Speaking Truth in Heritage
In June 2022, MTBA attended the annual Ontario Heritage Conference in Brockville, Ontario. The 4-day conference addressed many themes situated at the intersection of sociology and heritage. Professionals often face challenges in the field of heritage; however identifying social obstacles tends to be secondary to issues of technical interest. As heritage professionals, we can begin […]
Friendly Neighbours at The Dr. Robert Law House
One block west of MTBA’s office sits a nineteenth century Victorian home, set neatly back from the street at the corner of Laurier Avenue E. and Kind Edward Avenue. Like many buildings in the area, its red brick composition, stone base, and painted wood detailing recall its late nineteenth century origins, while mature trees and […]
The Gratification of Gradual Renewal
“The greenest building is one that is already built.” – Carl Elefante MTBA Associates’ friend and mentor Carl Elefante has shared with our team many words of wisdom, tours, presentations at the Association for Preservation Technology International (APT), and other conferences, including Climate Positive in L.A. in February 2020. He is a co-founder of APT’s […]
From Service to Serving: The Adaptive Reuse of All Saints Church
A quick stroll down the street from MTBA’s office in the Sandy Hill Neighbourhood you can find All Saints Church and Event Space; a picturesque stone church with a stout tower, pitched roof, and arched gothic windows. Originally built to serve a congregation of wealthy parishioners, the church now serves the community as a multi-purpose […]
Paths to Reconciliation: Healing Forests
For National Indigenous History Month, MTBA would like to highlight and commend local steps towards reconciliation: Healing Forests, an important Truth and Reconciliation program run by the National Healing Forest Initiative. In December 2015, the Residential School Truth and Reconciliation’s (TRC) Final Report was published to seek truth and increase awareness of the history and […]
Places for Pride – The Village
What better way to celebrate Pride Month than celebrating the longstanding history ofLesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Two-Spirit (LGBTQ2+) community in Ottawa? As we know, racial, sexual and gender minorities have a deep-rooted history in the cultural framework of many downtown neighbourhoods. While MTBA’s office is in the downtown Sandy Hill neighbourhood, just east of […]
Spies in Sandy Hill
A few streets down from MTBA’s office you can find a typical modern, mid-rise apartment building with recessed balconies, and flat roof, a common typology that can be found throughout Ottawa’s downtown. Although little indication is given, the site used to hold a unique piece of Ottawa’s History; an enigmatic Edwardian mansion that once served […]
Adapting Heritage Education to Climate Change
On Friday, June 3rd, MTBA’s Mark Thompson Brandt will be presenting at the first event in a series of forums organized by Just Transitions: Heritage Education for Climate Adaptation (JTHECA), a recent initiative by Canadian academic members of the Climate Heritage Network (CHN) and the National Roundtable for Heritage Education aiming to bring heritage education […]
Codes for Climate: A Vehicle for Change
One of the biggest obstacles for deep green retrofits to existing & historic spaces is the lack of regulations and building codes that enforce climate goals. The opportunity to create new building codes for climate is not a new concept. The US based Codes for Climate Organization (in conjunction with the New Building Institute (NBI) […]
CHN 2021 Annual Report: Official Launch & MTBA’s Contribution
The 2021 Climate Heritage Network (CHN) Annual Report launches today, Thursday March 10th! As the Annual Report documents, the world is recognizing the power of arts, culture, and heritage to help societies imagine and achieve low-carbon, climate resilient futures. The CHN platform we have collectively created, aims to help every organization further accelerate this work. The […]