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DECEMBER 2017 | 55 Canadian History Hall PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY CANADIAN MUSEUM OF HISTORY Canadian History Hall by ROBIN BRUNET N othing is set in stone, especially museum exhibits, but rarely do upgrades yield two distinct and dramatic benefits, as is the case of the comprehensive makeover of the Canadian Museum of History's iconic Canadian History Hall. Not only does the new exhibit cover 15,000 years of Canadian history (the previous one started with Viking settlers arriving in Newfoundland and ended in the 1970s) in a fluid path throughout the facility; the original design of the Hall by famed architect Douglas Cardinal is now showcased in all of its expansive glory. Simply put, the old exhibit was a streetscape comprised maze of galleries that obfuscated clear views of the dome-capped Hall, with a mezzanine that had been constructed around the previously built structures and whose square areas and sharp corners clashed unfavourably with the larger space. "In 2012 we decided a retrofit was in order, but it took five years with a dedicated team and the input of advisory committees and outside experts to determine how the retrofit should proceed," says Chantal Amyot, director of the Canada History Hall. Work on the exhibition content, the exhibition design and the architectural design was done simultaneously, which allowed for a much more integrated end product. Amyot adds that the consulting process was driven by the presence of Cardinal, who had designed the Hall back in the 1980s. "It was amazing to get him back on board and allow him to fully realize his original vision," says Amyot. In 2015, Cardinal described his original design for the entire museum as "a dynamic sculpture inspired by the powerful Canadian landscape, sculpted by wind and water." He went on to note that the History Hall was designed "to emphasize the openness of our people and the vast space of the land we call Canada," and as such the retrofit would "take full advantage of the original architectural design of the building, including the view, which honours Parliament Hill. The mezzanine will symbolically flow in sweeping forms like the Ottawa River into an oval ramp, symbolizing the natural phenomena of the 'Great Kettle' [Chaudière Falls], which Indigenous People saw as a power centre for the Nations." Cardinal's design would result in two galleries on the lower floor and one on a new mezzanine that visitors would access by the ramp, which quickly became the focal point of the entire retrofit. "Essentially, two corridors would bring you to a central hub with the ramp leading to the mezzanine, and this proved to be an ideal focal point for what is a very long space," says Emmanuelle van Rutten, director, Moriyama & Teshima Architects. But the ramp proved to be a major challenge to design. As the new exhibition began to take form on paper it was apparent that the Hall would be filled with a series of flowing ellipses containing and separating one exhibit from another, and therefore the architects envisioned a ramp that was an elongated ellipse with a switchback for easy visitor ascension. Jean-Michel Carriere, principal, Adjeleian Allen Rubeli Limited (the structural engineers of the project), says, "We assisted in getting the geometry just right during the design phase. Because the ramp had to meet vibration criteria such as children running up and down, as well as the fact it would cross an expansion joint of the main building, we eventually developed the structure as four separate pieces. It was a long and involved process, but crucial to the retrofit's success." Working under a construction management delivery system, Pomerleau (which also donated $100,000 to the Hall's exhibit) first demolished the exhibition space, followed by the old mezzanine, after which preparations for the base building began. "Overall, demolition of the old structures and new construction proceeded remarkably smoothly, although great care was taken throughout because the Hall is located right at the centre of the Museum, which had to remain open for visitors," says Amyot. Van Rutten points out that because the ramp is basically a slope as well as a curve, "the resulting geometry is a warped surface, and only concrete could be used to mitigate that shape. On its own, concrete would be too heavy and so CLT, which had already been used as the mezzanine deck, was used as the support deck." Van Rutten adds that due to the phased nature of this unique project, "we learned things that would inform the next phase while the tenders were still going out: for example, how the new mezzanine structure would tie into the existing steel structure, which became evident during the demolition." Carriere says of the ramp, "Thankfully, installation was less complex than the effort that went into its design. The top end of the ramp is supported by the mezzanine, and the mid section of the ramp extends over the slab edge by about three metres, giving visitors a great view of the exhibitions below." As for the famous dome capping the Hall, Amyot notes that it remained in good structural shape. "However, we took the opportunity to improve the acoustics of the facility by spraying the dome with special foam – which was quite an undertaking, considering it covers 38,500 square feet of area." The new Canadian History Hall opened its doors on July 1, 2017, 150 years to the day after Canada's confederation, and visitors were dazzled by an exhibition recounting the history of Canada through stories that begin with the first human presence on this land about 15,000 years ago and continue to the present day. With over 1,500 artifacts on display in a facility that after over 30 years finally lives up to its original architectural intent, Amyot is overjoyed that the public has embraced the upgraded space. "It's a great part of our museum and provides a wholly authentic visitor experience," she says. "So many professionals are responsible for the Hall's success, but this really is a triumph for Douglas Cardinal. We were so fortunate that he came back to breathe new life into what he created in the 1980s." A LOCATION 100 Laurier Street, Gatineau, Quebec OWNER/DEVELOPER Canadian Museum of History ARCHITECTS Douglas Cardinal Architect (design architect) Moriyama & Teshima Architects (executive architect) CONSTRUCTION MANAGER Pomerleau Inc. STRUCTURAL CONSULTANT Adjeleian Allen Rubeli Limited MECHANICAL/ ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT Pageau Morel et associés inc. TOTAL SIZE 44,000 square feet TOTAL COST $30 million 11:38 AM

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