1919 – Design for War Memorial Museum, Regina, Saskatchewan

Entrant in architectural competition for museum and war memorial for Regina by local architectural firm Storey & Van Egmond.

“As the importance and interest of the building is the Hall of Honor and War Relics Museum, these have been placed in a central location. The Hall of Honor, being accepted as the more important room, is placed on the major and minor axis of the building. Both extend from the main floor to roof, or twice the height of the secondary exhibit rooms.

The entrance is through three arched portals into small storm vestibules which have been introduced owing to the extreme climatic conditions and thence into the main vestibule which has cloak room and photo room adjoining.

From the vestibule a comprehensive and interesting vista is afforded through the Hall of Honor and into the War Relics Museum to which one is naturally drawn through a succession of monumental rooms. The Hall of Honor has received careful monumental treatment with vaulted ceiling and side galleries, which afford recurring and different views as a circuit is made in the building. Provision has been made in the room for bronze tablets on which to record the names of men who fell in the war.

The War Relics Museum is lighted from High windows and a skylight, and in the simple treatment of walls and ceilings an interesting room is secured without elaborate detail, which would tend to detract from the exhibits to be placed in the room. At the extreme end a circular recess has been introduced to receive one of the large guns which the Province will have allotted to it. Adjoining this room is the small room required for records.

Through a careful study of the space required for Provincial Museum, it was concluded that the quite apparent subdivision of space would be to allocate the main exhibit rooms to the ground and first floors and place the spare collections, stores, repair and work rooms in the basement.

The stairs, although naturally located near the entrance to secure the desired circulation of the public, have been made to a certain extent secondary, as they lead only to rooms of the Provincial Museum, which are themselves of secondary importance. It will be noted that the general, arrangement of stairs and rooms provides for the proper circulation of visitors, as required in a museum. One can make a complete circuit of all rooms on both floors without retracing one’s steps, thus according new notes of interest as the intercommunicating rooms are traversed and interesting views of the main rooms from cross-connecting corridors. It was accepted that the side lights would be preferable to top lights for the Museum, and in no case have windows been sacrificed to obtain an artificial exterior effect, which would not correspond with the interior requirements.

The Curator’s offices have been placed in a central location over entrances and comprise general office, private office and toilet.

It is proposed to employ skeleton reinforced concrete construction with concrete floor slabs, beams, columns, etc., and hollow tile exterior walls faced with Tyndall stone. A reasonable amount of marble, stone, plaster staff, bronze, etc., would be used in the monumental portion of the building: with marble mosaic floors, heavy linoleum probably being used in the Provincial Museum. The contents is calculated at 562,950 cubic feet, and the cost at $397,920, or 711/2 cents per cubic foot.”
Construction, September 1919

Share!

More!