Blog- day two, part 1

Today, the Symposium started at the MacKenzie Art Gallery with a panel discussion. The panel was comprised of people from a number of different backgrounds including a number of Architects, an Artist and a Conservationist (a full list is provided below in the schedule). This diversity made for interesting presentations and discussions. The main topic for the panel was the re-use of modernist buildings that are nearing the end of their life cycle. The presentations from the three Architects focused on case studies of buildings that had been renovated around Regina. I found it interesting to be able to look at the different ideas and visions that the different firms had and as a result the very different finished products that emerged. One point I found very intriguing was brought forward by James J. Youck from P3 Architecture. He talked about how if at any particular intersection of Regina's ridged east-west and north-south streets downtown, all four of the buildings use slightly pulled back, large corner entrances you can create a sort of park like area in the sense that it is very pedestrian friendly and inviting. Another topic that was touched on by a number of the panelists and during the discussion afterwards was the old Regina city hall building, and the loss of that structure. Looking at pictures I personally think it would be an amazing structure to still have and think it is a shame it was torn down. Also, I would encourage anyone who is not sure what I am talking about to go to the Sask Archives, or on the internet, find a photo and take a look at the amazing structure, even though it is not a modernist building. Another building that was mentioned by Cheryl Cooper was the Evergreen Building by Arthur Erickson in Vancouver. I thought this was an incredible building -- the way he stepped and sloped the building made it very functional and gave most tenants very nice balconies. Also, by using vegetation he made a very sharp building appear very soft and the vegetation also really tied it into the landscape surrounding it. I think a very great piece of work.

After the panel we had our first Keynote speaker, Patricia Patkau from Vancouver. The main focus of her talk was on libraries and this seemed very fitting to me, and I'm sure was intended by the planners, as a good portion of this symposium is being held in the Regina Public Library downtown. She mentioned how there are some libraries that can have an appearance that makes them seem very connected with the surrounding community or in contrast how they can stand apart as iconic structures. This got me thinking about some of the libraries I have seen around many different centers and which category they fit into. I was most interested when she talked about her personal experiences designing two libraries, one in Winnipeg and one in Montreal. The topic of the flow of people into and around the building was a main focus, and rightly so as it is a public building. With a library you have two types of people, the quick in and grab a book then out as fast as possible type and then there are the casual make-a-day-of-it type of people. Her solution to this problem was having elevators and also a very long and
open stair case with reading spaces all along the sides a very good way of handling things. I would recommend stopping by the Centennial Library in Winnipeg if you have a chance (which Patkau designed). Later on in the day we had our second panel discussion which was titled Uncommon Spaces: the Cultural Value of Modernist Public Architecture. One of the things that stood out was the mention about how, in Nova Scotia, the modernist movement was never really accepted to begin with and that now, due to the need to attract tourism by selling the area a "folk" culture site, modernism is being pushed down even further. I found this troubling --architecture, in my opinion, should reflect what is happening in the world around it and it's time period. What seems to be happening in Nova Scotia is that things are being built that are not doing this and are instead being designed only to attract tourists with a product that is not necessarily authentic. One other things that was brought up was about Clifford Weins; Trevor Boddy suggested that Clifford was one of the very few true modernist Architects. Now I'm not familiar enough to give an opinion yet but after his talk this evening and another viewing
of the exhibition I am hoping to be able to.

We finished off this afternoon with a quick walk around Victoria park led by Bernie Flaman. This was a very nice experience, and it was great to learn about the buildings you see every day and take for granted. As Bernie pointed out, in just the few blocks you have numerous buildings of great historical value, some modernist and some not. These buildings have also been designed by some of the best architects from here in Regina as well as from New York, Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal and a other places. It is an exquisite site to check out and I would encourage anyone who has the means to do so. You can learn more about some of these buildings by going to the Culture, Youth and Recreation website and click on the heritage link, or go to the national registry online at Canada's Historic Places.

Written by Scott Dean