Festival of architecture
Published Saturday July 12th, 2008
When Canada's top architects sat down to bestow awards on the province's projects, the winner was clear: the astonishing, multicoloured exterior revitalization of the Hampton Elementary School, just featured in Canadian Architect magazine
If you were an architect practicing in any of Canada's great cities or smaller communities, there was one place on Earth you were meant to be on the evening of June 27: the Grand Ballroom of Fredericton's Delta Hotel. While the dress ranged from black tie to funky jeans for the younger set, the piper leading the procession of dignitaries set an ebullient tone for the event. If only every celebration of architecture could be so magnificent.
Fredericton was fortunate to be the host for the 2008 annual conference of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada. Beyond the meetings, lectures and trade fair was one of the marquee events, the awards dinner. Among the salmon-crunching 350-strong crowd were the president of the American Institute of Architects; a number of former presidents of the institute; dozens of Canada's greatest architects, including the institute's 2008 gold medal winner - Dan Hanganu of Montreal; Bob Berkebile, one of the world's leading green architects (who counts former U.S. president Bill Clinton as a follower) and four lucky New Brunswick architecture firms who would soon be honoured with one of four Lieutenant Governor's Awards in New Brunswick Architecture.
Following an extraordinary and moving speech by Lieutenant-Governor Herménégilde Chiasson on the virtues and challenges of the discipline of architecture, the awards were handed out. And the very deserving winners were:
The main award, the Lieutenant Governor's Award of Excellence in New Brunswick Architecture, went to Murdock and Boyd architects of Saint John for their economical, yet astonishing, multicoloured exterior revitalization of the Hampton Elementary School.
Mary Campbell, the acting school principal, admitted there was some trepidation about the new blue, green and white exterior, but the children and parents have been almost universally surprised and won over since the project was completed in September 2007. Campbell relates that the face-lift was a catalyst that helped shape a new school spirit. Students now call it "the cool school." The project was considered so noteworthy it was also featured in this month's issue of Canadian Architect magazine - the first New Brunswick project to see ink on its pages in nearly 25 years.
The three-member award jury included the celebrated Nova Scotia architect Niall Savage, architect Alex Rankin of Ottawa, and Dr. Bradley Cross of St. Thomas University. The jury's choice of the Hampton School was unanimous. They felt that while it may have appeared lesser in scope to virtually all of the other 22 entries, it demonstrated an innovative way of dealing with a small budget and getting maximum return from it - a trait any architect working today will tell you is critical. The jury also appreciated that it demonstrated something beyond an expected or common response to a typical architectural project.
Three Awards of Merit were also given out to St. Thomas University's Margaret Norrie McCain Hall by Fellows and Company architects, the Spanier/O'Neill residence on Moncton's Alexander Avenue, by Architecture 2000 inc., and Prodel Design's Metepenagiag Heritage Park and Interpretation Centre, at the Metepenagiag First Nation.
While the unique and surprisingly open spaces of the brick and stone McCain Hall were covered in a Salon feature in March of 2007, as was the seamless and colourful Spanier/O'Neill residence in July of 2007, the Metepenagiag Heritage Park and Interpretation Centre was fresh to my curious eyes.
Built adjacent to the winding Northwest Miramichi River's Oxbow archaeological site and its revered Augustine Burial Mound, the design of the interpretation centre embraces Mi'kmaq traditions. The Oxbow area is a national historic site with artifact traces that go back more than 2,500 years, making it the oldest continually occupied village site in the province and an exceptionally important place of Mi'kmaq spirituality.
Prodel's relatively unadorned building envelope was chosen as a metaphor to reflect ancient villages with arbitrary natural shapes. The project is made of a series of distinct geometric volumes connected along the curvilinear walls of a main interior hall. This path reflects the nearby winding river - both a source of pride and livelihood for the Metepenagiag People. The free flowing river hallway is bound by an imposing stone cliff wall and a series of small-scale wood structures evoking a village.
The mission was to have a modern facility that acknowledges the ancient past while preserving, presenting and promoting two of the most outstanding aboriginal archaeological sites in Eastern North America. These goals were also achieved by "green" building practices including geothermal heating and cooling, light sensors, sun shading, recycled materials and renewable products.
Glancing at all the entries for the 2008 awards, the confident direction of contemporary architecture has never looked so good in our province. While there is little argument that architecture is a competitive business, our designers have much to offer, if the public is prepared to be open and receptive to new ideas. While award winner Peter Fellows noted "it was very satisfying to be recognized by your peers," a large number of other award entries were compelling efforts and quality projects. While the Lieutenant-Governor's Awards promote the best work of the profession, in reality the people of New Brunswick are the real beneficiaries of these creations.
John Leroux is an architect and art historian who lives in Fredericton. He can be reached at johnnyleroux@hotmail.com.
More Salon
Search Articles
More CE Network Sites & Partners:
