Winnipeg Architecture: University of Winnipeg Modern

Preface

Winnipeg has had three building booms since the end of the nineteenth century and all three periods are well represented on the University of Winnipeg (UW) campus. Wesley Hall, built in 1894, epitomizes the Richardsonian Romanesque architectural style common to North American campuses during the nineteenth century. In 1938 Manitoba College and Wesley College joined forces to become United College, and the campus developed slowly through the twentieth century, with modest buildings surrounding a small grass quadrangle over a three-hectare site.

In the late 1950s, the administrators of United College made a momentous decision not to move to the suburbs with other colleges and join the University of Manitoba. Staying put in downtown Winnipeg lead to United College becoming an independent university in 1967, the University of Winnipeg, as well as enabling administration, faculty and students to engage with the urban core in a meaningful way. Though out the 1960s and ‘70s the university’s administration shed the model of a self-contained university and began to forge a new role in the city as a force for urban revitalization. As the influential Reid, Crowther report of 1967 stated, the UW is in a unique position to make use of down town Winnipeg, as if “the core is a living test tube.” (Reid, Crowther and Partners, “Interim report,” 1967)

In the twenty years after mid-century, much of the University’s internal and external reports emphasized the goal of supporting metropolitan Winnipeg, which was struggling as were other North American cities. Presidents W. Lockhart and H. Duckworth were bombarded with dire reports of Winnipeg’s decline. One solution being advocated in post-World War II North America by urban theorists was for universities to locate in downtown areas and actively pursue revitalization through physical expansion. Duckworth was quick to see the benefits of utilizing the resources, population and problems of the surrounding city, and immediately took down the fence that cordoned off the green space. He summed up this attitude in the slogan “the city is our campus.” (“President’s Address,” 1971) The physical expansion of the campus during the 1960s laid out one of the main strategies that UW has successfully used to contribute to Winnipeg’s downtown revitalization for over fifty years.

In response to United College’s new status as the University of Winnipeg , as well as to substantial enrollment increases in 1967 (31% in 1968), the administration began commissioning more sophisticated buildings, inaugurated with the refined brutalism of Lockhart Hall (1969). In 1972 Lewis Morse and Moody, Moore and Partners’ mega-structure, Centennial Hall, was designed to fill in the spaces between and above the older buildings, consciously breaking with traditional campus design. A “horizontal skyscraper,” Centennial Hall expanded the campus by eighty percent with a stylish building, whose very structure was a model of transparency and flexibility for educational practices. While Wesley Hall, with its crenelated towers, references the nineteenth century ideal of education, and Lockhart Hall attempted to modify the intimidating feel of Wesley Hall, through its use of the common materials of brick and concrete, Centennial Hall fully embraced the democratization of education embodied in Duckworth’s search for an “open university.”

At the turn of this century, the conditions were right again for UW to act as an urban developer. The appointment of Lloyd Axworthy as President in 2004 is significant in this regard. Axworthy’s formative years were spent at UW during the 60s, as a student (BA 61), professor and founder of the Institute for Urban Studies (1969). He returned to Winnipeg to cap a career that had advocated for the well being of this city for over forty years. A second significant spike in student enrollment due to the echo generation’s coming of age, as well as greater access programs for indigenous and new Canadian students, engendered further expansion. Fears about Winnipeg’s core further declining, as the anchor stores abandoned UW's neighbour Portage Place Mall were also a factor in thinking about further development. This time campus expansion breached the original footprint of three-hectares, moving into adjacent under-utilized neighbourhood spaces. The creation of a non-profit organization, the University of Winnipeg Community Renewal Corporation in 2005, and the use of private and public resources to fund new buildings, resulted in a substantial expansion of the University’s footprint. The elegant Richardson College for the Environment and Science Complex (2011) added laboratories, McFeetors Hall (2009) accommodated student and family residences, and commercial and food services filled in the former Greyhound Bus Station, which had always been an unwelcoming space for students. The Duckworth Centre gym was expanded, and a new indoor stadium (Health and RecPlex) will soon offer indoor recreational space to the inner city population. UWinnipeg Commons, a residential tower located between the Buhler Centre and the Winnipeg Art Gallery, is being planned. Also important in terms of community relations were the additions of a basketball court to the front lawn, closing off Spence Street to traffic and a new daycare centre.

