Stage 1
An architecture of good government
The challenge of Black 2 is how to represent Canadian democracy on a site with 14 buildings of different ages, characters and historical importance. We retain all heritage buildings as an organising principle for environ mental and
cultural reasons: acknowledging Canada's charged history;
avoiding the waste and carbon vandalism of demolition; and knitting together old and new with net zero buildings that represent a new architectural language and way forward.
A place for all people
The public spaces are important to this new spirit in ensuring this is a place for all people.
The People's Walk- a paved walkway - physically links the Peace Tower to a talking circle in the East Courtyard, respecting the tradition of circle processes in indigenous governance as a place to respect, listen and be heard. The Walk also creates an important visual connection, establishing Black 2 as a fourth side of the lawn.
The East Courtyard is a place to sit and enjoy views of parliament, even on a rainy day from a covered bench on the new east building. Birch trees provide shade and honour this pliable and strong tree, used for thousands of years as a material for shelter, canoes, cradles, and healing. The 13 trees represent the ten provinces and three territories of Canada, in ail of which the White Birch can be found. A gentle gradient provides the IPS building with level access. The West Courtyard has a glass roof, and is densely planted to create a garden for ail seasons. Black 2 is open to bath sides of the lndigenous People's Space as a gesture of reconciliation and dialogue. These public spaces will be further developed in collaboration with the IPS.
We envision an ambitious public art programme and have created spaces for murals, tapestries and sculptures. As well as spaces for performance.
Stage 2
This proposal draws on the strengths of old and new. It acknowledges Canada's charged history, as expressed in its heritage buildings, and forges a new architectural language that seeks not to erase the past, but to reconcile it with new technology and indigenous practice; moving forward sustainably and with fresh purpose.
New public spaces create common ground for respectful dialogue between the public, parliamentarians, and the Indigenous Peoples' Space. On axis with the Peace Tower and Centennial Flame, the proposed Peoples' Square is a place of reconciliation, for events and ceremonies, with inclusive spaces to rest and reflect. It is connected to Parliament by the Peoples' Walk, anchoring Block Two as a fourth side of the parliamentary lawn. The Peoples' Square reinforces the prominence of the Indigenous Peoples' Space, giving it a relationship of equivalence to the new parlia,nentary offices, and we propose that its design should be developed in dialogue with the IPS.
Responsible stewardship of the land is a concept embedded in Indigenous culture; it's also a tenet of good governance and an organizing principle for this project. The Conservation Approach is based on a deliberate and careful analysis of each building and its heritage-character defining elements, ensuring they are retained and integrated
into the renewed Block Two. The Peoples' Square is a common ground for parliamentarians, the public and the indigenous community to meet as equals
The design balances con1patibility, distinguishability and subordination in equal parts; no one trait will be sacrificed to another. Existing floor levels are rationalised to create
generous, flexible floor plates. To achieve this, we extend each heritage building upwards, in a respectful yet distinctly new language, protecting their unique characters and avoiding pastiche.
New building elements are contemporary in design and technology; however their material palette references the rich history of Ottawa and responds to current sustainability practices. The new buildings have low-carbon timber structures,
exposed internally to give warmth and promote wellbeing. The reclaimed copper cladding fosters the circular economy, while speaking to both Indigenous uses and the gothic roofscapes of the Parliamentary and Judiciary Precincts.
Block Two is remade as a rich tapestry, weaving together past, present and future to celebrate a diverse nation and suggest a sustainable and inclusive future for Canadian
democracy.
(From competitor's text)
Stage 1
This scheme was seen as a quietly competent, and elegantly designed project of separate new buildings integrated within the block, while preserving all the heritage buildings. As a decidedly 21st century contemporary proposal, the architectural response is a complement to the Parliamentary Precinct with its attributes including a respectful response to the Indigenous Peoples Space at 100 Wellington Street, net zero and mass timber construction and a transparent building skin.
