Ottawa’s annual Architecture Week focused on the theme of lighting and started Sept. 24 with a lecture at the Canadian War Museum, an architectural landmark.
Architecture Week, which is hosted by the Ontario Regional Society of Architects (ORSA), was held Sept. 24-30. The week offered everything from advanced lectures geared toward industry insiders, to more accessible events for students and art fans. Every year the week runs with a different central theme, this year’s being light. The week featured such events as lighting expositions, bike tours, movie screenings and even a pub crawl.
The first day included a speech by Canadian War Museum architects Alex Rankin and Raymond Moriyama who provided a balance between the advanced architectural theory and general banter. The two lifelong friends provided insight on many topics that ranged from the challenges of sustainable design, to their inspiration in studying architecture.
The lecture was part of Carleton’s forum series, a recently restored series that often features graduates and professors from Carleton. It hosted a mix of seasoned architects and students.
Rankin and Moriyama mostly talked about their experience designing the famous Canadian War Museum, known for its ground-breaking design and artistic value.
“It was not meant to be beautiful in a conventional sense,” Mariyama said, referring to the building’s design, likening it to “grass growing over a battlefield.”
This sense of innovation was present all week, as Architecture Week holds many sustainability-focused events, including a green bike tour.
Throughout the week, multiple showcases and lectures were held at Saint Brigid’s Centre for the Arts, a church which has been converted into an arts forum.
One of those lectures was given by Bruce Meiklejohn, a lighting designer who graduated from Carleton’s architecture program in 2001.
Meiklejohn talked enthusiastically about the program and his past professors, and how he always had a passion for architecture.
“I knew early on [that] it was a bit of a calling,” Meiklejohn said.
Meiklejohn went on to explain the broad skillset required for the career.
“It was a combination of left and right brain things, technical and artistic at the same time.”
He also said young architects should “develop as many skills as they can.”
“[Carleton] encourages inspiration from other influences,” Meiklejohn said.
Meiklejohn also offered some advice to young architects, claiming they should “let inspiration from mundane things influence [their] thoughts.”
Theresa Hanna, assistant director of the Ottawa region chapter of the Canadian Green Building Council, said Architecture Week “changes a lot from year to year.”
“They always work with a theme, and it is all volunteer-run,” she said.
Hanna did her five-year specialty in architecture at Carleton, and helped organize events for Architecture Week with the ORSA.
Hanna described how enthusiastic the community is about young architects and students attending the events.
“We’re constantly trying to bring in young professionals. We want them to know that they are always welcome and there are always people who want to meet them.”
