Parliamentary Precinct Redevelopment - Block 2 in Ottawa / Réaménagement de la Cité parlementaire - Bloc 2 à Ottawa
2020
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada- Public building
- Complexes
- City blocks
Summary:
The Parliamentary Precinct. Its architecture and heritage features represent our past and present. The Government of Canada is now modernizing the Precinct and making it greener, safer and more accessible for future generations. As part of these efforts, the block directly facing Parliament Hill, known as Block 2, will undergo an impressive renewal.
Block 2 covers an approximate area of 9,800 square metres and includes 2 vacant parcels of land and 11 buildings - many of which are designated heritage buildings. 2 of the 11 buildings in the block have been dedicated for the development of an Indigenous Peoples' Space. While these buildings currently stand independently from the design competition, the department will ensure the design and construction for the entire block honour and respect the significance of this space, which sits at the heart of Canada's Parliamentary Precinct. Preserving the heritage of Block 2 is at the heart of the project.
Redesigned as a whole, the block will provide office space for the Senate and the House of Commons. It will also include space for the Library of Parliament and renovated retail space on the Sparks Street Mall. In collaboration with the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, a multidisciplinary jury, composed of design professionals and respected members of Canadian academia and civil society, as well as parliamentary representatives, will help ensure the development of a design that complements one of the most unique settings of parliamentary buildings in the world - one in which Canadians can continue to take pride.
(From video presentation)
Detailed:
Ottawa is the centre of Canada's parliamentary democracy. At its core is the Parliamentary Precinct, the symbolic centerpiece of the city and country, and host to Canada's legislatures - the House of Commons and the Senate of Canada - as well as the Library of Parliament. This triad of historic Parliament Buildings sits upon a dramatic escarpment, a high cliff edge overlooking the broad and turbulent Ottawa River (Kichisìpi, meaning "Great River" in Anicinàbemowin) with the rapids and falls considered sacred to Indigenous peoples within view. Constructed between 1859 and 1866, and partially reconstructed after a massive fire in 1916, these imposing buildings set in the midst of a small frontier lumber town were the result of an international design competition held in 1859.
Their construction, on this site, on the traditional territory of the Algonquin, manifest a process of nation building that has complex and contested foundations. The fact that these buildings stand as a testament to the history of Canada in all its complexities enhances their values and significance.
The combination of a spectacular site and the rugged yet grand masonry buildings, with a forest of towers and facades dominated by pointed openings and carved beasts and buttresses, make it one of the world's finest Gothic Revival complexes. While the winning designs of the 1859 Architectural Design Competition were heavily influenced by the evolving ideals of Gothic architecture in the 1850s and the watershed works of John Ruskin and others, "it was a very different kind of Gothic that captured the imagination of Canadians and gave Canadian architecture its first national identity on the eve of Confederation." (Young, Carolyn A. The Glory of Ottawa - Canada's First Parliament Buildings, 1995, p.6)
Tied to the power of the site, to its wildness, and to its intimated relationship with the river systems, which were still then thought of as the highways of Canada, these magnificent buildings heralded the promising potential of this emerging country and the political institutions they housed. The Dominion of Canada held its first parliament here in 1867, and the Precinct remains the place where the country is shaped and defined in the context of a modern changing world.
A defining characteristic of Parliament Hill is the transition from natural forested escarpment coming up from the river to the formal landscaped ground of terraces, driveways and a large central lawn. The great Parliamentary Lawn is bordered on three sides by the historic parliament buildings - now referred to as Centre Block, West Block and East Block. This is the premier gathering place - official and unofficial - for Canadians and Indigenous peoples: a place to express views and exercise democratic rights, to protest and to call for changes, but also a place to engage collectively in times of national mourning and celebration. The openness, accessibility, and security of this national public space, and the democratic values it represents, are treasured and celebrated by all Canadians.
