa nouvelle «vie », l‘architecture de la gare elle-même et la façon dont elle sera traitée ou modifiée, l‘espace de la gare ainsi que sa transformation et finalement l‘appropriation de cet espace par le citoyen. L‘approche qualitative est l‘approche méthodologique choisie. La recherche combine la méthodologie d‘analyse de contenu et l‘étude de cas. Le cas de la gare de Westmount est examiné en comparaison avec le cas de la gare d‘Orsay transformée en Musée d‘Orsay. Le point de vue de l‘usager est exploré afin de comprendre comment il vit l‘espace de la gare dans le cas où l‘architecture de la gare resterait intacte et un nouvel usage lui est octroyé, et dans le cas où l‘architecture intérieure ou extérieure serait modifiée en y ajoutant des structures contemporaines pour accommoder un ou plusieurs nouveaux usages. La comparaison entre les résultats obtenus pour le Musée d‘Orsay et pour la gare de Westmount a permis de mieux comprendre le contexte et ses variables politiques / économiques, patrimoniales / de développement durable et sociales /spatiales. Un mélange entre architecture historique et architecture contemporaine favoriserait la préservation des parties historiques en remettant le bâtiment ainsi que ses installations à niveau et en prolongeant leur utilisation, cependant, tout cela ne se concrétisera pas sans la réalisation de certaines conditions, notamment l‘appui politico-économique de la part de la ville, une architecture contemporaine qui soit épurée et simple ou une architecture qui imite l‘architecture existante, les opinions sont partagées, et finalement l‘appropriation de l‘espace par les usagers, chose qui semble dépendre de l‘architecture finale et de son harmonisation avec l‘architecture existante; les usagers semblent s‘approprier davantage l‘espace de la gare avec ou sans nouvelle structure surtout s‘il y a participation de leur part au processus de sa réhabilitation. Donner une voix aux usagers et à leurs suggestions est chose importante : ils «habiteraient» mieux l‘espace s‘ils participaient au projet. Également, prendre en considération les recommandations en matière de conservation, puisqu‘un vent de changement pourrait s‘y opérer, plus précisément en matière de mélange entre architecture historique et architecture contemporaine. / Contemporary theories of conservation, urban planning and architecture all work together to integrate citizen participation into their processes, with a view to sustainable development. Several issues influence decisions regarding the fate of abandoned train stations. This study attempts to clarify the impact of some of these issues such as what are the new uses that give the station its new "life", what is the architecture of the station itself and how it will be treated or modified, the space of the station and its transformation and ultimately the appropriation of this space by the citizens. The methodological approach that is chosen is qualitative and combines content analysis and case study methodologies. The case study chosen is of Westmount station in Westmount, Quebec, Canada, it is examined in comparison with the case of Orsay station transformed into the Musée d'Orsay in Paris, France. The views of users are explored to comprehend how they understand the space of the station, how they might react in case its architecture remains intact and a new use is granted to it, and in case the interior and/or exterior architecture is modified by adding contemporary structures to accommodate one or more new uses. Comparing the results of the Musée d'Orsay and Westmount station helped to better understand the context and its political/economic, heritage/sustainability and social/spatial variables. While divided, many participants expressed various and rich opinions. These included having a mix of historic architecture and contemporary architecture to favour the preservation of the historic sections by updating the building and its facilities and extending their use. However, this could not materialize without the fulfillment of certain conditions, including political/economic support from the city, a contemporary architecture that is uncluttered, simple or an architecture that mimics existing architecture, and finally the appropriation of space by users. This appropriation seems to depend on the final architecture and its harmonization with the existing architecture. Users seem to appropriate more the space of the station, with or without a new structure, especially if there is participation on their part in the process of rehabilitation. Giving a voice to users and their suggestions is important as they would "inhabit" better the space if they participate in the project. In addition, recommendations on conservation, especially that some changes could occur, more specifically in terms of the mix of historic architecture and contemporary architecture, are to be considered.

Heinrich Wölfflin (1864-1945) is considered one of the most influential art history scholars. His study entitled "Kunstgeschichtliche Grundbegriffe" ("Principles of Art History"), published in 1915, gained considerable response, both critical and favourable. In the study, Wölfflin attempted to explain transpersonal principles of periodically repeating artistic evolution. This evolutionary process, culminating in two phases, conditions entire artistic output (architecture, sculpture, painting, artistic craft), which thus developes within predetermined limits. Wölfflin defined each phase by concepts-pentad that gives a true picture of its character. First of the climaxes is the art oriented according to the analogy with the sense of touch; the second one is the artistic output defined by the analogy with the sense of sight. Wölfflin deduced the contradiction of the "linear style" (fixed to objects) and the "painting style" (wedded to purely optical qualities) from evolutionary degrees of human imaginantion, which developes precisely from haptic to visual projections. This progression - as emphasized by him - is always one-way and can not be reversal. Both these style-types are being permeated by various, historicaly conditioned culturally-historical contents that represent an outer component of the...