All this development within a short time frame has had its critics, and the impact on the local neighbourhood is still being assessed. The construction of the Buhler Centre at the gateway to Memorial Boulevard however, has certainly helped revitalize one of the most important intersections in Winnipeg, by framing the Manitoba Legislature building with an innovative neo-modern pavilion, even as the Hudson Bay threatens to abandon their flagship store. The intersection of Memorial and Portage has been labeled the “downtown arts precinct,” including the Winnipeg Art Gallery, which is undergoing an expansion for an Inuit Center to showcase their world- class collection, Plug-In Institute of Contemporary Art in the Buhler Centre, and the University of Winnipeg’s Gallery 1C03 and Anthropology Museum. It is not an exaggeration to see UW as one of the prime engines for the redevelopment of the western edge of downtown Winnipeg during the last decade. The decision made over fifty years ago by United College’s administration to stay downtown, boosted by the democratization of education in the post-war period, and innovative ideas about urban renewal have played a substantial role in helping to sustain Winnipeg’s core, and no doubt UW will continue to support the city well into the twenty-first century.

Dr. Serena Keshavjee,
Associate Professor of Art History, University of Winnipeg

From College to University: The Evolution of the University of Winnipeg

The University of Winnipeg received its official status as a university in 1967 under the leadership of President W. Lockhart. However, the history of the institution as a place of learning in Manitoba dates back more than 130 years. The founding colleges were Manitoba College (1871) and Wesley College (1888), which later merged to form United College in 1938. As you will read in the histories of the buildings included in this tour, the university reflects the architectural tastes, preferences and visions of its former leaders. The priority of establishing and developing a downtown urban-centered institution of learning, however, has remained a constant throughout several building campaigns and many phases of leadership.

As early as 1957, United College had made the decision to remain an urban campus by turning down a generous offer of land at the University of Manitoba’s campus. This was a controversial decision as, like many North American cities by the 1960s, Winnipeg’s downtown had begun to severely deteriorate. The idea of distinguishing the University of Winnipeg from the University of Manitoba, based on its urban presence, was carefully noted in a 1967 report on campus development. The contents of similar administrative reports note that even in the 1970s the University’s downtown location was being championed as one of the institution’s primary strengths.

Increased student enrollment and the renewed demand for space and resources prompted a flurry of building at the university in the 1960s, with Graham Hall (1962), Riddell Hall (1962–63) and Lockhart Hall (1969) being constructed within a decade. As the university is situated on only three hectares of land, when the construction of yet another building was deemed necessary, shortage of space on campus became one of the most pressing challenges.

The construction of Centennial Hall succeeded in preserving and uniting the earlier buildings of the University of Winnipeg and United College. A 1971 essay by Centennial Hall’s architects claimed that, “in architectural terms, the system integrates and draws together the diverse elements of the existing campus and reflects the new university arising from and respecting the old, creating an image of strong and imaginative growth.” The same essay notes that the architects’ plan aimed to avoid creating any type of master plan, in contrast to the earlier Bryce Hall. Constructed for precisely this reason, Bryce Hall was designed to act as the cornerstone of a gothic collegiate quadrangle of buildings, a design strategy that had dominated campus design for much of the twentieth century.

Opening in 1972, Centennial Hall became a powerful and optimistic symbol of the possibilities offered by progressive educational and urban reform of the 1960s and early 1970s. Henry Duckworth’s often repeated phrase, “the city is our campus,” echoed the University administration’s commitment to promote the University as an accessible, transparent and diverse educational community. This campaign was developed in order to distinguish itself from the older, more traditional pedagogical structure of the University of Manitoba, located in the suburb of Fort Garry.

Much of the campus’ history may be read through its buildings. Each structure has been named for a prominent leader, donor or supporter. At the same time, the architectural design reflects Western Canada’s changing values and social ideals regarding education. A succession of optimistic leaders, and periods of change and growth in the history of the University of Winnipeg, have resulted in a range of buildings reflecting both the historic era and very contemporary design.

1

Wesley Hall, the first building erected on what is now the University of Winnipeg campus, is one of Winnipeg’s oldest educational facilities. The castle-like structure, built to house the classrooms, offices and dormitories of Wesley College, a theological and liberal arts institute affiliated with the Methodist Church and University of Manitoba, is also one of the province’s best remaining examples of Richardsonian-Romanesque architecture.

Designed by architects George Browne, Jr. and Samuel Frank Peters in 1895, Wesley College features a rusticated stone façade with round-topped arches above the windows on the first and third floors. Designed to be a Richardsonian-Romanesque-style landmark in the city, the rusticated stonework, prominent towers and arched windows are all indicative of this style. (The Richardsonian style was named for Henry Hobson Richardson, an American architect who revived the Romanesque style in North America in the early 1880s.)

