West Block
Encyclopedia
The West Block is one of the three buildings on Parliament Hill
, in Ottawa
, Ontario
, containing offices for parliamentarians, as well as some preserved pre-Confederation
spaces.
Built in the Victorian High Gothic style, the West Block has been extended twice since its original completion in 1865. Though not as renowned as the Centre Block
of parliament, the West Block appears on the obverse of the Canadian five-dollar bill
. Unlike the other buildings, however, it is not open for public tours.
structure built in the Victorian High Gothic style, with load bearing masonry walls, all clad in a rustic Nepean sandstone exterior and dressed stone trim around windows and other edges, as well as displaying a multitude of stone carvings, including gargoyle
s, grotesque
s, and frieze
s, keeping with the style of the rest of the parliamentary complex. The West Block adds to the Ottawa skyline three prominent towers: the Mackenzie Tower (added in 1878), the Laurier Tower (added in 1906), and the Southwest Tower.
During a planned renovation of the Centre Block to begin in 2019, the central courtyard of the West Block will be infilled and roofed over in order that it may serve as a temporary chamber for the House of Commons
.
sent out, on 7 May 1859, a call for architects to submit proposals for the new parliament buildings to be erected on Barrack Hill
, which was answered by 298 submitted drawings. After the entries were narrowed down to three, then Governor General Sir Edmund Walker Head
was approached to break the stalemate, and the winner was announced on 29 August 1859. The departmental buildings, Centre Block
, and a new residence for the Governor General were each awarded separately, and the team of Thomas Stent and Augustus Laver under the pseudonym of Stat nomen in umbra, won the prize for the first category.
Construction on the West Block commenced by the end of 1859, at the same time as work on the Centre Block
and Stent and Laver's East Block
began. By the time it was completed in 1865, the building was three years behind schedule, and the first tenants were the offices of the Postmaster General
, the Ministry of Public Works
, and the Crown land
s departments. As the number of parliamentary and administrative staff increased as the area of the country grew, more space was added to the West Block in 1878 the Mackenzie Wing and Tower and 1906 the Laurier Tower and link.
In the early years of the third millennium
, the masonry of the West Block was found to be in a state of severe disrepair; scaffolding and protective sheeting were erected in order to prevent falling blocks from striking pedestrians and/or cars below, and a restoration project was immediately implemented. The two largest towers were also stabilised with temporary steel structures, for fear of stones falling off them.
Parliament Hill
Parliament Hill , colloquially known as The Hill, is an area of Crown land on the southern banks of the Ottawa River in downtown Ottawa, Ontario. Its Gothic revival suite of buildingsthe parliament buildings serves as the home of the Parliament of Canada and contains a number of architectural...
, in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, containing offices for parliamentarians, as well as some preserved pre-Confederation
Canadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation was the process by which the federal Dominion of Canada was formed on July 1, 1867. On that day, three British colonies were formed into four Canadian provinces...
spaces.
Built in the Victorian High Gothic style, the West Block has been extended twice since its original completion in 1865. Though not as renowned as the Centre Block
Centre Block
The Centre Block is the main building of the Canadian parliamentary complex on Parliament Hill, in Ottawa, Ontario, containing the Commons and Senate chambers, as well as the offices of a number of Members of Parliament and Senators, as well as senior administration for both legislative houses...
of parliament, the West Block appears on the obverse of the Canadian five-dollar bill
Canadian five-dollar bill
The Canadian five-dollar bill is currently the lowest denomination banknote issued by the Bank of Canada.The current five-Canadian dollar bill is dominantly blue in colour. The front features a portrait of Sir Wilfrid Laurier, the coat of arms, and a picture of the West Block of the Parliament...
. Unlike the other buildings, however, it is not open for public tours.
Characteristics
Designed by Thomas Stent and Augustus Laver, the West Block is an asymmetricalAsymmetry
Asymmetry is the absence of, or a violation of, symmetry.-In organisms:Due to how cells divide in organisms, asymmetry in organisms is fairly usual in at least one dimension, with biological symmetry also being common in at least one dimension....
structure built in the Victorian High Gothic style, with load bearing masonry walls, all clad in a rustic Nepean sandstone exterior and dressed stone trim around windows and other edges, as well as displaying a multitude of stone carvings, including gargoyle
Gargoyle
In architecture, a gargoyle is a carved stone grotesque, usually made of granite, with a spout designed to convey water from a roof and away from the side of a building thereby preventing rainwater from running down masonry walls and eroding the mortar between...
