THE HTA BLOG, By Peter Coffman

One of the more surreal moments during last month’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 with it.

I actually know a few Sophisticated Europeans, and in fact one of them was in Ottawa recently to give a couple of lectures at Carleton University.  Dr. John Goodall is an architectural historian and has been the Architectural Editor of Country Life magazine since 2007; previous to that he was a Senior Properties Historian at English Heritage.  He is the author of many articles and books – including the magnificent 480-page tome The English Castle, published by Yale University Press.  So he knows a thing or two about architecture, especially about castles.

While here, he took several walks around downtown Ottawa, guided by Andrew Waldron’s book Exploring the Capital.  He expressed great enthusiasm for the area around Parliament Hill, so I showed him the renderings of the proposed extension of the Château Laurier.  Here is his reaction:

The view of the Canadian Parliament across the Ottawa River is emblematic not only of the capital, but of Canada itself.  Chateau Laurier forms an important element of this spectacular prospect, its dramatic Gothic outline and detailing acting as a visual foil to Parliament.  That this national view should be sacrificed to a clumsily designed hotel extension—literally a massive glass box—ought to provoke a national outcry.

I know a few other Sophisticated Europeans, so I may try to get in touch with them, too.  In the meantime, let’s start work on that national outcry.

Peter Coffman is an architectural historian, Associate Professor of the History and Theory of Architecture (HTA) program at Carleton University, and Past President of the Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada. He blogs on architectural topics at https://carleton.ca/arthistory/hta-blog/

Related:

Coffman: The Château Laurier Open House Presentation—What Was Said

Coffman: Why Proposed Addition to Château Laurier is Incongruous With Historic Structure (CTV video)

Coffman: What's Wrong with this Picture(sque)?

Heritage Ottawa: Remarks on Revised Design for Proposed Addition to the Château Laurier

Maitland: Château Laurier Expansion: Let’s Not Settle for Anything Less than Excellence

Waldron: Boxes all checked? Here’s Why the Proposed Château Laurier Addition falls Short

McArthur: Château Laurier Expansion: Getting it Right