With modest additions, the facility remained the college’s principal building until the mid-1950s when increased enrolment, new programmes and conversion in status to an independent degree-granting university required substantial campus expansion. Throughout this evolution, Wesley Hall’s location, scale and design have sustained it as a landmark and symbol of the campus, one that is highly visible within its formally structured site.

During construction, the design was changed to use Calgary Paskapoo sandstone backed by brick, as opposed to the original limestone. The design change was primarily made for cost reasons. However, the use of sandstone caused significant maintenance problems due to the softness of the stone. Restoration work began on the Hall in 1973, when the structure received historic landmark status. At first, the interior was restored, including a renovation of Tony’s Canteen (Room 407) by Étienne Gaboury Associates and, in 1997, Convocation Hall by Corbett Cibinel Architects. In 2007, Cibinel Architects oversaw the complete re-cladding of the exterior. The conservation work, which was undertaken by Alpha Masonry, was necessary due to the severe deterioration of the original sandstone. Sandstone from Wallace Quarries in Amherst, Nova Scotia was used as a close match to the original stone.

2

Leatherdale Hall is a $4.75 million-dollar addition to The University of Winnipeg’s Wesley Hall and the UW Collegiate high school on campus. A generous lead gift of $2.5 million in November 2015 from the late Dr. Douglas W. and Mrs. Louise Leatherdale attracted additional support for this project through a fund-raising campaign. Connected to Convocation Hall, the new flexible multi-use space seats 150 people and can be converted to a lecture hall for UW Collegiate and UW academic programming, reception area, and break-out area for conferences. The design allows for future development of a digital media hub.

Leatherdale Hall also saw the return of Tony’s Canteen to the campus, a much loved gathering space for students. Entering Leatherdale Hall at the ground level courtyard adjacent to Sparling and Centennial Halls, an area called “The Leatherdale Commons” provides tiered, bleacher-style seating for 60 people. The Commons supports academic lectures and community events, and provides a drop-down presentation screen and technologies. As well, the 5,877 square-foot, two-storey addition provides improved accessibility access to Wesley Hall.

3

Portage Commons was designed to add important public green space to the urban environment, give the university community and its neighbours a place to sit and enjoy the outdoors and provide year-round recreational opportunities for members of the surrounding community. Ecological sustainability was integrated into the landscape plan through the use of indigenous plants, solar lighting, and reuse of paving stones and other materials. Stately American elms and other trees provide shade and act as wind sponges. Along the west side of Wesley Hall, an activity plaza promotes healthy living activities such as basketball and street hockey, and can also be used for programmed events such as markets, fairs, performances and student and community gatherings. Electrical and lighting upgrades are incorporated into the design to encourage performance events to be centred in Portage Commons.

The second phase of the Portage Commons Development, completed in 2009, saw the development of Spence Street Promenade between the newer campus addition, Axworthy Health & RecPlex, and older campus buildings, Sparling Hall and Graham Hall. An extension of the public green space facing Portage Avenue, this paved cyclist-friendly walkway makes use of the area of Spence Street that had already been closed to vehicular traffic for many years. The promenade is used for community street festivals, campus events, outdoor performances, and has space for kiosks or recreational activities. In June 2018, the Spence Street Promenade was renamed Marsha Hanen Way, in honour of the University's former President and Vice-Chancellor.

To enliven the campus, sidewalk murals by Cool Streets Winnipeg have been added to Portage Commons. The University of Winnipeg's Pride Committee invited Stéphane Dorge to paint three pride flags in front of Wesley Hall in September 2021 and in June 2023, a sidewalk mural by Alex Plante, inspired by Métis floral beadwork patterns to highlight the beauty of Manitoba, was added to Marsha Hanen Way.

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4

Named for the first Principal of Wesley College, Reverend Joseph Walter Sparling, Sparling Hall was originally constructed for use as a women’s residence, a function that it maintained until the 1960s. Initially known as the Annex or Matriculation building, it was formally renamed Sparling Hall not long after construction. A modest building, it was designed as an annex to Wesley Hall and was intended to be deferential to its grander predecessor. However, the stonework was consciously chosen to visually connect the two.

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5

George Bryce was a young Presbyterian minister from Ontario. In 1871, he established Manitoba College and taught there until 1909. Bryce Hall was named in his honour.

