Archives: The HTA Blog

Thursday, March 14, 2024

24 Sussex: A Parting Thought

(This blog resumes a discussion of 24 Sussex Drive begun here and continued here.) What if, in spite of all the compelling counter-arguments, the demolitionists won the day? What would happen if we tore down 24 Sussex and replaced it with a shiny new modern residence? Here’s what my crystal ball says: People will... More

Wednesday, February 28, 2024

24 Sussex Drive: Why It Matters Part 2

Last week, I examined the strange (and untenable) claim that 24 Sussex Drive was not a historically important building. Another argument put forward in favour of its demolition runs roughly as follows: 24 Sussex is a relic from the nation’s past. We should demolish it and replace it with something new, something symbolic of... More

Thursday, February 22, 2024

24 Sussex Drive: Why It Matters Part 1

24 Sussex Drive, the currently unused (and semi-derelict) official residence of the Prime Minister of Canada, has been in the news again lately. On February 21st, Heritage Ottawa hosted a panel discussion on the building’s future at the Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre. Much good sense was spoken by panelists Mark Brandt, Sheila Copps, Marc... More

Tuesday, February 20, 2024

Oro African Methodist Episcopal Church

In Ontario’s Simcoe County, at the intersection of Old Barrie Road and Line 3, is a modest log building that is also a symbol. It’s a symbol of freedom, or at least of the aspiration to be free. And it’s a symbol of a promise partly kept. The original settlers here were known as... More

Monday, February 12, 2024

Africville, Nova Scotia

If you visit Africville, Nova Scotia, the first thing you’ll notice is that it's not there anymore. Once the home of a tightly-knit community founded by black loyalists, Africville was appropriated by the municipality of Halifax and bulldozed in the 1960s. Today it’s a grassy, tree-lined park overlooking the Bedford Basin, with several... More

Friday, October 6, 2023

Connected Architecture: Lunenburg, Nova Scotia

By Peter Coffman (During my current sabbatical, I am gathering material from across the country for a new course we're planning on Canadian architecture. I’ll occasionally use this blog to think out loud about some of the places I visit and the issues they raise.) 🎶 The foot bone's connected to the leg bone.... More

Monday, October 2, 2023

The HTA Podcast: Music and Public Places

By Maximilien Sonier This is a milestone for the HTA Podcast: the first episode produced by one of our students. Maximilien Sonier is a recent (spring 2023) graduate of the History & Theory of Architecture program – and, as you will discover, he is also an accomplished pianist. This podcast was produced in the... More

Tuesday, June 20, 2023

In Search of Canadian Architecture

By Peter Coffman I’m on sabbatical for the 2023/24 academic year, and I’m hitting the road in search of Canadian architecture. And I need your help! I need suggestions about where to go, and what to see. The end game is the creation of a new, third-year course on Canadian architecture. But I don’t... More

Friday, March 31, 2023

HTA Podcast: The Presence of the Past in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia

A conversation with Hilary Grant, Heritage Officer and Senior Planner for the town of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. This podcast served as the final virtual ‘lecture’ in my 2nd-year course on 18th- and 19th-century architecture. The topic is arguably the greatest site of 18th- and 19th-century heritage in Canada: the town of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia,... More

Wednesday, March 29, 2023

Research in Action: Reflections on Methods in Architectural History

We are continuing our series of student blogs with a number of reflections on the “Small Modernisms” symposium, a public event held at the Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre on May 12-13, 2022. The event was organized by Professors Michael Windover and Dustin Valen. The blogs were written by undergraduate students in the History and Theory... More

Wednesday, March 29, 2023

Reflections from the Tour Guides, Part 2

We are continuing our series of student blogs with a number of reflections on the “Small Modernisms” symposium, a public event held at the Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre on May 12-13, 2022. The event was organized by Professors Michael Windover and Dustin Valen. The blogs were written by undergraduate students in the History and Theory... More

Wednesday, March 29, 2023

Reflections from the Tour Guides, Part 1

We are continuing our series of student blogs with a number of reflections on the “Small Modernisms” symposium, a public event held at the Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre on May 12-13, 2022. The event was organized by Professors Michael Windover and Dustin Valen. The blogs were written by undergraduate students in the History and Theory... More

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