Documenting the modern building stock in the National Capital Region is the priority of TRACE’s in-house initiative Capital Modern.
Since its start nearly 15 years ago, CapMod has slowly been building its database of modern places in and around Ottawa. Over 200 buildings built in the modern era are featured on Capital Modern, 100 of which have been added to the website over the last 2 years.
Recently a variety of modern office, residential, and commercial buildings in the downtown core have been added to the site, attempting to capture moments of Ottawa’s modern heritage before they are lost or altered beyond recognition.
Some recently added modern buildings to CapMod include:
The Concord Building
A moderately sized, glazed blue-brick office building in Centretown. The building was built around 1966, and its unique materiality paired with an interesting composition of massing lends to its presence on Albert Street. The Concord Building neighbours the Copeland Building, another modern feature.
Ann Manor
A massive, dark brown brick residential tower in the heart of the Golden Triangle. The building was constructed in 1976 and dominates the immediate context of Somerset St. West. The heavy balconies create the illusion of a window-less façade across all 20 storeys of the building.
The Summit
A 6-storey apartment building in Sandy Hill, clad with white bricks and blue spandrel panels. A simple V-shaped canopy welcomes residents into the building. The Summit, although small by modern residential standards, stands out against the orange brick houses of Wilbrod Street in part due to its height.
Additionally, CapMod has been focused on creating virtual tours of modern features on Ottawa’s university campuses. Modern buildings on the University of Ottawa campus finally get their chance to shine in an all-new modern tour, and the existing Carleton University tour has received an update to include residence buildings and other modern buildings. Users can visit the tours page on Capital Modern to take part in virtual tours of the two schools and learn more about the rich modern history of each institution.