Constructed as part of the expanding United College Campus, Bryce Hall is a modest two-storey building located on the east side of the campus, fronting on Balmoral Street. It is connected to Wesley Hall by a skywalk. Built originally as a library and theological building, the structure remains in active use as part of the University of Winnipeg campus.

The Hall retains a chapel with a number of historically-significant stained glass windows. Originally installed in Wesley Hall, the windows were designed by Henry Holiday, a renowned Pre-Raphaelite artist who worked with William Morris at Morris & Co. in London, England.

The exterior façade is constructed with buff and bluish-grey limestone facings, trim and ornamentation, with some ornamental ironwork. Bryce Hall’s design is relatively restrained and notably more modern in comparison to the older Wesley Hall.

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6

Ashdown Hall is named for the Ashdown family, who for several generations maintained a strong connection with United College and later the University of Winnipeg. J.H. Ashdown was chairman of the board of Wesley College from 1907 to 1924. Son H.C. Ashdown was also a long-time board member and in 1950, laid the cornerstone for Ashdown Hall. The familial relationship with the institution continued into the next generation with grandson Judge Philip Ashdown studying at United College and his children attending the University of Winnipeg. In 1999, Judge Ashdown made a significant donation to the University’s library, specifically to support and extend the Ashdown Collection of Canadiana.

Ashdown Hall was constructed as part of the expansion of the former United College, in the years directly preceding the incorporation of the University of Winnipeg. Green Blankstein and Russell designed the brick structure built to contain classrooms and offices for the College’s growing student and faculty population. The structure has been largely obscured by the construction of Centennial Hall, which does not physically touch Ashdown Hall but rather piggybacks over it, obscuring Ashdown from view. The best view of the structure is from Balmoral Street.

7

Manitoba Hall commemorates Manitoba College, one of the original colleges of the University, founded by the Presbyterian Church in 1871. It was constructed by the former United College, for use as classroom and office space. Architects Green Blankstein Russell designed the original 1959 building and a fourth-storey addition that was built in 1964. The four-storey building is constructed with concrete block walls faced with brick. A unique modern feature, characteristic of Green Blankstein Russell, is the use of vertical concrete fins functioning as sunscreens, in this case installed along the east-facing street facade. Unfortunately, these fins were removed in 2013, leaving a rather plain facade.

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8

Local architect George A. Stewart designed the former Salvation Army Citadel at 400 Colony Street. The $500,000 complex housed the divisional corporate offices, welfare division, youth programming and a 500 seat auditorium. Completed in 1960, this four-storey building has a striking facade, suitable for its prominent location.

Constructed with a steel frame and reinforced concrete structure, the exterior is faced with red brick and Tyndall limestone trim. The main facade is lightened by a large expanse of aluminum framed windows and red enamelled metal paneling, punctuated by vertical exposed concrete mullions. The original entrance faced Colony Street and was placed just above street level, with concrete steps beneath an inverted canopy.

The Salvation Army sold the Citadel to the University of Winnipeg in 1999. Initially, the building housed shared office space for the theatre and film departments but plans were already in place to transform the building into an innovative theatre and film centre. In 2006 CanWest Global Communications Corporation contributed to the transformation of the building into a state-of-the-art film production and theatre space. The building was completely renovated, including a three-storey addition designed by Smith Carter Partners. The main entrance was relocated to face the University on Balmoral Street, better connecting the complex to the larger campus and providing barrier free access. The new complex was opened on March 3, 2009 and is now called the Asper Centre for Theatre and Film, after donors, the Asper family. Now home to the University of Winnipeg’s Theatre and Film Department, it houses a production space for students and community groups.

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9

Lockhart Hall, named after then President of the University Dr. W. C. Lockhart, was constructed between 1968 and 1969. The six-storey building features dramatic massing and a geometric arrangement that employs a reinforced concrete frame, with concrete block exterior walls faced with reddish brown brick. The brick was chosen to blend with the overall look of the 1969 campus. It was noted, at the time, as one of the best local examples of the revival of the mono-material brick exterior.

Lockhart Hall displays some characteristics of a Brutalist style building, particularly on the interior. Boasting unfinished concrete walls and exposed wood, the interior demonstrates a decidedly Modernist emphasis on the beauty of natural, unfinished materials. The building was specially designed to maximize on space, with each room capable of serving multiple functions, including the conversion of laboratories into classrooms. The warmth and constancy of Lockhart Hall contradicts the general perception of the Brutalist style, and it is an example of a well-loved Brutalist building in Winnipeg.

