From communities reacting to health and safety measures, to findings about unmarked graves on former Indigenous Residential School properties, schools have been in the news across Canada. 

This Emerging Scholars lecture presents the impressive project results of a winter 2020 graduate seminar on heritage conservation at Carleton University. Ten students collaborated on case studies and thematic essays to examine conservation issues, successes, and losses of Ottawa’s school heritage. With help from a Heritage Ottawa Gordon Cullingham Research Grant, professor Susan Ross and student Micah Norris further developed and transformed the results into the Ottawa School Heritage website. 

The class project looked as much at pressures for change, such as growth, urban renewal and closures, as at achievements, including cases of ongoing use or adaptation, or site improvements to meet new goals. Students Robin Hoytema, Nivethini Jekku Einkaran, and Kamal Raftani will join Susan and Micah to provide insights into some questions raised by the city's multiple educational legacies.

In case you missed it, or would like to view it again, this wonderful lecture is now available on Heritage Ottawa's YouTube channel.
 
SPEAKER(S):
Susan Ross is Associate Professor in the School of Indigenous and Canadian Studies at Carleton University, and cross-appointed to the Azrieli School of Architecture and Urbanism. Susan has worked as an architect in Montreal and Berlin and is a former senior conservation architect in the federal government in Gatineau.

At the time of the project, Micah Norris was working towards his MA in Canadian Studies, Robin Hoytema towards her M.Arch and Nivethini Jekku Einkaran and Kamal Raftani were each completing a Graduate Diploma in Architectural Conservation. They have now all graduated.

The Lecture will be presented via ZOOM. Pre-registration is required. See above. 

A timely lecture that you won't want to miss! Federal plans are underway to demolish this iconic interprovincial link. Although the bridge was designated a national historic civil engineering site in 1995, the recognition affords no legal protection.

This two-part lecture begins with David Jeanes and the history of the Alexandra Bridge: the progress of its construction from 1898 to 1901, the rationale behind the selection of the cantilevered design to meet the unique requirements of this crossing of the Ottawa River, its ranking among other cantilevered bridges in Canada and elsewhere, and its conversion from a railway and streetcar bridge to a road, cycling and pedestrian crossing after 1966.

In the second part of the lecture John Zvonar looks at the role bridges play in our collective consciousness — the Ironbridge, the Firth of Forth, the Brooklyn Bridge, the Golden Gate — and presents case studies of relevant community-driven campaigns to preserve historic bridges: the Chapel Bridge in Switzerland, the Bennerley Viaduct in central England, and within Canada, the rehabilitation of the wooden Kinsol Trestle on Vancouver Island, and the repair and reconstruction of the Kettle Valley Steam Railway in the Okanagan Valley. Closer to home, the story of the Bank Street Bridge, which was fully restored and not replaced with a contemporary structure, will be examined. 

In case you missed it, or would like to view it again, this wonderful lecture is now available on Heritage Ottawa's YouTube channel.

SPEAKER(S):

David Jeanes is a retired professional engineer who worked at Bell-Northern Research and Nortel in Ottawa. A former president of Heritage Ottawa and Transport Action Canada, he has a strong interest in railway history and railway station architecture and belongs to numerous railway-related societies. In 2001, he organized a celebration of the centenary of the first train to cross the Alexandra Bridge and he has written and lectured about the bridge often since then. David is a member of Heritage Ottawa's board of directors and the Doors Open Ottawa Advisory Council and has guided many tours over the past 20 years.

John Zvonar recently completed a long run at the federal government’s centre of expertise in Heritage Conservation, employing a values- and principles-based conservation approach in protecting nationally-significant cultural landscapes notably for Parks Canada and within the Parliamentary and Judicial Precincts. He also continues his active involvement with the Friends of Maplelawn Garden, the Alliance for Historic Landscape Preservation, and serves as the Canadian voting member with the ICOMOS-IFLA International Scientific Committee for Cultural Landscapes. John was elected to the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects’ College of Fellows in 2014. Since his arrival in Ottawa from Thunder Bay/Winnipeg, John has been infatuated with the Alexandra Bridge.

The Lecture will be presented via ZOOM. Pre-registration is required. See above.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSOR ANDREX HOLDINGS.

This lecture is currently available on YouTube for a limited time. Scroll down for the link.

This special lecture takes us outside Canada to look at how the Bauhaus — founded over 100 years ago — spread internationally and in particular, how it took root in Tel Aviv under the British Mandate in Palestine.

The White City area of Tel Aviv, constructed mainly in the 1920s and 1930s, is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, designated for its “outstanding architectural ensemble of the Modern Movement in a new cultural context.”

The presentation will introduce the pioneering architects who brought modernist ideals from Europe and adapted them to climate, topography and social structures, helping to ensure the style’s success while reflecting modernist aspirations of a new architecture for a future nation.

The use of local materials, the creative use of balconies, and adherence to the innovative urban planning principles of Sir Patrick Geddes, one of the foremost theorists in the early modern period, all contributed to a sustainable outcome which has permanently shaped Tel Aviv’s urban life and streetscapes.

