notesonarchitecture

The first three photos here are from the fall of 2016.  They are, a view of the Centre Block from the south; a photo detail from a Bridgehead coffee cup that features the Centre Block as background to a log driver; and a  photo detail of the Parliamentary Precinct from a cast bronze tourist orientation map of central Ottawa and Hull.  The fourth photo below was taken in December 2018, and  is a view of Parliament Hill from the Alexandra Bridge which is to the north-east.

The Centre Block, is the prime element in Canada’s federal government complex in Ottawa. The building is on the north side of a large ceremonial lawn that is flanked by two supporting buildings, the East and West Blocks. The Centre Block houses the key democratic functions for the Government of Canada, symbolically and operationally.  The building includes the House of Commons, the Senate, the main branch of the Library of Parliament, office space, Committee Rooms and the Peace Tower.  The Block will close shortly for major renovations that are expected to take ten years to complete.

The photos below were taken this month.

 

The two views above are from the Peace Tower observation level.  The first image shows the West Block where the courtyard has been covered by a glass roof.  This former courtyard will accommodate the House of Commons for the duration of the Centre Block project.  The second image above shows Majors Hill Park.

 

At the base of the Peace Tower, above a Porte-cochere, is the Memorial Chamber.  This space is dedicated to Canadians who have died in military conflicts in the service of the Crown.  The vestibule to the Chamber includes four stained glass windows.

 

The House of Commons with with the central desks removed.

 

The two Indigenous themed bas-reliefs shown above are in a vestibule hall that is part of the formal entry sequence to the House of Commons.

 

Woodwork and painting within one of the historic formal Committee Rooms in the Centre Block.  The room’s decorative features reference industry and the provinces.

 

This is one of two large paintings within the Railroad Committee Room.  The other is a reproduction of Robert Harris’ painting The Fathers of Confederation.

 

The Library of Parliament with the majority of books removed

 

The Senate Chamber with furniture removed.

*****

Photos here were taken December 23rd, 2018, afternoon, and January 5th, 2019, evening.  Pimisi Station is located on Booth Street between the Sir John A McDonald Parkway and Scott Street.  Earlier ‘in progress’ construction photos of the station are included on this website with posts from June 14, 2017 (NOA 20); June 19th, 2017; February 20th, 2018 (NOA 38); and March 6th, 2018, (NOA 39).  While there have been a number of delays with the project, an announcement this week indicated that the rapid transit system is to be operational in April of this year.

 

*****

The Caulder Retrospective Exhibit at the MMFA runs for another month.  This is a full and widely accessible presentation of the engineer/artist’s work.  An exceptional creative spirit.

The exhibit has been designed with some focus on plays of light and shadow. The artist’s pieces are show in series of 6 rooms that are designed  as a sequence of dark and light spaces.  The lighting of the individual works is set up to cast playful or dramatic shadows.  None of the rooms have natural light.

 

*****

August 25, 2018

 

September 15, 2018

 

September 21st, 2018

 

November 5th, 2018

 

November 18th, 2018

 

December 26, 2018

 

*****

The Villa Necchi Campiglio is located in central Milan.  The photos here were taken this past October.

An information panel at the site notes:  Surrounded by a large garden, including a tennis court and swimming pool, Villa Necchi Campiglio was created by Milanese architect Piero Portaluppi between 1932 and 1935.  The design introduces modernity into the traditional architecture of the urban villa.   Partially overhauled by Tomaso Buzzi in the post-war period, the interiors – which are perfectly preserved, even in the service areas – remain redolent of the vivacious society life and residential taste of the Milanese haute bourgeoisie of the period. 

The Villa is enriched yet further by the Claudia Gian Ferrrari Collection of the early 20th century artworks and by the Alighiero and Emilietta de’Micheli Collection of 18th century decorative art and paintings.

 

Colin Rowe is the author of The Mathematics of the Ideal Villa, an essay first published in 1947.  With this piece Rowe makes a comparison between the Villa Malcontenta by the 16th century architect, Palladio – and the Villa Garches by 20th century architect, Le Corbusier.  A key portion of the essay deals with similar planning patterns or rhythms, that show up in the two projects.   A-B-A-B-A  or  A-A-A-A  type of planing modules.  With Malconenta and Garches, the patterns vary depending on whether they are most influenced by structure, by spatial considerations, or both, or other.  Palladio and Le Corbusier are highly esteemed for the thoughtfulness evident in their output that included buildings and writing.  They are also of interest for the design experimentation that was sustained throughout their careers.

The cover of a 1987 edition of Rowe’s book, The Mathematics of the Ideal Villa and Other Essays, shows a photo image of Palladio’s Villa Rotonda, and drawings of three LeCorbusier projects, none of which is Garches.

The photos here are shown in the order taken.

 

The four projects referenced or included here by Theaster Gates are, a video installation in Ottawa,  a sculptural installation work in Washington, a curatorial project in Milan, and an exterior sculpture piece in Minneapolis.  These are shown in the order found over the last two years, where the artist became an unanticipated but recurring theme.

The high definition video installation Billy Sings Amazing Grace at the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa was part of a 2016 exhibition and lecture series  entitled Contemporary Conversations.  The series was in partnership with the US Embassy and also included artists Kiki Smith and Anne Chu.  While the video Billy Sings Amazing Grace can be found on-line,  viewing it there cannot compare to the visceral experience of seeing the large scale piece in a black box gallery with great sound.

 

The two images directly below are from an installation by Mr. Gates at the National Gallery in DC.  The project includes a small bookshelf tower of bound Ebony magazines.  The piece was featured in a naturally lit room within I.M. Pei’s magnificent national gallery addition that was completed in 1978.  The gallery’s main atrium includes a Calder mobile.