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10

Reusing industrial shipping containers and reclaimed wood from decommissioned university science labs, the BikeLab is home to a community bicycle repair shop, run by the University of Winnipeg Students’ Association volunteers. Constructed of two shipping containers (previously used by an Italian shipping company), the 320 square foot space is used year-round. The containers rest on a foundation of concrete blocks. The modular construction allows for the structure to be dismantled or reinstalled in another location, expanding the life of the design and leaving little to no impact on the surrounding environment.

Large glass openings cut into the container walls expose the interior, making the workspace visible to passersby. Sampson has produced a design that fits well within its historical context and yet, is also a very contemporary, well-designed gem.

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11

Constructed in 1983 as the athletic centre for the University of Winnipeg, the Duckworth Centre was designed to meet the increasing demands of a growing student population and Athletics Department. The Centre is named for the late Dr. Henry E. Duckworth, who served as university president from 1971 to 1981.

The design of the original three-storey building clearly expresses its function as the container for various athletic facilities including gymnasia, swimming pool and other sport and fitness functions. The facade is faced on the bottom half with red-brown brick, similar to Lockhart Hall, and the upper half is covered with brown metal siding. Unfortunately, the building has no street level presence. The building is connected by a walkway to Centennial Hall, as part of the the plans for an internally linked campus.

In 2008, Prairie Architects designed a two-storey addition for the Centre which features expansive use of glass and Tyndall stone, visually opening what had previously been an impervious façade. The first floor additions include retail and restaurant space for university groups, while the second floor is home to the Bill Wedlake Fitness Centre, named for Bill Wedlake, the University of Winnipeg’s Athletic Director for 24 years, from 1984 until 2008.

Since 2018, two murals have been added to the building. On the exterior north-facing wall of Duckworth Centre is a reproduction of Daphne Odjig's 1973 painting "Thunderbird Woman," added in 2018 for the Wall-to-Wall Mural and Cultural Festival by Mike Valcourt and Peatr Thomas. The Thunderbird is figure of transformation and a symbol of hope and matriarchal strength.

In 2022, another mural was added to the wall connecting Duckworth Centre and the Axworthy Health and RecPlex. The mural, painted by local artist Emmanuel Jarus, pays homage to Robyn Boulanger and Josh Gandier, former Wesmen athletes and Indigenous role models. The mural was a contribution of the Higher Learning Foundation with hopes to support and promote reconciliation, represent inclusion, and cultivate and environment of diversity on the University of Winnipeg campus.

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12

Riddell Hall is named after John Henry Riddell, the Principal of the former Wesley College from 1917 until 1938. Constructed in ­1961–62, as part of the rapidly expanding United College, it originally housed a cafeteria, gymnasium and residence. The modest one-storey building was built with a reinforced concrete frame and concrete block walls, faced with brown brick. Riddell Hall, currently housing offices and classroom space, is now largely obscured from view by Centennial Hall.

13

Graham Hall was constructed for use as the United College men’s residence. The modest four-storey building was built with a reinforced concrete frame, concrete floors, and concrete block walls faced with dark brown brick. With a capacity for 120 students, the residence was originally connected by tunnels to Sparling, Manitoba and Ashdown Halls. It currently houses faculty offices and seminar rooms. The hall is named after William Creighton Graham, who served as United College Principal from 1938 until his retirement in 1954.

14

The University of Winnipeg’s Centennial Hall is considered to be one of the finer examples of late-Modernist architecture in Canada. Showcased on the cover of the March 1973 “Progressive Architecture” magazine, Centennial Hall received international praise after it opened in 1972. Lewis Morse, a young graduate from the University of Manitoba School of Architecture, was intrigued by the design challenges in the competition brief for the university’s expansion. He proposed some preliminary sketches to Number Ten Architectural Group for whom he was working at the time. Subsequently, in 1970, when Moody Moore Duncan Rattray, Peters, Searle and Christie won the commission for Centennial Hall, Morse took his innovative designs to them.

The structure anticipates the engineering and design principles later embodied in the well-known Centre George Pompidou in Paris, France (1971–1977), designed by the Italian architect Renzo Piano, the British architect Richard Rogers, and the Italian architect Gianfranco Franchini, assisted by Ove Arup & Partners. Coincidentally, Morse worked briefly for Arup in London in 1968.

