The images here highlight a few feature architectural elements at entrances to the almost matching East and West Memorial Buildings in Ottawa. The buildings were designed for civil service functions, and built between 1949 and 1958. The architects are Alward and Goinlock. The aesthetic blends federal pre-modern classicism with elements that have a more modern sensibility – this shows at the level of the complex’s overall massing, and with the architectural detail. The designer’s challenge was to resolve the requirements of the formal environment, the programme, and the spirit of the post war period. At the time, the aesthetic may have owed something to the British architect Lutyens who dealt successfully with many of the same challenges internationally. Looking forward, the aesthetic is in some senses a precursor to the work of Leon Krier and other Post-modernists.
Images can be seen at a larger scale by clicking or double clicking on them
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