The most longstanding, iconic buildings in Ottawa all have two things in common – eye-catching doors and windows. Be they strikingly modern, lovingly well-preserved or appropriately stately, the city’s high profile architectural wonders all feature some remarkable glasswork and doors Ottawa citizens should be proud to wander through. Doors and windows that celebrities, politicians, royalty and proud Ottawa citizens have peered out of are in locations where some of the greatest events in the city’s history have taken place. Here are some of the greatest examples to be seen around this attractive capital city.
Ottawa Art Gallery – Windows
This modern gem catches the eye of any passer-by in its sightline. With an immense glass skylight that shines and reflects from over 140 feet at its highest point in the great hall, it’s no wonder this building catches a lot of attention. The Great Hall, Colonnade and Cafétéria des Beaux-arts are all covered in crystal-clear vertical panes of glass, providing views of the Parliament Buildings and Rideau River, unmatched in elsewhere in Ottawa.
J.R. Booth Residence – Windows and Doors
Early 20th century lumber and railway baron J.R. Booth commissioned this landmark red brick Queen Anne revival-style mansion on Metcalfe Street in the heart of the city in 1906. The house’s many bright windows and stately wooden door add character to an already iconic house. Longtime home of the legendary, now defunct Laurentian Club, the house now houses Trinity University Western’s internship program.
Central Chambers Building – Windows
If you have ever strolled down Elgin or Sparks Street in Ottawa, you will likely have taken notice of this standout historical building. Only a stone’s throw from landmarks such as the National Arts Centre, Parliament Hill, and the Chateau Laurier, the Central Chambers Building impresses in its own right. The building, completed in 1893, is a national historic site, preserved for its Queen Anne Revival architecture, including 3 storeys of beautiful bay windows, Palladian windows on the top floor, all set in wonderfully maintained decorative tile and metal frames.
Ottawa Museum of Nature
The Ottawa Museum of Nature is housed in a marvelous building in close vicinity to the other landmarks mentioned above. Originally called the Victoria Memorial Museum Building, completed in 1912, this is one of Ottawa’s true castles. The massive stone building originally featured a large central tower that had to be dismantled only a few years later due to unsettled clay at the base. Renovations completed in 2010 pay homage to the tower with a dazzling glass “lantern” nicknamed the “queen’s lantern” where the tower originally stood. This impressive glass structure houses massive animal displays and acts as the centrepiece and focal point of the museum.