The architects designed the building both to overcome, as well as respect, the limits and possibilities afforded by its urban environment. Created as a ground-scraper, the structure fills in the space between and above existing buildings on the campus. Centennial Hall features undesignated and flexible spaces, exposed structural and mechanical systems, and transparent facades, much like the Centre Pompidou.

Key to many Modernist buildings is the concept of transparency, which is illustrated by the extensive use of glass, though much of the original has been lost through later alterations. This design was intended to consciously contrast with the formidable castellated stone exterior of Wesley Hall.

The structure complemented President Henry Duckworth’s vision for the University as a non-hierarchical space of higher learning. In this sense, Centennial Hall reflects not only avant-garde architectural style of the period but also changes in educational policy and Canadian culture.

Interested in usability and economy of space, pedestrian circulation in the new building was of great concern to its designers. Ursula Ferguson designed visually-arresting super-graphics to both direct traffic and to serve as decoration. These street signs connected Centennial Hall to President Duckworth’s vision of the city as a campus and vice versa.

In 1977, renovations to Centennial Hall, including a new lecture hall and theatre, covered much of the glass facade in the open south-facing wall. Designed by MMP Architects, the Eckhardt-Gramatté Theatre alteration has obscured the transparency of the original design.

In 2008, Rodney LaTourelle’s site-specific public art installation “Chronochroma 6” was opened on the third floor corridor, which connects Centennial Hall with the Duckworth Centre. The multi-coloured trusses pay homage to the earlier super-graphics of 1972.

During the 1990s, the building continued to degrade physically, as well as in the minds of faculty and students: super-graphics were painted over; paint colors were changed to the original white; the original Canadian-designed furniture fell into disrepair; and much of the open and flexible space was filled in by frequently insensitive renovations. Some upgrading has subsequently occurred, but the integrity of the original design and materials is not always respected.

Centennial Hall is nationally recognised as a building of great architectural importance but little recognition has been given to it locally. Dr. Serena Keshavjee, Associate Professor of Art History, University of Winnipeg has written extensively about the building.

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15

McFeetors Hall is a six-storey student residence, built on the site of the former Galaxy Skateland roller rink. Jointly funded by donations from the building’s namesake, Dr. Raymond L. McFeetors, Great-West Life, Manitoba Housing and a dedicated University of Winnipeg fundraising campaign, McFeetors Hall was built to accommodate the need for modern, accessible student housing. The housing complex offers numerous two-bedroom apartments and dormitory rooms. Private and public rooms have been designed to be fully “accessible”. The tenants of McFeetors Hall include both local and international students as well as community members.

The building has an undulating design inside and out, so corridors twist and turn, and each room has a slightly different configuration. There are full-glass lounge and atria at the building’s south end on the fifth and sixth floors, facing south and overlooking the science complex. These provide a comfortable gathering place for students as well as animating the building from the street view. The 74,000 square foot building is certified LEED Silver, boasting a geothermal heating and cooling system and numerous novel environmental technologies promoting sustainability and energy efficiency.

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16

Organized as two buildings under a single roof, the north side of the Richardson College for the Environment and Science Complex (RCES) is a four-storey block that houses the facility’s laboratories. Clad in dark brick and steel, the building’s monolithic appearance anchors its composition and is an architectural metaphor for Sir Isaac Newton’s scientific “black box” theory (which explained how things should happen, but not why).

Along Portage Avenue, a two-storey, white-glass facade floats over the sidewalk, its simple horizontal massing reinforcing the urban street edge. High ceilings and south-facing glass walls allow sunlight to penetrate deep inside the building. Solar heat gain is controlled with a translucent white ceramic coating on the glass, applied in a pattern that graphically represents the periodic table of the elements laid across the grid of windows. This expression acts as an outward celebration of the building’s role as an institution of scientific education and research.

Located in their correct positions within the table, the elements that are highlighted each tell a story about the environment and life on Earth. The unique façade stands as a prominent billboard for science and education in the city and is intended to inspire discussion and awareness in the broader community.

A large plaza flows from the sidewalk at Portage Avenue and Langside Street through a transparent ground floor to a dramatic, tree-filled central atrium that serves as an interior urban courtyard and gathering place for the campus and community.

A sunlit circulation space connecting the two wings of the facility, the atrium is an active place of interaction and collaboration for students and faculty beyond the classroom environment. Grand cantilevered staircases, informal meeting spaces and open study areas are strategically located across the different levels of the open space to encourage personal connections that promote learning through casual discussion and the open exchange of ideas.