The capital is home to dozens of prominent sites and buildings. The numerous parliamentary, cultural, and diplomatic buildings reflect the history of the country and speak to its evolving role on the world stage. However, few sites carry the significance of Block 2, a full city block directly opposite Canada's Parliamentary Lawn, framing this important national public space.
The redevelopment of Block 2 is a component of the Long Term Vision and Plan (LTVP), the underlying strategic plan that guides and orients the custodianship and development of land, properties and assets within the Parliamentary Precinct.
The long-term planning and rehabilitation of the Parliamentary Precinct has been a longstanding concern of the Government dating back to 1912. The Long Term Vision and Plan is the current comprehensive multi-decade strategy to renew the Parliamentary Precinct.
At the core of the LTVP is a cascade of projects, starting as early as 2002 with the rehabilitation of the Library of Parliament. This was followed by the creation of a set of interim facilities for the relocation of the two Houses of Parliament, thus allowing the emptying the Centre Block, the centre piece of the strategy and plan up to 2018. The LTVP is continually being updated, and with Centre Block now under a complete rehabilitation, focus can now be turned to the next phase of the Plan: this includes in particular Block 2.
Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) is pleased to launch a two-stage design competition for the Parliamentary Precinct Redevelopment of Block 2. This development is a keystone in the broader renewal of the Parliamentary Precinct, providing critical accommodations that will position Parliament to serve the country for another 150 years. As the fourth side to the great lawn, the Block 2 redevelopment is an architectural initiative of enormous importance, visually and symbolically. It represents an historic and imaginative opportunity to take Canadians' sense of the country and its democracy to a broader and more inclusive level.
An architectural competition is necessary to ensure that the design of this project reflects the elegant creativity that such a rare and nationally-significant location demands. It is also an immensely complex site that will require exceptional creative and technical finesse to integrate the disparate components into a complete, modern, and efficient design concept suitable for Parliamentarians and its place in the community. This extraordinary combination of opportunities and challenges - in terms of architecture, symbolism, integration and functionality - requires accomplished design teams to understand the history of this block, and its role in the broader context. At its core, this project is an opportunity to craft a contemporary interpretation of the continued promise of the country for all Canadians and Indigenous peoples.
(From competition brief)
The Parliamentary Precinct. Its architecture and heritage features represent our past and present. The Government of Canada is now modernizing the Precinct and making it greener, safer and more accessible for future generations. As part of these efforts, the block directly facing Parliament Hill, known as Block 2, will undergo an impressive renewal.
Block 2 covers an approximate area of 9,800 square metres and includes 2 vacant parcels of land and 11 buildings - many of which are designated heritage buildings. 2 of the 11 buildings in the block have been dedicated for the development of an Indigenous Peoples' Space. While these buildings currently stand independently from the design competition, the department will ensure the design and construction for the entire block honour and respect the significance of this space, which sits at the heart of Canada's Parliamentary Precinct. Preserving the heritage of Block 2 is at the heart of the project.
Redesigned as a whole, the block will provide office space for the Senate and the House of Commons. It will also include space for the Library of Parliament and renovated retail space on the Sparks Street Mall. In collaboration with the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, a multidisciplinary jury, composed of design professionals and respected members of Canadian academia and civil society, as well as parliamentary representatives, will help ensure the development of a design that complements one of the most unique settings of parliamentary buildings in the world - one in which Canadians can continue to take pride.
(From video presentation)
Detailed:
Ottawa is the centre of Canada's parliamentary democracy. At its core is the Parliamentary Precinct, the symbolic centerpiece of the city and country, and host to Canada's legislatures - the House of Commons and the Senate of Canada - as well as the Library of Parliament. This triad of historic Parliament Buildings sits upon a dramatic escarpment, a high cliff edge overlooking the broad and turbulent Ottawa River (Kichisìpi, meaning "Great River" in Anicinàbemowin) with the rapids and falls considered sacred to Indigenous peoples within view. Constructed between 1859 and 1866, and partially reconstructed after a massive fire in 1916, these imposing buildings set in the midst of a small frontier lumber town were the result of an international design competition held in 1859.