In case you missed it, or would like to view it again, this wonderful lecture is now available for a limited time on Heritage Ottawa's YouTube channel.

CLIQUEZ ICI pour la version française. 

Presented in partnership with Muséoparc Vanier.

This French-language presentation will explore issues related to re-development of the neighbourhood of Vanier, and provide a better understanding of the spirit of the times from which these issues emanated. The presentation will examine the roots of the neighbourhood and the announced projects in coming years, and provide insights as to how the current transformations will influence the neighbourhood over the next decades.

This lecture will be presented in French with questions being answered in both French and English.

How did an architectural style synonymous with medieval Europe become the style of choice in nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Canada?

This illustrated talk will take us on a journey that begins in the Middle Ages, dips into the popular horror novels of the eighteenth century, crashes into the windswept, rocky coasts of Newfoundland and ends up in downtown Ottawa. The thread that links all these is an idea of “Gothic” that, while inspired by the Middle Ages, is constantly evolving, re-imagined and re-built.

One of the architectural gems of the nation, now a jewel in the crown of the National Gallery of Canada, is the Rideau Street Convent Chapel. A captivating space, its rows of delicate columns support intricately carved and painted fan vaults, the only such set of fan vaults in Canada. Its extraordinary design is the work of its brilliant architect, Georges Bouillon, and due in no small measure to the superb craftsmanship of the woodworkers and painters who executed his unique design.

The origins of this space, how it was saved from demolition, how it came to reside in the National Gallery, and what this saga of near-disaster and survival has to say about heritage protection in this country are the subjects of the presentation.

Who saved this chapel, and why? What does it represent to us today? Why does this kind of destruction of an historic complex like the Rideau Street Convent happen again and in Canada?

Built in 1927 as the headquarters of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, 180 Wellington Building’s most stunning feature is the dramatic mosaic on the vaulted ceiling inside the main entrance. Created by American muralist Barry Faulkner in 1927, the mosaic depicts “The Great Metropolitan Mother” protecting the insurer’s policy-holders. Acquired by the federal government in 1973, the major six-year rehabilitation of the building that began in 2010, included the restoration of the artistic mosaic and its nearly one million coloured tiles of glass. 

In keeping with Ottawa Public Health recommendations, Heritage Ottawa has cancelled this event and will rescheduled it for a future date. Thank you for your understanding.

Built in 1927 as the headquarters of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, 180 Wellington Building’s most stunning feature is the dramatic mosaic on the vaulted ceiling inside the main entrance. Created by American muralist Barry Faulkner in 1927, the mosaic depicts “The Great Metropolitan Mother” protecting the insurer’s policy-holders. Acquired by the federal government in 1973, the major six-year rehabilitation of the building that began in 2010, included the restoration of the artistic mosaic and its nearly one million coloured tiles of glass. Conservator Kelly Caldwell will be discussing the history and treatment of this Beaux-Arts style mosaic at 180 Wellington Building, Ottawa.

This event takes place at the Orange Art Gallery. Guests are invited to mingle and enjoy light refreshments after the talk.

Please Note:  This event is available to Heritage Ottawa members only.  Memberships will be available at the door. 

MARCH LECTURE POSTPONED

In response to the guidance of Ottawa Public Health with regards to COVID-19 (coronavirus), Heritage Ottawa has cancelled the March lecture.  We hope to have a rescheduled date to announce soon.  We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Thank you for your understanding and continued support.

________________________________________

CLICK HERE for the French-language page for this event.

This French-language presentation will explore the issues related to the re-development of the neighbourhood of Vanier and provide a better understanding of the spirit of the times from which these issues emanated. The presentation will examine the roots of the neighbourhood and the announced projects in coming years, and provide insights as to how the current transformations will influence the neighbourhood over the next decades.

This lecture will be presented in French with questions being answered in both French and English.

The lecture is free and there is no need to pre-register.

January 17, 2020 — Heritage Ottawa regrets the cancellation of this lecture due to unforseen circumstances. We hope to reschedule soon. 

Our free lecture season continues on February 19, 2020 and runs to June 17.  For the full schedule, visit heritageottawa.org/lecture-series.

The Omàmiwininì Pimàdjwowin mission is to revitalize, reintegrate, enhance and protect the cultural traditions, customs, practices, heritage, language and arts of the Algonquins of Pikwakangan First Nation.

Join the Cultural Centre's Operations Manager, Christina Ruddy-Lavalley, for an evening exploring and celebrating the work and achievements of the Cultural Centre and Museum located in Golden Lake, Ontario.

Join us at 7 pm for two informative talks by recent graduates. Each talk will be 15 to 20 minutes in duration and the audience will have an opportunity to pose questions to the speakers.

This talk looks at the refurbishment, renovation and historical preservation of the ground floor of Algonquin College’s “B” Building. Built in the 1960s, “B” Building boasts defining, historically significant Brutalist characteristics which play an integral role in the proposed campus rejuvenation. Complimenting the Brutalist technique with equally introspective design can result in a building with a past, present, and future.

