1913 – Third Placed Design for City Hall, Winnipeg

In early 1913, thirty-nine designs were submitted in competition to design a a new civic centre, including this design by Montreal-based but Scottish-born architect Hugh G. Jones. The winning entry was never constructed. The entry design statement:

The conditions of the programme indicate the following requirements, which we have endeavored to work out :
In plan it seems essential that the space for departments should be so disposed as to allow the maximum latitude for rearrangement of departments as conditions require, and that the principal department, such as the offices of the mayor, board of control, the council chamber and the conference chamber, should be placed so as to have a monumental approach. The general communication should be by means of direct and well lighted corridors, with stairs and elevators to the ground level at each end, and for communication between floors; the public toilets convenient to these means of communication, and the soil stacks built in at alternative outside columns so as to allow department toilets and basins to be built in as required. The service elevators for the handling of material from the stationery room and vaults in the basement to the various departments should be at the centre of the building.

The exterior of the building should be arranged so as to get the maximum amount of light consistent with a dignified public monument. A pilaster treatment suggested itself, both because of the opportunity offered by the long frontage and as being the best means of obtaining a reasonable solidity of effect without loss of window area, also colonnades to be used only where the heavy reveal would not darken the interior. A tower should be placed so as to form a commanding feature on the axis of Main street, and in order to place the clock at a proper height.

In working out the above, the first question was whether to follow the lot lines on William street or to square the building. The latter course would unquestionably simplify the plan and be somewhat cheaper in construction. We, however, decided to follow the lot lines for the reason that to our mind a building in a central city block and following the lot line on one side and end, and touching the lot line at Main and William avenue, would not present an architectural appearance if the building were to be placed 1 0 feet away from the lot line at the corner of Princess street. Further, the space is desirable, although not absolutely necessary in the treasurer’s and tax departments on the ground floor, rear of building.

The best solution would be the purchase by the city of sufficient ground to place the whole front of the building visibly on the axis of Main street, and allow the width of the City Hall site to be either increased at Main street frontage, or decreased at Princess street, and so as to form a square site with the building parallel with those on opposite sides of William and Market streets. In case the purchase of the extra ground is impracticable, the height of the building on the plot should be restricted so as to render it impossible to obstruct the view of the City Hall tower.

In this connection we are very firmly of the opinion that because of the narrow width of William avenue and Market street making impossible the view of the whole building except in very sharp perspective, any considerable projections of recesses in these elevations would result in the appearance of a series of separate buildings and a total loss of the dignity expected in a building of this character and possible through repetition of motive along a 500 ft. frontage. The offices of the mayor and board of control, also the council chamber and conference room, are all placed around the monumental rotunda and at a higher level so as to enjoy a degree of privacy. The monumental staircases approaching these rooms are entirely independent of the elevator and staircase service intended for the ordinary transaction of business. Attention is called to the uninterrupted office space extending entirely around the building; this offers the maximum elasticity in the rearrangement of the departments.

In a general way the exterior is of light grey stone with a copper roof; the entrance halls and rotunda in light grey stone; the conference room, council chamber and court room in wood with very little ornament and a considerable amount of mural decoration. The price will allow considerable choice in the selection of materials and will require extended study to get the best results. There are 6,071,584 cu. ft. from basement floor to middle of roof, which, figured at 50 cents per cu. ft., gives $3,035,792. The tower at 35 cents amounts to $48,875.

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