The project was appreciated for its following conceptual moves:
Indigenous Inspired Courtyards: The landscaped courtyards that surround the IPS and open space threaded through the block sets up a powerful north south axis with Parliament and an east west alignment through the site. The east courtyard aligns with the Peace Tower and is connected by "The Peoples" walk, culminating in an Indigenous inspired "Talking Circle". This external grade level space in combination with the courtyard on the west side of the IPS, provides an important public forum at grade that shows respect for the IPS and allows for some level of urban integration with the IPS. In addition to providing grade level shelter and shade, the 13 birch trees represent the 10 Provinces and 3 Territories.
Building as Forum: The new buildings provide a forum for dialogue and align with the project's ambition on a fundamental level - creating collaborative light filled workspace. A subtle, yet powerful connection to Parliament is integrated into the interior of the east building, as a "loggia" or social space located on the second floor in direct alignment with the Peace Tower. The large Committee Room is bathed in natural light which will require some review going forward.
A Breathable Building Skin: This scheme has a strong focus on the building skin - an elegant, double-skin glass timber facade with overlapping plates. The outer glazed skin provides important solar shading and ventilation on all sides of the facade. The transparency of the building is carried through the interior spaces, limiting long interior corridors, and strategically locating social and collaborative spaces with a high degree of light and view. Two new cores connect and unify the six east buildings.
While the physical model and all plans and elevations were complete, the detailed renderings focused on the Wellington Street east side of the block. The jury would have liked to have seen the full Wellington façade captured in a key rendering and a more thorough understanding of the project from all its sides including Spark Street. A greater understanding of the block as a whole and a more cohesive representation all building elevations is expected in the Stage 2 of the competition.
The jury praised the respectful approach towards the IPS site.
It is also noted that this scheme was criticized by many as not being fully grounded in realism and provided a vision that probably could not be achieved once the overlay of structure and ME was applied to the project. This is particularly true with respect to the highly transparent facades that are represented.
With the retention of so much of the existing heritage material on the Block, there will be a challenge to meet structural intervention requirements, seismic upgrades, building envelope upgrades and other measures related to sustainability.
Additional comments from the Technical Experts included:
• Challenges for accessibility due to the retention of multiple different floor levels
• Multiple floor levels create inefficient circulation for occupants and for servicing
• The placement of functions raised some concerns
Stage 2
The Jury praised the project for its extensive urban integration into the context, the considerate yet progressive integration of the historic building fabric and the thoughtful relationship with the Indigenous Peoples' Space (IPS) on Wellington Avenue. This project invites you in. It weaves and ties space together - new and old buildings and open space. The project creates the beginning of a deep connection - with Indigenous Peoples and with Canadians and extends common ground deep into the block. The People's Square aligns with the Peace Tower and is connected by the People's Walk, culminating in an Indigenous-inspired "talking circle." The thirteen birch trees represent the ten provinces and three territories. The circular gathering place supports and respects an Indigenous understanding of the connection between land and sky. The open space also offers the opportunity to reinforce the importance of the IPS eastern side. The People's Space, nestled among the IPS, the town and governments, symbolically offers a place of dialogue and reconciliation. While the project successfully creates an open space strategy with the People's Square, some of the Jury members found that the new building facades proposed on Wellington Street should be revisited to add more civic sense to Parliament as the fourth wall of the Parliamentary Lawn and address the duality of Crown and Town. Further development of the project should enhance the symbolic and civic sense of the Wellington Street façade to refine its formal appearance and be more strongly distinguished from the Sparks Street façade.
The Jury recognised the skilful and appropriate solution for the setting of the new buildings, which give space and primacy to IPS along Wellington Avenue. The complementary heights of the new buildings and the modest upward extensions to heritage buildings create a balanced, through eclectic and varied building mass through the block. Also on Sparks Street, the modest building heights respect the profile of the IPS. The Jury saw a special quality of the architectural solution in the well-balanced distinction between old and new at the Four Corners' building. The three grade-level open spaces will create a strong public realm extension from Wellington Street. The deft weaving and tying of interior spaces to courtyards, to Parliament, to Sparks Street, helps connect the block.
