The HTA Blog

Tuesday, June 19, 2018

Back at City Hall

I found myself back at City Hall on Monday. The Built Heritage Sub-Committee met to consider City staff’s recommendation that the latest design proposal for the extension of the Château Laurier be accepted. I was one of several... More

Wednesday, June 13, 2018

Radical

I think that ideally if most people had their wish it would be, just extend the Château Laurier exactly as it is. It would be easy, but I don’t think it would be the right way to go. (Jan Harder, City Councillor and Chair of the... More

Monday, June 11, 2018

Synthesis

  “Its rather harsh reaction to the latest version of the redevelopment plan leaves one with the feeling that unless Heritage Ottawa gets the developer to construct an exact copy of the century-old hotel, it will never approve... More

Monday, June 4, 2018

Subtraction

We have now seen yet another version of the proposed subtraction from the Château Laurier. I know I’m supposed to call it the “addition to” the Château, but I just can’t live with that lie any more. This is not an addition... More

Friday, June 1, 2018

Château Laurier Addition – the Latest Design!

It’s still in... More

Friday, June 1, 2018

Le Château

 I wrote this fragmentary parable a few weeks back for a CU in the City event called “Built Ottawa: Our Places, Our Stories.” As you will see, it is inspired (and illustrated) by the various proposed additions to the Château... More

Friday, June 1, 2018

The View from Abroad

One of the more surreal moments during February’s open house on the proposed Château Laurier expansion was hearing Michael McClelland mansplain that Sophisticated Europeans love this kind of design, and Ottawans really need to get... More

Thursday, March 1, 2018

What’s Wrong with this Process?

Wednesday night was the City of Ottawa’s Open House on the latest proposal for an addition to the Château Laurier. It was a strange event. I could write about the applicant’s failure to demonstrate that the design is deferential... More

Friday, February 9, 2018

What’s Wrong with this Picture(sque)?

Okay, I made it pretty clear in my last blog that I don’t like the new proposal for an addition to the Château Laurier. But my saying I don’t like it is pretty meaningless unless I can explain what I think is wrong with it.... More

Thursday, February 8, 2018

Strike Three

I really thought it would be harder this time around. I thought that after a public consultation and several long months to think it over, Larco Investments’ third proposal for an addition to the Château Laurier would be a bit... More

Friday, September 22, 2017

Just the Facts, Please

In the question period after my recent presentation to the City Planning Committee, I had a spirited exchange with Councillor Rick Chiarelli, who represents College Ward. I had referred to fears that inclusion on the Register would... More

Monday, September 18, 2017

Heritage, Like it or Not

In my last blog, I said that the motion passed by the City’s Planning Committee last week was not bad, but had some problematic implications. To recap: the committee accepted the list submitted by their staff for inclusion on the... More

Tuesday, September 12, 2017

Planning Committee and the Register

I addressed the City’s Planning Committee today (Tuesday), as it met to vote on additions to the Heritage Register recommended last month by City staff. I blogged about their last meeting a couple of weeks ago, and given the... More

Friday, August 25, 2017

Who’s Afraid of Heritage?

Early last year, the City of Ottawa began what’s known as the Heritage Inventory Project. The idea was to enable better management of Ottawa’s heritage resources by compiling a list of every building in the city (or as close to it... More

Wednesday, July 5, 2017

Exploring the Capital

A few years ago, my friend and colleague Andrew Waldron called me up with some news. He was going to write a revised and updated version of Harold Kalman’s 1983 guidebook to Ottawa architecture, Exploring Ottawa. Would I be... More

Wednesday, June 21, 2017

Right Idea, Wrong Place

First the good news: the federal government is serious about establishing an indigenous cultural centre in the nation’s capital. This is badly needed and long overdue. As well as (one hopes) inching us a bit further down the road to... More

Monday, March 27, 2017

English Gothic Live: Epilogue

As Tyesha mentioned in her blog, our trip to Arbury Hall included a workshop with writer Jon Mycroft. Jon took us though a number of exercises designed first to connect us viscerally to the place through our senses, then to translate... More

Friday, March 24, 2017

English Gothic Live: Imogen’s Blog

Here Be Monsters Last summer, twelve students and one professor shared an unforgettable experience called English Gothic Live, a course on medieval and medievalist architecture which we studied on site while based at the... More

