Public Works and Government Services Canada
Library of Parliament

2002-2006/Ottawa (Ontario)/3,000 m2/32,300 ft2

Restoration, modernization and fit-up in fast-track mode

Project description

Modernization of the Library of Parliament, a Crown-owned Heritage Building. The Library consists of a central circular reading room with heritage classified wood carved shelving on its perimeter, 2 floors of offices on in its outer ring and two underground floors of storage. Part of the collection is stacked around the reading room. This multi-year project involved a major restoration, modernization and fit-up, bringing it up to codes and latest PWGSC standards, while preserving heritage content and fabrics of this magnificent building.

Challenges and Solutions

  • A new mechanical room was excavated in the rock bed below the existing library, and many large boreholes were cut in the rock to allow services from the mechanical room to reach the occupied spaces.
  • New sustainable cutting-edge electromechanical systems were integrated to meet present and future requirements and to maintain very strict environment conditions for the collections, the artifacts and the woodwork.
  • Close monitoring of activities and excellent coordination with stakeholders.

Awards

  • City of Ottawa Architectural Conservation Awards 2007 | Restoration/Adaptive Use - Award of Excellence

Other Projects

Buanderie centrale de…

Montréal (Québec)

Constance-Lethbridge…

Montréal (Québec)

Héma-Québec

Saint-Laurent (Québec)