 

The following four photos were taken at an exhibition at the Osservatorio, the Prada Foundation’s satellite gallery in Milan.  It is  located at roof level within the popular Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II.  The exhibition curated by Gates, is titled The Black Image Corporation and relates to Ebony magazine’s role in defining ‘the aesthetic-cultural codes of African-American identity’.  The carpet and couch in the image below are from the magazine’s downtown Chicago offices.  The three photos that follow the images from the exhibition space are from the Galleria’s main floor.  All can be viewed at a larger scale by clicking or double clicking on them.

 

The final four images below were taken in November 2018 at the Sculpture Garden at the well curated Walker Art Center in Minneapolis.  The Walker was designed by OMA.  The sculpture garden has recently undergone a major redevelopment.  Theaster Gates piece here is entitled Black Vessel for a Saint.  The work includes a stone statue of St Laurence that was reclaimed from a south-side Chicago church demolition in 2014.  Gates used the statue in a number projects including installations at the 2015 Venice Biennale, and at the Kunsthaus Bregenz in Austria.  The installation in Minneapolis is considered permanent.

Above – Oct 1st – The view from the bike path along Laurier.  Images below were taken October 26th

 

The five panoramas below were taken last Saturday from the porticos of Palladio’s Villa Rotonda.  Alternative names for the villa, which is located just outside Vicenza, are; the Villa Almerico, from the name of the original owner and commissioner of the project, a priest; the Villa Capra, named for the second owners who were two brothers of a noble family of Vicenza; and the Villa Malmarana La Rotonda, referencing the last owner, a professor from the University of Virginia.  Work on the project began in 1567 and the project was completed after Palladio’s death in 1580.  The building’s four identical facades are not aligned to the cardinal points of north, south, east and west, but are at 45 degrees to these.  This arrangement allows natural light to enter into all of the main rooms for some portion of the day.  In plan, the building has a large central circular domed hall which connects to the porticos by means of four short corridors.

In regards to this project, Palladio notes in his architectural treatise Quattro libri – The site is as pleasant and delightful as can be found; because it is upon a small hill, of very easy access…. it is encompassed by the most pleasant risings, which look like a very great theatre… and therefore, as it enjoys the most beautiful views from all sides…. there are loggias on all the four fronts.

As shown and in the order taken, the views below are to the north-west, north-east, south-east, south-west and north-west.

For details of the perspectives, the images can be viewed by at a larger scale by clicking or double clicking on them.

*****************************************************************************************************

 

For many years, the only public view of the Chaudière Falls was from the Chaudière Bridge as seen above.  With the large scale development Zibi that is now underway, condominiums, retail and park space will be added on Albert and Chaudière Islands.  From the park, views to the falls that were previously restricted, are opened up.  The development strategy for the site includes adaptive reuse of existing industrial infrastructure, as well as new buildings.  This project, which straddles a provincial border, has partnerships with the local Algonquin.

The five shots above are from September 17 – evening

The images below are from September 22nd – morning.   As a suggestion, a small public viewing tower in the park might offer interesting perspectives of the falls, as well as views to the various man-made industrial water channels and the 1909 ring dam.

 

*****************************************************************************************************

Attached are two sets of images.  These provide some update on locales that may be of interest.  The project or location has been referred to previously on this site.

 

September 13th, 2018, 6pm

The images above are at the site of a project with the title – Memorial to the Victims of Communism – Canada a Land of Refuge.  The project had shown some signs of breaking ground earlier in the summer, however, there has been little evidence of progress on the site since.  The initial activity may have been related to some environmental or infrastructure investigations.  There is now, as shown, a public image for the design.  The large modern wooden sculpture, 12 Points in a Classical Balance / Douze points d’un équilibre classique, that was located nearby, has been removed.

 

September 15th, 2018, 7pm

The images above are from the west end of Chaudière Island and the adjacent Albert Island in the Ottawa River.  This area, which has had substantial industrial activity, some that dates back two centurys, has been closed to the public for many years.  A contemporary but unfinished park space has now been opened up here. With the park, the ‘falls’ and ring dam that is just northwest of Chaudière island, have new viewpoints.

The text on the plaque in the last photo reads; Fleck – Cowles, Hydrapulper, Manufactered by Alexander Fleck Limited, Ottawa, Canada

 

*****************************************************************************************************

The images here were taken on a road trip from Hull to Quebec City over the 2018 Labour Day long weekend.  These small tower viewpoints, all four situated along the St Lawrence River, were ‘found’ en route.

Images can be viewed at a larger scale by clicking or double clicking on them.

 

St François de I’île D’Orléans, QC – September 1st 2018, 3pm. The observation tower is located near the north-east end of île D’Orléans and is approximately 18m high.  Views include the St. Lawrence River and Mont Ste. Anne.  The tower was built in 1973.

 

At St Lawrence River, Québec City, September 1st, 2018, 10pm.  The Tour d’observation du quai des Cageux was designed by Daoust Lestage Inc. from Montreal, and was built in 2007.  The tower is 25m high.  Views include the Pont de Quebec.

 

Québec City – September 1st, 2018, 10:30pm.  The observation tower is located at Parc Nautique de Cap-Rouge.  Views include a train trestle and the St Lawrence River.

 

Parc écologique de l’Anse du Port, Nicolet, QC –   September 2nd. 2018, 1pm.  The 12m high observation tower was completed in 1993, and is located on the St Lawrence River just east of Lac St Pierre.  The elevated walkway that leads to the tower is over 800m long.

 

*****