The extensive retention and preservation of all of the designated historic building fabric distinguishes the project. The only non-heritage Fisher building on Sparks Street is intended to be removed. The design has a clear statement about a values-based conservation approach. This "responsible stewardship", has an organizing principle of minimal intervention and maximum retention and a methodology of understanding, planning and intervening. Each building has been carefully analysed to propose rehabilitation on case-by-case basis. The excellent explanation of the application of standards for authenticity, minimal intervention, integrity, evolution, use, archaeology, risk and new work is appreciated by the Jury.
Specifically, the focus on Standard 11 and compatible, distinguishable, and subordinate extensions above historic buildings are respectful but create a distinct new language. (Note: distinguishable = appropriate balance between mere imitation and pointed contrast.) For example, the project included a 5th storey on Marshall, and a 4th storey (brick, not stone) and a new mansard roof on the Four Corners building. The compatible and contrasting choice of materials for building extensions requires careful further development, for which plausible approaches are presented. The Union building infill is compatible and subordinate, and the windows align with the triple arrangement below. The Birks buildings' interior lobby/mezzanine and exterior details are restored. The abandonment of the arrangement of building above the Bank of Nova Scotia is welcomed as well as the solution for the Fisher building with contemporary 6 storeys designed within a grid structure to align with others. The proposal of a new cladding for the Valour building successfully integrates with the Block and historical context. The project is welcomed from the point of view of monument protection and protects floor levels joined to infill. However, the concept of preservation poses some challenges in terms of barrier-free access. As the project moves forward, additional consideration of universal accessibility and circulation is required to include persons with a broad range of requirements, and not only people using wheelchairs. The goal should be to create an equivalent experience for all members of parliament, senators, visitors, and staff and to not segregate based on human differences.
The proposed net-zero structures recycle copper, timber and stone. There is a strong contemporary architectural expression that integrates well with existing buildings. According to the jury's assessment, the architectural language has a balanced measure of elegance and modesty and fits well into the urban context. However, it is important to read these notes in the context of the concerns around the Wellington St façade noted above.
The language extends to the buildings' interiors in the warm timber-lined offices and collaboration spaces. The limestone base and copper-clad wood structure root the project in place expressing the traditional materials of Parliament. The west atrium and the Library of Parliament are a civic pairing and, together with the atrium, create a breathing space in the block that reflects the greater opportunity of the project to be timeless and nationally prominent.
The unique opportunity to rethink the block, not only in its external appearance, but also in the possibilities for creating spaces with optimal internal environmental conditions using the minimum amount of energy and resources must continue to be developed as a visionary example of sustainability. In developing the design, a total life-cycle systems-thinking approach should be taken. These challenges of this task must be weighed against the increased potential of new construction with regard to energy performance in operation and the goal of designing a future-orientated sustainable built environment.
This proposal offers the highest potential regarding minimizing embodied energy with the greatest use of the existing structures and the re-use of materials, alongside a timber structure and promising technical solutions:
The façade includes low-e triple glazing and a horizontal parapet at floor level which helps to optimize energy performance with the relationship between daylighting and thermal loads.
The proposed HVAC concept provides hydronic trench perimeter FCUs, interior zone chilled beams and a dedicated outdoor air ventilation system; a rooftop PV system, façade integrated PV (Valour building) and green roof areas are provided. It is proposed to investigate the integration of a geothermal system into the energy supply systems if the project proceeds.
There were minor critical aspects to the proposal, as seen by the Jury, which should be further developed during design development.
The opaque façade on the ground level on the North-East side of Block 2 was questioned in terms of the symbolism this façade carries. The opacity of the ground level may bear a message that is not compatible with the idea of transparency and open-mindedness of Canadian Democracy and should be reviewed during further work in connection with the other façades at the proposed People's Place.
Other considerations for developing the project include:
• the blank base facing Wellington Street on the east side of the block
• the sourcing of recycled copper
• code requirements for mass timber
Overall, the project makes an outstanding contribution to the competition, which is particularly commended for its sensitivity towards the Parliamentary Precinct, building heritage preservation and integration, overall proposed building scale and integration with context and skillful incorporation of meaningful design gestures into a coherent and inspired concept.
(From jury report)