The most prominent feature of the atrium is a distinctive wooden wall that reaches across its full height on the north side. The narrow wood slats tell a unique story, as they once made up the floor of the historic Galaxy Skateland Roller Rink that occupied the site for more than a century. The wood was carefully removed, reconditioned  and composed on the wall as a representation of the building’s sustainable character, while making an intimate connection to the memories of generations of Winnipeggers who skated on what was once “Canada’s largest wood floor.” The wall also expresses the scientific nature of the building as the flared wood panels open to reveal a multicoloured pattern inspired by a DNA microarray, the graphic expression of a cell’s genetic pattern.

A large section of the building's third floor is home to the Aabijijiwan New Media Lab and the Kishaadigeh Collaborative Research Centre, which opened in June 2021. The lab's design features herringbone floors, custom curved elm shelving units, Indigenous-inspired textiles for furnishings, Seymour's characteristic drum stools, and a designated private area for breastfeeding parents. There are four different lab spaces geared towards different forms of art production, with a mix of cutting edge technology and more traditional equipment like sewing and embroidery machines.

The Richardson complex also houses to the University’s Faculty of Science as well as the Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Science Education; the Canada Research Chair in Inner City Issues and Community Learning and Engagement, the Institute of Urban Studies; the Master’s Program in Development Practice; and, the Indigenous Studies Program. The building is named for Hartley Richardson, President and CEO of James Richardson & Sons Limited, whose organization and family foundation invested significant funds in the early planning stages of the project.

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17

The Buhler Centre is the direct result of a unique joint venture agreement signed in 2009 between Plug-In Institute of Contemporary Art and the University of Winnipeg. The Buhler family provided a substantial donation both for the building and for the establishment of a centre for the Faculty of Business and Economics in the new building. The design team was challenged with accommodating the specific requirements of a public art gallery, as well as lecture halls, meeting rooms and faculty offices, on a tight lot and within a tight budget.

The building’s unique exterior cladding is comprised of insulated metal wall panels and small protruding fins designed to catch light from traffic and the surrounding environment. The reflected light adds a kinetic aspect to the otherwise static structure.

The building has been designed to have a very strong presence at pedestrian level. Tall white plastic tubes rise from the ground and spread across the front of the building. Large windows allow a view of the restaurant and art gallery activities. A public walkway through the main floor allows pedestrians to cut through the building or stop for a break.

The four-storey Silver LEED building features a third floor terrace space and interconnected sky-lit student lounges, while the narrow three-storey interior atrium fills the core of the building with natural light. Working closely with the design team, Winnipeg and Berlin-based artist Rodney LaTourelle composed the striking interior colour scheme, featuring a delicate colour gradation of a different hue on each floor.

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18

The former Mall Centre was a significant development for its day. The four-and-a-half million-dollar project included a seven-storey office building, a main floor retail mall, a three-hundred car parkade and a new intercity bus depot. The bus depot opened in June 1964 and the restaurant, originally the Dutch Treat Cafeteria and later a Salisbury House, opened soon after. The existing Mall Hotel at Portage Avenue and Colony Street was renovated and connected to the new structure. The hotel was demolished in 1984 to make way for the current hotel.

Theodore Matoff, a University of Manitoba architecture professor at the time, proclaimed that the structure represented Winnipeg’s first attempt at “designing space for our climate”. The building was constructed with a reinforced concrete frame, concrete slab floors and roofs, and concrete block walls. The office block and podium are faced with Tyndall stone, black granite and white marble highlights, and an exposed concrete finish.

The bus depot closed in 2008 and, in 2009, the University of Winnipeg purchased the complex. Renovated for use as a Winnipeg Transit interchange, and commercial and university office and retail space, the AnX renovations encompassed the redesign of the entire main floor. The building now houses classrooms, retail and services as well as the University bookstore.

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19

The Axworthy Health & RecPlex is located on the west side of Spence Street and is connected by skywalk to the adjacent Duckworth Centre. Designed to help alleviate the shortage of indoor recreational space in Winnipeg and enhance the student experience, it benefits from a unique Community Charter that ensures neighbourhood youth and residents will have enhanced recreational opportunities.

The state-of-the-art indoor green space accommodates a multitude of sports such as soccer, flag football and track and field, as well as cultural and community events. The multi-sport facility includes: a large multi-use FIFA-approved artificial turf field; a four-lane rubberized sprint track; a practice gym; retractable batting cages and an underground parkade for 200 vehicles.