s, grotesque
Grotesque
The word grotesque comes from the same Latin root as "Grotto", meaning a small cave or hollow. The original meaning was restricted to an extravagant style of Ancient Roman decorative art rediscovered and then copied in Rome at the end of the 15th century...
s, and frieze
Frieze
thumb|267px|Frieze of the [[Tower of the Winds]], AthensIn architecture the frieze is the wide central section part of an entablature and may be plain in the Ionic or Doric order, or decorated with bas-reliefs. Even when neither columns nor pilasters are expressed, on an astylar wall it lies upon...
s, keeping with the style of the rest of the parliamentary complex. The West Block adds to the Ottawa skyline three prominent towers: the Mackenzie Tower (added in 1878), the Laurier Tower (added in 1906), and the Southwest Tower.
During a planned renovation of the Centre Block to begin in 2019, the central courtyard of the West Block will be infilled and roofed over in order that it may serve as a temporary chamber for the House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
.
History
The Department of Public WorksPublic Works and Government Services Canada
Public Works and Government Services Canada is the department of the government of Canada with responsibility for the government's internal servicing and administration....
sent out, on 7 May 1859, a call for architects to submit proposals for the new parliament buildings to be erected on Barrack Hill
Parliament Hill
Parliament Hill , colloquially known as The Hill, is an area of Crown land on the southern banks of the Ottawa River in downtown Ottawa, Ontario. Its Gothic revival suite of buildingsthe parliament buildings serves as the home of the Parliament of Canada and contains a number of architectural...
, which was answered by 298 submitted drawings. After the entries were narrowed down to three, then Governor General Sir Edmund Walker Head
Edmund Walker Head
Sir Edmund Walker Head, 8th Baronet, KCB was British colonial administrator.He was born at Wiarton Place, near Maidstone, Kent, the son of Reverend Sir John Head, 7th Bt. and Jane Head. He was educated at Winchester College and Oriel College, Oxford. He succeeded to his father's title in 1838...
was approached to break the stalemate, and the winner was announced on 29 August 1859. The departmental buildings, Centre Block
Centre Block
The Centre Block is the main building of the Canadian parliamentary complex on Parliament Hill, in Ottawa, Ontario, containing the Commons and Senate chambers, as well as the offices of a number of Members of Parliament and Senators, as well as senior administration for both legislative houses...
, and a new residence for the Governor General were each awarded separately, and the team of Thomas Stent and Augustus Laver under the pseudonym of Stat nomen in umbra, won the prize for the first category.
Construction on the West Block commenced by the end of 1859, at the same time as work on the Centre Block
Centre Block
The Centre Block is the main building of the Canadian parliamentary complex on Parliament Hill, in Ottawa, Ontario, containing the Commons and Senate chambers, as well as the offices of a number of Members of Parliament and Senators, as well as senior administration for both legislative houses...
and Stent and Laver's East Block
East Block
The East Block is one of the three buildings on Parliament Hill, in Ottawa, Ontario, containing offices for parliamentarians, as well as some preserved pre-Confederation spaces.Built in the Victorian High Gothic style, the East Block is, along with the Library of Parliament, one of only...
began. By the time it was completed in 1865, the building was three years behind schedule, and the first tenants were the offices of the Postmaster General
Postmaster General of Canada
The Postmaster General of Canada was the Canadian cabinet minister responsible for the Post Office Department . In 1851, management of the post office was transferred from Britain to the provincial governments of the Province of Canada, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward...
, the Ministry of Public Works
Public Works and Government Services Canada
Public Works and Government Services Canada is the department of the government of Canada with responsibility for the government's internal servicing and administration....
, and the Crown land
Crown land
In Commonwealth realms, Crown land is an area belonging to the monarch , the equivalent of an entailed estate that passed with the monarchy and could not be alienated from it....
s departments. As the number of parliamentary and administrative staff increased as the area of the country grew, more space was added to the West Block in 1878 the Mackenzie Wing and Tower and 1906 the Laurier Tower and link.
In the early years of the third millennium
3rd millennium
In contemporary history, the third millennium is a period of time that commenced on January 1, 2001, and will end on December 31, 3000, of the Gregorian calendar. This is the third period of one thousand years in the Anno Domini...
, the masonry of the West Block was found to be in a state of severe disrepair; scaffolding and protective sheeting were erected in order to prevent falling blocks from striking pedestrians and/or cars below, and a restoration project was immediately implemented. The two largest towers were also stabilised with temporary steel structures, for fear of stones falling off them.
External links
- Explore the Hill - West Block (Parliament of Canada)