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Canadian Museum of Civilization
Location: 200 Laurier Ave. Hull
Architect: Douglas Cardinal (Constructed: 1989)
"The Museum will be symbolic in form. It will speak of the emergence of this continent, its forms sculpted by the winds, the rivers, the glaciers. It will speak of the emergence of man from the melting glaciers; of man and woman living in harmony with the forces of nature and evolving with them. It will show the way in which man first learned to cope with the environment, then mastered it and shaped it to the need of his own goals and aspirations."
It depicts man as a creature of the earth who knows his tremendous power to change his environment, yet understands that he must live in harmony with nature. The unique design of this national symbol evolved around the challenges posed by the complex functional needs of the building, as well as by the special needs of the strategic site the building occupies.
The National Capital Commission conducted studies of views across the river from several vantage points in Hull and had delineated several "view cones" that were not to be obstructed by the new museum. The building forms were to be shaped by the influence of these intersecting "cones". The many special functional needs of the museum were demanding and often competed with one another: the museum was an "intensive care unit" in its delicate care and handling of highly sensitive artifacts, a "celebration" in its displays, a proclamation of the Nation's valuable treasures, and a temple in its role as custodian of the Nation's sacred past.
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