The RecPlex is comprised of a large central fieldhouse, bounded by three storey amenity spaces on its east and south sides. The arcaded main entrance faces the Common in front of Wesley Hall. The building is clad in brown-toned cement siding, with a number of projecting “bay” windows which open up the facade and allow views into and out of the athletics building. The entire first floor is glass, which lightens the mass of the building and provides a more welcoming facade for pedestrians.

In 2018, the University of Winnipeg collaborated with Ebb and Flow First Nation to create artwork for the Axworthy Health & RecPlex. With the help of artist/architect Eduardo Aquino of spmb, they came up with ASIN to represent the encounter of Indigneous and settler cultures. The etching is inspired by a topographical map of the Medicine Wheel of Alonsa, the only ancient medicine wheel in Manitoba. ASIN is completed by a poem speaking to Memekwesiak, 'little people' that exist between material and spirit worlds.

ASIN is etched on one of the original pieces of Tyndall stone from the former site of Manitoba College.

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The UWSA Day Care accommodates day care spaces for 112 children. Construction of the new daycare was a joint partnership between The University of Winnipeg and UWSA, with a total cost of cost of just under $2.5 million. Designed as a series of light-filled  pavilions in a linear formation, each section has a large bay window opening onto the ample protected play yard to the east.  Each of the play areas is a form full of colour and delight that ensures warm daylighting for the space. The exterior play space is accessible from two central cubby areas, which open into a flowing interior galleria. A covered entrance welcomes children into an inviting lobby, with a parents lounge and open kitchen visible upon entry to the space.

The linear design of the daycare and the adjacent McFeetor’s Hall residence (also by Prairie Architect) mirror each other well and bookend public and private green space.

The building is LEED Silver certified and was designed with many energy and water saving features, high quality fresh air, durable and natural materials and high levels of natural light. The project was completed for occupancy in August 2009.

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The University of Winnipeg opened the Wii Chiiwaakanak Learning Centre in 2005 with the aim of building stronger connections between the University and Winnipeg's inner city communities. Wii Chiiwaakanak means "walking together" in Ojibwe, which conveys the centre's main goals. The Wii Chiiwaakanak Learning Centre seeks to bridge the digital divide and provide Indigenous students and community members the opportunity to explore their past and navigate the future by offering programming rooted in Indigenous knowledge and culture. Incorporating Wii Chiiwaakanak Learning Centre into the University of Winnipeg campus was part of the university's initiative to Indigenize the campus, an effort they have made in support of reconciliation. The facility also houses the ACCESS Education Program.

The building was officially named after Helen Betty Osborne in 2006 to honour the many Indigenous women, girls, and two spirit people whose lives continue to be marked by violence.

The Star blanket mural by Kenneth Lavallée and Annie Beach, completed in 2018 during the wall-to-wall mural and cultural festival, cloaks the Helen Betty Osborne building in vibrant colour. Star blankets are gifts often bestowed of the highest honour, offering protection, empowerment, hope, and comfort to its wearer. Covering the whole area of the outside of the building, the mural implies that the community members who enter the building are granted the same benefits. For this mural, Lavallée took inspiration from his Métis heritage with the goal of making a statement and reclaiming space on Treaty One territory.

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The University of Winnipeg Downtown Commons is a $24.0M, 14-storey, 102-unit residential tower located just south of the Buhler Centre and west of the WAG.

Designed to LEED silver standards, the building continues the U of W’s commitment to the Kyoto Protocol by significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions to virtually zero. The building is raised 30 feet above grade to accommodate a future expansion to the adjacent Plug-In Gallery and to raise the units above grade to take advantage of the impressive urban views from the site. The second floor is devoted to common interior and exterior amenity spaces as a means of creating community within the planned diverse social mix of the tenants.

With a mixed income mandate, the Downtown Commons provides an opportunity for creating a true community with a wide-cross section of people from different cultural, economic and social backgrounds; it is a place built to respect and facilitate the diverse needs of people of all abilities.

Glossary

• Brent Bellamy, “New science centre a work of art”, Winnipeg Free Press, June 26, 2011.
• Christian Cassidy, Winnipeg, researcher and writer, various blogs
• Institute for Stained Glass in Canada
• Serena Keshavjee, editor and Herbert Enns, Designer. Winnipeg Modern: Architecture 1945–1975. Winnipeg: University of Manitoba Press, 2006.
• City of Winnipeg Archives
• University of Winnipeg Archives
• Winnipeg Architecture Foundation research files