Speaker: Katarina Yannoulopoulos is a recent Algonquin College Bachelor of Interior Design graduate working at Perkins+Will as a Junior Designer. Prior to Algonquin, she attended Carleton University’s History and Theory of Architecture Program.

With young adults’ social media interest in mind, The Speakeasy Gallery demonstrates an innovative, technological approach to gallery design. Located in Montreal, QC, the project incorporates color theory, natural elements, and imagination within a re-purposed 19th century textile factory.

Speaker: Keara McGirr recently graduated from the Bachelor of Interior Design program at Algonquin College.

This lecture event is free and there is no need to pre-register. A cash bar will be available.

During the mid-20th century, Ottawa homebuilders introduced modern design to tract housing.

Some embraced the modern ethos wholeheartedly, while others sprinkled touches of it throughout their developments.  These houses made modern architecture accessible and in many ways, made it a part of mainstream culture in the city.

Although developers of Ottawa’s apartment buildings are less well-known than the architects who designed them—after all, it is a building’s appearance that endures—it was these local entrepreneurs who chose the architects, hired the contractors and took the financial risks.

This lecture looks at some of the most important apartment building developers in Ottawa and how they shaped (and reshaped) the residential landscape over the decades. Find out who they were, and what they accomplished, from the construction of the city’s first apartments at the turn of the 20th century through to the present.

CLICK HERE for a reading list prepared with the assistance of the Ottawa Public Library to accompany this lecture.

The lecture is free and there is no need to pre-register.

The architecture of the Modernist movement once spoke of the future. Now the buildings of the 1950s, ‘60s and ‘70s are past middle age. They need work — and a critical look. This problem of modern preservation is acutely important for Canada, which built many of its public buildings, schools and cultural facilities during the Modern period. How do we reconsider these places today? And what tools can we use to adapt them for the future?

O.J. and Isobel Firestone were passionate collectors of Canadian art.  In the early 1950s, they embarked upon a collection that would grow to more than 1,600 works by noted Canadian artists, spanning the modern era from 1890 to 1985.

To complement their growing art collection, in 1960 Dr. Firestone worked with architects Sam Gitterman and George Bemi to design a landmark modernist home for his family in Ottawa’s Rockcliffe Park.  Both the home and collection were generously donated by the Firestones to the Ontario Heritage Trust, (then the Ontario Heritge Foundation) which in 1992 transferred ownership to the City of Ottawa.

Today, the Firestone Collection of Canadian Art is permanently housed at the new Ottawa Art Gallery (OAG).  While the family home no longer stands, its original modernist staircase is installed in the OAG where it leads, poetically, to the Firestone Gallery.

Join us for an evening with Brenda Firestone as she shares stories about the history of her family’s home and significant collection of Canadian artworks.

The talk will conclude with an opportunity to visit the Firestone Gallery and converse with Ms. Firestone.

The Jackson café will be open for drinks and light refreshments.

CLICK HERE for a reading list prepared with the assistance of the Ottawa Public Library to accompany this lecture.

The department store was the product of an increasingly leisured middle class, a new consumer economy, and architectural innovations like plate glass windows, electric lights and passenger elevators. In comparison to the great metropolitan centres, Ottawa’s fondly remembered versions of these emporia of wonders were smaller in scale, but equally ambitious and great objects of civic pride.

To warm your holiday gift buying experience, visit stores like A.E. Rea and Co., R.J. Devlin Co., Bryson Graham Ltd., Murphy-Gamble Co., Charles Ogilvy Ltd., and A.J. Freiman’s.

Speaker: Robert Smythe is a contributor to the recently published book, From Walk-Up to High-Rise: Ottawa’s Historic Apartment Buildings and is the author of the architectural history blog Urbsite.

This seasonal event will be held at the special venue of Dominion-Chalmers United Church.

We invite you to join us for refreshments. The book will be available for purchase at the lecture.

The lecture is free and there is no need to pre-register.

CLICK HERE for a reading list prepared with the assistance of the Ottawa Public Library to accompany this lecture.

The federal government, proud steward of many national historic sites and other designated heritage properties, has an important role to play in the preservation of Canada’s built heritage and historic places. MP John Aldag will discuss initiatives being considered and undertaken at the federal level, including through Parliament, and their implications for our heritage.


The lecture is free and there is no need to pre-register.

PHOTO: Cover of Preserving Canada's Heritage: The Foundation of Tomorrow

From the European guilds of the Gothic era to modern day digitally assisted techniques, John-Philippe Smith will discuss the history of stone carving as well as tales from his journey working as a sculptor in Canada and in France.

April 16, 2018 — Heritage Ottawa regrets the cancellation of this lecture due to extenuating circumstances. The lecture is rescheduled for January 16, 2019.

Join us for a special evening presentation by Pikwàkanagàn Elder Ron Bernard on the past and present of this vibrant Algonquin community.

Pikwàkanagàn, meaning “a hilly place,” is situated on the shores of the Bonnechère River and Golden Lake in Renfrew County. The Algonquin of Pikwàkanagàn host us on their traditional, unceded ancestral Aboriginal territory, here in the Ottawa Valley.