Rethinking Victoria Island
March 9-10, 2013
Carleton University, Ottawa, ON
The First Annual Carleton Heritage Charette challenged students and young professionals in multidisciplinary teams to analyze and rethink the Victoria Island by examining it natural features, industrial heritage, cultural and aboriginal significance. Site tours, presentations and question and answer sessions with professional and community advisors assisted the teams in their task to reimagine the site and propose viable solutions for the revitalization of site as an urban park. The difficulty of the task consisted in reconciling and acknowledging the many layers of values associated with the site as well as the many stakeholders’ interests and aspirations. Key issues addressed include: the notion of palimpsest; the relationship between preservation and design; industrial heritage; conservation techniques and adaptive re-use; land use; water management; ecological revitalization and respect for the aboriginal communities and their relationship with the site. The winners of this juried competition will be announced at the annual ICOMOS Canada Congress, in May 2013, when prizes for the best proposals will be awarded by the ICOMOS Canada Martin Weaver Memorial Fund.