General Concept
The accompanying submission is based on the following main aims:
a) To provide a building appropriate to the special commemorative requirement; which also fulfills the various specific functions outlined in the program.
b) To develop the entire site in such a manner as to maintain and enhance the quality of a green and pleasant garden square in the centre of Charlottetown, while at the same time providing a setting of dignity and repose for the Memorial.
c) To develop the new project in harmony with the fine architectural quality of the existing Provincial Building, forming one integrated composition.
It was thought that these aims could be best served by a concept of great simplicity with a string sculptural relationship between the parts. This concept has been carried out through breaking the new building down into a number of clearly defined units; and by the three dimensional moulding of both site and building elements. The juxtaposition of the individual units was developed in response to the following factors: the problem of integrating the strong axial position of the Provincial Building with the overall composition; the need to create a new focus for the Memorial Hall; and the need to prevent the new construction from overwhelming the existing structure by mere size or height.
It was decided to keep all units of the new building, with the exception of the Memorial Hall, to a uniform height to further enhance the relationship of old to new; and also to contrast with the various heights that will undoubtedly develop in the future on the surrounding streets.
An important result of the moulding of the site is the provision of a two level plaza, the upper or Terrace level providing open air space about the buildings for pedestrian circulation and a multi-directional approach, (this was thought to be particularly useful in summer); and the lower "Concourse" level linking all parts of the building and the Memorial entrance hall together under cover. The upper, or Terrace level, is perforated by open courts, and each building element in effect grows up from the Concourse level through a court partially glazed or open. The horizontal glazed sections of these courts provide natural light to the Concourse level as well as that obtained directly through the open courts.
The Memorial Hall is given special significance by its location in relation to the other elements, its reduced height, and the special quality of its roof. It is thought of primarily as an extension inward of the Plaza, forming a central court with a very solid sculpted base and conveying the feeling of an open Forum under the sky.
Vehicular traffic, when required for special occasions at the Memorial Hall or at the South entrance of the Provincial Building would be permitted to travel over the paved area between the entrances and Richmond Street. The seventy curb side parking spaces were concentrated at the low end of the site in a well treed area in order to avoid too great a visual impingement of cars. The small garage for Provincial Cabinet Ministers' cars, was added as a convenience not out of keeping with the total scheme.
Structure and Materials
The construction throughout is to be of fireprooof reinforced concrete. The roof structure of all units except the Memorial Hall and Stage House are of reinforced concrete domes with poured concrete fill, and allowing for translucent roof domes at any point required. These roof slabs are all square and their depth increases as the span increases.
All walls consist of concrete vertical ribs on twelve foot centres with mechanical duct space between the ribs. Interior finish is to vary with the function of the building. Exterior finish to be of dressed stone of a color and texture similar to that employed on the Provincial Building. This stone veneer will be permanently adhered to vertical precast concrete wall slabs which will, in turn, be fixed to the concrete ribs.
The lower part of the vertical concrete ribs are canted outwards to strengthen the connection with the Plaza slab and express the fact that, though the wall surfaces plunge right down to the Concourse level, the edges of the Terrace level slab are supported by the wall structure.
Roof slabs are supported approximately 12 ft. from the corners of the squares with compression members carried down through normal wall. Glazing occurs primarily at the re-entrant corners, developed by the location of columns.
The Memorial Hall is conceived as an open court without apparent walls. The roof is to be of glass sections, as shown on the drawings, using the high compressive qualities of the glass and employing light steel members only as connectors and to transmit tension stresses. The glass will be clear and partially transparent, partially translucent, depending on the thickness of the sections used. The aim is to bring into the interior of the Memorial Hall the changing quality of light, sunshine or overcast that exists at the time. Artificial lighting would be so arranged that the crystalline quality of the Hall would also be effective at night, both from interior and exterior.
Artificial lighting would also be provided at the horizontally glazed apertures surrounding all buildings to enhance the night quality from both Terrace and Concourse levels.
Art Works
The Fathers of Confederation are to be commemorated by suitable texts from their significant speeches of the time, inscribed into the stone walls facing the openings from the Memorial Hall and lighted by the overhead glazed apertures. Works of sculpture would be commissioned for the courtyard of the Director's Office, for the Library and Theatre entrance plazas, and for the fountain in the Sculpture Court. Mural works would be commissioned for the theatre lobby and the Library entrance.
