Beavers, Canada

Architects during the Art Deco period often incorporated local flora and fauna into the decoration of the buildings. Here's a collection of beavers from Toronto, Ottawa & Montreal.

former Bank of Montreal, Ottawa

This is the former Bank of Montreal building across the road from the Parliament buildings in Ottawa. It was built in 1930 to designs by architect Ernest I Barott. While the overall structure is quite classical the building is ringed by a series of wonderful deco friezes.

Reference:
Ottawa Tour Guide Book, Montreal World Congress on Art Deco

Interior, Supreme Court of Canada, Ottawa

I've previously written about the exterior of the Supreme Court of Canada designed by Ernest Cormier and constructed in 1939. I also showed you the Judges' Gallery which is tucked in below these magnificent pair of staircases leading from the Grand Entrance Hall up to the Main Courtroom.

Natural light comes into the Grand Entrance Hall through a number of these stylish windows but the main feature is undoubtably the staircases.

The lights are another feature of the Supreme Court building with this style in the Grand Entrance Hall and the first floor.

While this amazing construction is in the Main Courtroom.

And of course there is more deco in the Main Courtroom with the wall lamps and furniture.

Reference:
Supreme Court of Canada website

Bronze Doors, French Embassy, Ottawa

I thought I had just about covered all of the French Embassy in Ottawa until I recalled this phot I had taken of these bronze doors in the upper floor Gallery overlooking the Entrance Hall.

There are two sets of these monumental doors in the Gallery featuring four different decorative discs created by Robert Cami.

The first door representing Remembrance features a stylised young woman holding a dove and a banner carrying the words "Je me souviens", Quebec's motto, "I remember". It also includes a nun representing the church and a WWI French soldier in the trenches greeting a Canadian soldier arriving to help the war effort.

Faith on the second door depicts the evangelisation of the Great North of Canada incuding Bishop Gabriel Breynat, a key figure at the time, lumberjacks, trappers and farmers at work and missionary work with the Eskimo population.

Family is preented in the form of an early settler working the land while armed to protect his family, a young woman surrounded by many children and an old seaman telling a story of Canada's history to a group of children.

Finally, Work references the wealth of Canadian agriculture and industry with depictions of a miner, an architect, a young woman holding wheat and fruits, a buffalo, a foundry, agricultural labour and hunting in Winter.

Reference: Emabssy of France in Canada website

Supreme Court of Canada, Ottawa

The Supreme Court of Canada in Ottawa was designed by Ernest Cormier and constructed in 1939.

The building is flanked by two large multi-arm lamps which mark the location of the large bronze doors that lead into the entrance hall.

These doors have six octagonal forms bearing various figures.

Reference
Supreme Court of Canada website

Judges' Gallery, Supreme Court of Canada, Ottawa

The Judges' Gallery at the Supreme Court of Canada in Ottawa houses photos of current and former judges as well as busts of people important to Canada's judicial system.

The room features wood panelling almost to the ceiling and this simple fireplace as a focal point.

Round Salon, French Embassy, Ottawa

This is one of the smallest rooms in the French Embassy in Ottawa but still very beautiful. It is called the Round Salon or the Small Dining-Room.

I love the furniture. The white chairs and couch with black arms and legs. The center table with triangle shaped seats and the large circular rug covering most of the available floor space.

Other posts about the French Embassy, Ottawa:
Entrance Hall
Tapestries
Dining Room
Birch Room
Ambassador's Office

Bank of Canada, Ottawa

On our day trip to Ottawa during the Montreal World Congress on Art Deco we stopped for good look at the Bank of Canada building in Sparks Street.

The building was designed by SG Davenport and completed by Mariani, Lawson & Morris. It was constructed 1937-38.

The bronze front doors bear panels designed by Ulysses Ricci based on Greek coins.

The facade is decorated with a series of seven figures by Jacobine Jones representing the principle industries of Canada.

Fishing

Electricity

Mining

Agriculture

Forestry

Manufacturing

Construction

Reference: Ottawa Booklet, 10th World Congress on Art Deco, Montreal

Entrance Hall, French Embassy, Ottawa

Yesterday I wrote about the Marcel Gromaire Tapistries in the French Embassy in Ottawa. Today I'll show you more of the Entrance Hall.

The matterials used in the hall come from France. Ochre travertine from Saint-Quentin for the walls, and burgundy green marble for the floor.

Perhaps the most interesting feature is the rounded form of the pink granite staircase.

Tapestries, French Embassy, Ottawa

Once you have hung up your coat or planted your umbrella in the cloaking area just inside the main door of the French Embassy in Ottawa you are ushered into what the embassy website modestly describes as 'The Entrance Hall'. 'The Entrance Hall' easily accommodated the 80 or so guests in our party.

One of the features of this room are the large tapestries by Marcel Gromaire. The tapestries present the seasons.

Winter in Canada

Spring in Paris

Summer in St Malo

A fourth tapestry, Autumn in Quebec hangs in the Ambassador’s private quarters and, although he was very generous with his time and the access he gave to the rest of the embassy, we didn't get to see his private quarters.

This last photo shows the detail of a fox from the Winter in Canada tapestry with Gromaire's name and the year 1940 in the bottom right corner.

Birch Room, French Embassy, Ottawa

This is the so-called Birch Room at the French Embassy in Ottawa. I say so-called because officially this is Le Fumoir or the Smoking Room.

The astounding thing about this room is that Eugene Beaudouin had the walls and ceiling covered with white birch bark giving the room an alternate name and creating the effect shown below.