Wednesday, March 22, 2017

English Gothic Live: Tyesha’s Blog

Past to Present:  A Look Into Gothic Revival Architecture In An Elizabethan Manor House Last summer, twelve students and one professor shared an unforgettable experience called English Gothic Live, a course on medieval and... More

Monday, March 20, 2017

English Gothic Live: Marissa’s Blog

Conwy Castle Last summer, twelve students and one professor shared an unforgettable experience called English Gothic Live, a course on medieval and medievalist architecture which we studied on site while based at the University of... More

Friday, March 17, 2017

English Gothic Live: Derek’s Blog

A Weekend in Wales: Plas Mawr Last summer, twelve students and one professor shared an unforgettable experience called English Gothic Live, a course on medieval and medievalist architecture which we studied on site while based at the... More

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

English Gothic Live: Sarah’s Blog

Kenilworth was (Kenil)worth it (Photos by Marissa and Claire) Last summer, twelve students and one professor shared an unforgettable experience called English Gothic Live, a course on medieval and medievalist architecture which we... More

Monday, March 13, 2017

English Gothic Live: Stephen’s Blog

The Weaver’s House Last summer, twelve students and one professor shared an unforgettable experience called English Gothic Live, a course on medieval and medievalist architecture which we studied on site while based at the... More

Friday, March 10, 2017

English Gothic Live – Tom’s Blog

Ford’s Hospital Last summer, twelve students and one professor shared an unforgettable experience called English Gothic Live, a course on medieval and medievalist architecture which we studied on site while based at the... More

Wednesday, March 8, 2017

English Gothic Live – Claire’s Blog

All in at Lincoln Last summer, twelve students and one professor shared an unforgettable experience called English Gothic Live, a course on medieval and medievalist architecture which we studied on site while based at the... More

Monday, March 6, 2017

English Gothic Live: Dorian’s Blog

A Day Here in Hereford Last summer, twelve students and one professor shared an unforgettable experience called English Gothic Live, a course on medieval and medievalist architecture which we studied on site while based at the... More

Thursday, March 2, 2017

English Gothic Live: Will’s Blog

Southwell Minster Last summer, twelve students and one professor shared an unforgettable experience called English Gothic Live, a course on medieval and medievalist architecture which we studied on site while based at the University... More

Tuesday, February 28, 2017

English Gothic Live: Gagan’s Blog

The Big Friendly Tower and the Time Travelling Mason Last summer, twelve students and one professor shared an unforgettable experience called English Gothic Live, a course on medieval and medievalist architecture which we studied on... More

Thursday, February 23, 2017

English Gothic Live: Piya’s Blog

Last summer, twelve students and one professor shared an unforgettable experience called English Gothic Live, a course on medieval and medievalist architecture which we studied on site while based at the University of Warwick. One of... More

Wednesday, February 15, 2017

Speak Now, or Forever Hold your Nose

Larco Investment Ltd. has submitted a Site Plan Control application for the Château Laurier property. The City of Ottawa is looking for your input on the proposal. (City of Ottawa Feedback Form on the proposed Château Laurier... More

Monday, December 12, 2016

Castle on the Landscape

Having written an op-ed piece in the Ottawa Citizen this week, you might think that I had said everything I could about the proposed addition to the Château Laurier. But the issue is both complicated and important, and I want to... More

Thursday, November 24, 2016

Déjà Vu

As promised, the revised design for the Château Laurier expansion was unveiled last week. It didn’t create anything like the media (and social media) storm that the first version did, partly because the message was much more... More

Thursday, November 17, 2016

Old Buildings/New Forms: A Panel Discussion

Today (Thursday) is the day that the revised proposal for the addition to the Château Laurier is to be unveiled. We really need to get this right, so, it’s time to have a serious public conversation about what we should... More

Friday, October 21, 2016

English Gothic Live

For three weeks in July and August, I shared an unforgettable experience called English Gothic Live (or, more pedantically, ARTH 3701: Art and Architecture on Site) with a dozen Carleton students. It was a course I had dreamt of... More

Monday, October 3, 2016

Yesterday’s Embassy

There has been a fair bit of talk lately about what to do with the former American embassy, directly across the street from Parliament’s Centre Block. It’s a perfect example of what the heritage world calls ‘adaptive re-use’:... More

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