Planning
In developing the project, considerable attention was given to the relationship of the Memorial Square to the City of Charlottetown. The following general concepts were arrived at:
A ring road system should be developed around the downtown core of the City; with secondary streets only leading up to the Memorial Square and spoke roads leading out to the principal highways out of town and to the ferry dock. The Memorial Square would then be the heart of the core area within the ring road.
Parking for the entire downtown area, as well as the Memorial Square should be provided on or off the second-art streets within the ring road.
Great George Street from Memorial Square South to the Harbour and North to the ring road should be converted to a pedestriall mall to emphasize the link between the Memorial, the City and all of Canada.
(From jury report)
SITE PLAN
Even at a superficial glance, the spectator is made aware of this competitor's appreciation and sympathy for the historic Provincial Building, and the skill with which he integrates it with the new building. No other scheme shows it such respect. Other schemes have an east, west axis in which the Provincial Building plays a part, but the winner opens up his building on this axis with dramatic effect.
It will be noted elsewhere that the citizen of Charlottetown is able to enter all the departments of the Memorial Building from other parts, but the tourist enters the Memorial Hall on the vital axis of the Provincial Building, and, from there, entrance to galleries and library is straight forward and free from ambiguity.
The competitor has so planned his building that exciting glimpses of the Memorial Hall are obtained from many points of view. There is a civic quality about his building that is given emphasis by the inclusion, so to speak, of the Provincial Building.
His landscaping shows an unusual sensitivity to the layout of terraces and steps, and his preservation of so many trees was commended.
Cars are parked in such a way that they will be largely screened from view.
The jury strongly recommends that so beautiful a landscape will not be marred by the wooden poles that now surround it.
SCALE
Scale is a subtle element in design related to the human figure rather than to mere size. This competitor achieved a most disciplined group of buildings that respect rather than overwhelm everything in the perimeter, whether church or stores.
The scale set by the exterior is handled equally expertly in the interior and in the delightful planted courts that will give colour and light to many interior rooms.
PLANS AND SECTIONS
The more one studies this plan the more beautiful does it seem to unfold in terms of circulation and well proportioned space.
(a) The tourist enters the Memorial Hall which he will undoubtedly enjoy before he proceeds without ambiguity of any kind to gallery or library or museum. Surprising vistas open up before him as he moves.
(b) The general public can enter the various departments of the building from terrace entrances.
(c) The library is accessible at night from the outside when the rest of the building might be closed.
(d) The theatre, too, has an independent life.
(e) The flow of traffic is always in public areas or corridors and never interferes with working areas.
(f) The jury was impressed by the idea of the buildings rising from the datum line, but suggest that the narrowness of the area ways would present problems in maintenance.
(g) The jury suggests that the freight elevators in the galleries are unsightly and deprive the director of much valued wall space. They hesitate to suggest what one might do, but the whole matter of elevators in this area, and book lifts and one elevator in the library will obviously be given intensive study.
(h) Theatre arrangements were more flexible than in almost any scheme. The jury would, however, point to the undesirability of seats at an angle in relation to proscenium productions. It is recommended that seating and lighting on all the acting areas receive careful study.
MEMORIAL HALL
The Jury of Award is confident that the Memorial Hall will fulfill the high hopes of the Foundation as a noble room in which the architect has expressed the idea of the Founding Fathers by their words engraved in the Stone and by light.
It is also greatly to the credit of the architects that the scale and interest of the Memorial Hall is achieved without domination of the whole complex. It was mentioned on more than one occasion during the judging that the Memorial Hall should commemorate a meeting of Canadians from many walks of life, and that the ideals that led them to the Chamber in the Provincial Building in 1864 could be expressed in a hall where a human, rather than a monumental scale, determined the design.
All kinds of materials were suggested by competitors, but the winning design very appropriately calls for a stone as nearly as possible in colour and texture as the Provincial Building. Other materials equally suitable to the furnishings of the rooms in which they are placed will add enormously to the interest of the interior.
The idea of a unity between the old building and the new is obviously highly desirable, and is in the forefront of this competitor's proposal.
The square footage of this competitor's scheme compared favourably with others, but above all, his solution demonstrated quality without extravagance.
(From jury report)
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