I quite like this article written by Peter Coffman, Architectural historian at Carleton University. So much better than Allan Teramura‘s opinion. (unfortunately the current president of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada) who seems to have a dim view of Ottawa and its residents.
Coffman talks about community, architectural language, and sensitivity of the building. In his opinion the currently proposed and subsequently revised addition to the Chateau Laurier are a few lines of hip-hop added to a Shakesperean love sonet. He says the first proposal was a mutilation and the subsequent revision a slighly less gross mutilation.
Interesting but wrong to me is this version which proposes a 4th side done exactly in the same style. I’d like it if it had been done so 100 years ago but I don’t believe in 2016 we should mimic architecture from 1912; artists might as well paint the style of the Mona Lisa while there at it.
