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237 competitions documented	477 competitions listed
6 119 projects	63 435 documents

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Competitor

Patkau Architects

Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery / Galerie canadienne de la céramique et du verre

Stage 1

Built

Perspective

stained glass gallery

Elevation

East elevation

Drawing

fountain

Drawing

glass gallery

Drawing

totemic elements: stained glass tour

Drawing

totemic elements: fountain at the entrance

Drawing

totemic elements: large works courtyard

Drawing

totemic elements: archive compartment

Drawing

totemic elements: arcade

Axonometric Drawing

Section

site section

Drawing

site plan/collage

Axonometric Drawing

overall view

Perspective

vue of the main hallway

Drawing

totemic elements

Photograph of Model

photographer: James Dow

Perspective

vue from entrance

Section

section C

Section

section B

Section

section A

Plan

upper floor plan

Plan

main floor plan

Elevation

Southeast elevation

Elevation

Northeast elevation

Elevation

East Elevation

Site Plan

Photograph of Model

photographer: James Dow

Photograph of Model

photographer: James Dow

Photograph of Model

photographer: James Dow

Photograph of Model

photographer: James Dow

GENERAL INFORMATION ON THE COMPETITOR

Competitor	Patkau architectes
	www.patkau.ca

Manager	John Patkau
Team	John Patkau
	Patricia Patkau
Doc. level	100%

Description

This building to the craft of making clay and glass objects prompted an architecture that is in itsef about the craft of making buildings with layers of assemblies. The plan is layered, with a front entry block, containing offices above, separated from the rear display space by a layer of vertical circulation. Layered too are various construction assemblies. The heavy timber deck rests on steel beams, which are supported by masonry walls, into which wood windows are set. This layering is expressed symbolically in the display courtyard, one of three concrete, totemic structures. The materials - glass, brick, concrete - also symbolize the materials of the objects on the inside.

(From competition documentation)

Jury Report

The jury selected the project by Patkau Architects of Vancouver as the winning design noting the following comments :

The location of the Gallery promises to be very successful because the building will be placed near the Seagram Museum, facing directly towards Caroline Street - ie. the building will have a strong public presence and will make walking between the Seagram Museum and the Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery pleasant for visitors.

The architects propose that the Gallery enfront a new, major civic plaza at the Northwest corner of Caroline and Erb Streets. The triangular-shaped plaza opens towards and incorporates the forecourt of the Seagram Museum. The plaza could become the focus of new developments in this particular sector of Waterloo.

The interior spaces proposed in this for the Gallery have a certain spiritual quality - a "sanctuary-like" feeling has been represented in the drawings that will be appropriate for the viewing of art and craft objects and for various community activities that will take place there.

The architects demonstrate very imaginative use of the symbolic elements to represent outdoors the nature of the objects and activities inside. For example, a row of monumental tile-clad columns with gas flames coming out of the top mark the front of the gallery and one edge of the civic plaza. These columns are aligned with a sculptural fountain at the flood gate where Silver Lake meets the corner of Dupont and Caroline Streets. These symbolic and very public elements use fire and water in a dramatic way and will be particularly beautiful at night.

The Gallery will have special features which the architects call "Totemic" elements. These include a special room for the display of Stained Glass, an intimate outdoor sculpture court, and a circular room for archival material.

The jury praised the sensitive planning and design of the Tea Room and Gift Shop. The Tea Room will have an outdoor terrace, overlooking the park.

A lively display of glass blowing is accommodated in a space with two large "picture windows" for easy viewing by visitors. One huge window in the Glass Blowing Studio faces the interior lobby while the other window faces the outdoors along the pedestrian walkway which runs parallel to the railway tracks. People walking to and from Waterloo Park and the Universities will be able to pause and see glass blowing and other activities inside the Gallery.

The "behind the scenes" activities like administration and research are well located and quite functional. Unlike other schemes the jury considered, the Gallery Director and staff are not overly divorced from the central activity in the building.

The main entry is "welcoming" with an imaginative glass canopy covering the walkway which leads to the front door. Interior spaces have windows along this front area, making it easy for passers-by to see things inside and to be hopefully drawn in. The windows also make the display of works for viewing from outside possible.

Large stained glass works can be displayed in windows facing Caroline Street. These will be dramatically lit at night as a kind of sign for the Gallery along with the water fountain and the gas flame columns.

The building will be mostly faced in ordinary brick. But a coarse-grained, "honorific" terra cotta tile facing will be used for special parts of the Gallery. The contrasts and use of earth-fired clay terra cotta will reinforce the understanding of the institution and its various roles.

Many of the competitors proposed a building directly on the edge of Silver Lake with public walkways along the edge of the Gallery. However, the Patkau design relates to and connects with the park and lake while leaving the lake edge itself mostly untouched. Once the Arena is taken down (a new one being constructed elsewhere,) new park land will be opened for flexible, public use, and the Gallery proposed by John and Patricia Patkau leads to rather than being in this new park.

(From competition documentation)

List of accessible documents

67 scanned / 64 viewable

IMPORTANT NOTICE : Unless otherwise indicated, photographs of buildings and projects are from professional or institutional archives. All reproduction is prohibited unless authorized by the architects, designers, office managers, consortiums or archives centers concerned. The researchers of the Canada Research Chair in Architecture, Competitions and Mediations of Excellence are not held responsible for any omissions or inaccuracies, but appreciate all comments and pertinent information that will permit necessary modifications during future updates.
info@ccc.umontreal.ca

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