The adaptive re-use of 100 Wellington Street for the Portrait
Gallery of Canada,
combined with a state-of-the-art addition, becomes an architectural
portrait
of the evolution of our remarkable country.
New Portrait Gallery : Renovation and Construction
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Detail of the 100 Wellington
Street
Building (photo: Luc Bouvrette) |
The renovation of this classified heritage building demonstrates
the commitment made by the Government of Canada to preserving our
country's architectural treasures and symbols.
As the custodian of the Portrait Gallery of Canada (PGC) property
and the Real Property Services provider, Public
Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) established a partnership
with the PGC and Library and Archives of Canada in 2001. They provide
the leadership and the management expertise required to secure the
various contracts, and to manage the private sector planners, designers
and contractors for the proposed building for the PGC.
They are committed to ensuring that this new facility respects the
heritage value of the former American Embassy, is built in an environmentally
sustainable manner and that it enhances the urban fabric of our
capital city. PWGSC is proud to provide the professional services
necessary to assist and support the PGC in discharging their public
mandate to Canadians.
The unique new design achieves an exciting and graceful balance
of heritage and modern architecture. Its combined forms reflect
the Portrait Gallery's mandate to reach across time to reveal
the faces and lives of past and present Canadians to future generations.
New Portrait Gallery : Virtual Tour
Select animation: AERIAL
VIEW • COURTYARD
• INTERIOR
New Portrait Gallery : Conceptual Design
Quotes from architect Edward Jones of Dixon Jones - London
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Interlocking Forms - The interlocking forms of the existing embassy building and the PGC addition are illustrated in these studies. The role of the cantilevered roof acts as a significant unifying device. The cornice lines of the Langevin Building and 100 Wellington Street are important regulators in the composition. |
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Courtyard Portico - Building as portico - with the rhetoric of Parliament Hill opposite and with its distinguished neighbours, the entrance to the PGC presented a significant architectural challenge. Whilst the courtyard acts as a device to set the new building away from Cass Gilbert's fine west elevation and to provide a place of orientation and public display, it also acts as a giant portico and sign of entrance to the new gallery. |
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Light Modulator - The entrance hall forms a deliberate connection between the permanent collection housed in the existing embassy and the galleries for temporary exhibitions provided for in the new addition. The cascading stair and the dramatically tall top lit hall establish this as a space of orientation and of mediation between new and old. |
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“The building should
be a house of the people confidently facing its legislature
across Wellington Street.” – Edward Jones
View of Entrance and Courtyard |
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Left: Courtyard Elevation - New Building
Right: Courtyard Elevation - Heritage Building |
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“Our approach will
be to make a sophisticated, yet subtle and beautiful work
of architecture.” – Stephen Teeple
Partial Elevation |
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Main Staircase |
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View from Main Staircase towards Parliament
Hill |
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The unique new design achieves
an exciting and graceful balance of heritage and modern
architecture.
The design employs a simple palette of high quality materials
expressing the importance and prestige appropriate to its
use.
View from Parliament Hill |
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View West along Wellington Street |
New Portrait Gallery : Architects
Edward Jones of Jeremy Dixon
. Edward Jones, London, United Kingdom
“The Portrait Gallery of Canada in its contemporary role
is to represent a multi racial and multi ethnic country and the
character for such an architecture will not be found in the history
books. The building should be a house of the people confidently
facing its legislature across Wellington Street.” - Edward
Jones
Stephen Teeple of
Teeple Architects Inc., Toronto, Ontario
“Our approach will be to make a sophisticated, yet subtle
and beautiful work of architecture.” - Stephen Teeple
David Cole of Cole + Associates
Architects Inc., Ottawa, Ontario
“Excellence Only Happens by Design.” - David
Cole
New Portrait Gallery : Exhibit Designers
Anthony Reich of Reich +
Petch Design International, Toronto, Ontario
“Our design philosophy for the Portrait Gallery of Canada:
like a painting we aim to create a design that has diverse themes
and gestures, joined in tension and harmony.” - Anthony
Reich / Stephen Petri
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