With good tools and a rigorous approach, will this new building achieve a good fit? The planning and design of the new Ottawa Congress Centre as a case study.

Ref.: 210
Key theme: 03 Visual integrity of historic urban landscapes
Date of reception: 31/10/2008

AUTHORS (*Main author)

DICAIRE, Linda * (Canada) - National Capital Commission, Ottawa

ABSTRACT

This paper intends to share with the academic community and the World Heritage conservation network a holistic approach used by the a government of Canada Crown Corporation, the National Capital Commission, to integrate contemporary architecture sensitively into the historic urban landscape of the nation's Capital.

Using the in-progress project of the new Ottawa Congress Centre, the paper delves into many questions associated with the themes of the 12th International Seminar, in particular the `Visual integrity of historic urban landscapes'. This illustrated paper:

- Relates the history of the Capital and positions the core area of Canada's Capital as a Historic Urban Landscape;
- describes the new Ottawa Congress Centre, its proposed footprint and massing;

- explores the challenges of the locations which is adjacent to the UNESCO designated Rideau Canal Navigable Waterway World Heritage Site, and to several National Historic Sites. The site is also located on the Colonel By Drive Parkway, an urban, linear cultural landscape associated with the Rideau Canal identified in the Plan for Canada's Capital as a Scenic Entry;
º discusses the opportunity to improve the experiential qualities of the Rideau Canal corridor as an urban historic landscape and to heal user conflicts;
º positions the proposal in relation to the UNESCO Vienna Memorandum ;
º analyses the history, fabric, make-up, character, values, `genius loci ' and complexity of the Capital's historic urban landscape, together with the ability of the new architecture to respond and make a meaningful contribution to these aspects;
º discusses environmental issues and objectives of sustainable design;
º positions the role of the National Capital Commission (the `NCC') as one of the leading planning and design regulatory authorities;
º explains the philosophical and methodological approach taken by the NCC including the preparation of urban design guidelines , the identification of key views and view sequences, a view protection analysis , the study of scale and massing and 3-D modeling, in order to ensure the new architecture makes a meaningful contribution to the landscape and cultural identity of the Capital;
º analyses the `public face' of the proposed new building and explores how this new architecture fits (or not) `in the round';
º discusses the strengths and areas for improvement of the architecture at the concept stage, and presents the architectural response provided by the final developed design; describes the landscape strategy for the restoration of the integrity of the public space;
º advocates the added value of a mandatory design review and approval process and stresses the importance of public policies that ensure such processes are in place; and
º upholds (and concludes) THAT: visual integrity, cultural identity and the sense of place will be in a stronger state of equilibrium as a result of the comprehensive approach taken to the planning and design of this new contemporary building within the historic urban landscape.

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