Symbols of heritage in new Canadian architecture

VINCENT TEETSOV

At the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, in Halifax, to visit the transplanted house and paintings of Canadian folk artist Maud Lewis, you have to go through a network of passageways across from the Dominion Building, built in 1867, to the Provincial Building.

Standing outside at the intersection of Hollis Street and George Street, both of these buildings stand firmly in stone, the former with a more plain appearance and the latter bearing ornate column capitals. It’s not a purpose-built facility, and unfortunately, it doesn’t go unnoticed. With questions surrounding making the most of existing buildings, financing, and the possibilities of new construction, there are similarities between the development of the International Estonian Centre and the new Art Gallery of Nova Scotia.

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Composite of architectural renderings from AGNS (left) and IEC (right).