The Château Laurier Hotel graces an exceptionally unique site of national importance.
It’s part of our country’s most significant and recognizable view. A view that encompasses the Château Laurier National Historic Site, the Rideau Canal UNESCO World Heritage Site, the heritage-designated Ottawa River, and the buildings on Parliament Hill atop the dramatic escarpment.
The building’s stunning châteauesque style speaks the language of romance, characterized by its irregular form, steep-pitched, turreted roofs, and ornate gables and dormers.
The proposed addition to the Château Laurier speaks a very different language. Its horizontal shape and glass and steel materials sit in jarring contrast to the historic hotel. They’re at complete odds with each other.
Much has been said about architecture needing to be "of its own time".
Absolutely it should be. But a modern addition also needs to be respectful of the original historic building. It should harmonize rather than detract from the building or look incongruous.
In this case, for a successful modern expansion to have a harmonious relationship with the Château Laurier, it needs to reflect the essential characteristics of the historic hotel: its non-box-like undulating form, its stone walls, and its treatment of windows.
Good design is timeless—and any addition to the Château Laurier must be just that.
The Château Laurier National Historic Site is too important a building, at too important a location, to settle for anything less.
Leslie Maitland is a past-president and the current Co-Chair of Heritage Ottawa.
Your Voice Matters!
The City of Ottawa is seeking public reaction to the proposed Château Laurier addition.
Heritage Ottawa encourages all concerned citizens to review the proposal drawings and to
complete the city's Online Feedback Form before Friday, March 9
to make your views known.
Your actions can help to preserve the integrity of this important heritage building. Thank you.