Their construction, on this site, on the traditional territory of the Algonquin, manifest a process of nation building that has complex and contested foundations. The fact that these buildings stand as a testament to the history of Canada in all its complexities enhances their values and significance.
The combination of a spectacular site and the rugged yet grand masonry buildings, with a forest of towers and facades dominated by pointed openings and carved beasts and buttresses, make it one of the world's finest Gothic Revival complexes. While the winning designs of the 1859 Architectural Design Competition were heavily influenced by the evolving ideals of Gothic architecture in the 1850s and the watershed works of John Ruskin and others, "it was a very different kind of Gothic that captured the imagination of Canadians and gave Canadian architecture its first national identity on the eve of Confederation." (Young, Carolyn A. The Glory of Ottawa - Canada's First Parliament Buildings, 1995, p.6)
Tied to the power of the site, to its wildness, and to its intimated relationship with the river systems, which were still then thought of as the highways of Canada, these magnificent buildings heralded the promising potential of this emerging country and the political institutions they housed. The Dominion of Canada held its first parliament here in 1867, and the Precinct remains the place where the country is shaped and defined in the context of a modern changing world.
A defining characteristic of Parliament Hill is the transition from natural forested escarpment coming up from the river to the formal landscaped ground of terraces, driveways and a large central lawn. The great Parliamentary Lawn is bordered on three sides by the historic parliament buildings - now referred to as Centre Block, West Block and East Block. This is the premier gathering place - official and unofficial - for Canadians and Indigenous peoples: a place to express views and exercise democratic rights, to protest and to call for changes, but also a place to engage collectively in times of national mourning and celebration. The openness, accessibility, and security of this national public space, and the democratic values it represents, are treasured and celebrated by all Canadians.
The capital is home to dozens of prominent sites and buildings. The numerous parliamentary, cultural, and diplomatic buildings reflect the history of the country and speak to its evolving role on the world stage. However, few sites carry the significance of Block 2, a full city block directly opposite Canada's Parliamentary Lawn, framing this important national public space.
The redevelopment of Block 2 is a component of the Long Term Vision and Plan (LTVP), the underlying strategic plan that guides and orients the custodianship and development of land, properties and assets within the Parliamentary Precinct.
The long-term planning and rehabilitation of the Parliamentary Precinct has been a longstanding concern of the Government dating back to 1912. The Long Term Vision and Plan is the current comprehensive multi-decade strategy to renew the Parliamentary Precinct.
At the core of the LTVP is a cascade of projects, starting as early as 2002 with the rehabilitation of the Library of Parliament. This was followed by the creation of a set of interim facilities for the relocation of the two Houses of Parliament, thus allowing the emptying the Centre Block, the centre piece of the strategy and plan up to 2018. The LTVP is continually being updated, and with Centre Block now under a complete rehabilitation, focus can now be turned to the next phase of the Plan: this includes in particular Block 2.
Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) is pleased to launch a two-stage design competition for the Parliamentary Precinct Redevelopment of Block 2. This development is a keystone in the broader renewal of the Parliamentary Precinct, providing critical accommodations that will position Parliament to serve the country for another 150 years. As the fourth side to the great lawn, the Block 2 redevelopment is an architectural initiative of enormous importance, visually and symbolically. It represents an historic and imaginative opportunity to take Canadians' sense of the country and its democracy to a broader and more inclusive level.
An architectural competition is necessary to ensure that the design of this project reflects the elegant creativity that such a rare and nationally-significant location demands. It is also an immensely complex site that will require exceptional creative and technical finesse to integrate the disparate components into a complete, modern, and efficient design concept suitable for Parliamentarians and its place in the community. This extraordinary combination of opportunities and challenges - in terms of architecture, symbolism, integration and functionality - requires accomplished design teams to understand the history of this block, and its role in the broader context. At its core, this project is an opportunity to craft a contemporary interpretation of the continued promise of the country for all Canadians and Indigenous peoples.
(From competition brief)