People:
- Roderick George Robbie (archive creator)
Title:
Roderick Robbie Katimavik project records
Form:
archives
Level of archival description:
Fonds
Scope and content:
*** Please follow this link to access the full finding aid for this fonds: https://cdm22041.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p22041coll8/id/4915/rec/20 ***
The Roderick Robbie Katimavik project records describe the work of British-born Canadian architect, Roderick (Rod) Robbie (1928-2012), and his collaboration with his architectural partners at the Toronto-based firm Ashworth Robbie Vaughan and Williams to create the winning entry for the competition for the design of the Canadian Government’s pavilion at Expo 67. The records in this fonds describe the activities related to the design and construction of Katimavik, and associated collaborations with Expo organizers. Drawings (both reprographic and original) give a detailed view of the structure's design, while a cladding sample provides insight into the building's materiality. Correspondence files highlight the creative and collaborative relationships maintained throughout the process. Media and press related to the reception of the project provide insight into how the project contributed to Canadian and International architectural discourse during and after Expo 67. A small collection of books on various aspects of Expo 67, and memorabilia from the event, describe the activities and cultural impact of Expo 67 in general. Also included is a report by Roderick Robbie prepared in retrospect for the Canadian Government, detailing the project’s design philosophies and process. The records in this fonds should be considered within the broader context of the Canadian state's project to develop the St. Lawrence Seaway to support Canadian industrial interests and state building. The Seaway (and therefore the architectural and engeneering interventions of Expo 67 constructed within it) was devestating to the people of local Indigenous Kanienʼkehá꞉ka communities, particularly the communities of Kahnawake and Akwasasne [1]. The Expo site itself, a man-made island constructed in the middle of the Seaway, required the dumping of 6,825,000 tons of fill which caused mass flooding, displacing many communities along the St. Lawrence river [3].
Arrangement:
No discernable original order was present upon processing, but given the small amount of materials, original order was maintained with the exception of oversized materials which were separated for preservation reasons. The archivist arranged the materials into files at the container level due to the lack of existing order. The creation of series level records was not necessary due to the small amount of materials and their relative similarity.
Biographical notes:
Expo 67 was a category 1 World’s Fair hosted in Montreal and planned to celebrate Canada’s centennial in 1967. The Canadian pavilion, one of many themed national exhibits part of the Expo, comprised of an 11-acre site on the man-made Ile-Notre-Dame, which was built on the Saint Lawrence Seaway for the event. The general theme of the Expo was "Man and His World," a reference to Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s book, focused on humanity's role in society, science, and nature. The pavilion, an inverted nine storey pyramid structure designed by architectural firm Ashworth Robbie Vaughan and Williams and named Katimavik, after the Inuit word for "gathering place," was a focal point of the Canadian Pavilion's many attractions. The structure hosted a rotating, multi-screen cinema beneath the base of its inverted pyramid structure and four themed exhibits on its sloping inner walls: "The Land of Canada," "The Growth of Canada," "The Challenge to Canadians," and "Canada and the World". The pyramid itself featured a 768-foot walkway at its summit for panoramic views of the Expo grounds. The architectural firm responsible for the design of Katimavik, Ashworth Robbie Vaughan and Williams, was active in Toronto, Ontario, between 1961-1974. Founding partners were Roderick Robbie, Fred Ashworth, Richard Williams, and Colin Vaughan. The firm continued after the departure of Fred Ashworth as Robbie Vaughan and Williams until 1972, and then as Robbie Williams Partnership until 1974. Roderick (Rod) Robbie (1928-2012), the primary collector of the materials in this fonds, was a British-born Canadian architect and planner. Born in Poole, England on September 15, 1928, Robbie later studied architecture and town planning at Regent Street Polytechnic School in London before serving in the British Army (Engineer Regiment) between 1947-1949. From 1951-1956, Robbie was a partner at Parnell + Robbie. Emigrating to Ottawa in 1956 with his wife Enid Robbie (née Wheeler), he briefly worked for the federal government in Public Works before transitioning to the private sector to work for the firm of Belcourt & Blair. By 1959, he had moved to Peter Dickinson Associates, where he participated in projects such as the New Town at Frobisher Bay (Iqaluit). From 1961 to 1965 he worked as a partner at the Toronto-based firm Ashworth Robbie Vaughan and Williams. Robbie's design for the Canadian Pavilion's Katimavik at Expo 67 would come to define his career. Other notable Canadian and International projects that Robbie contributed to include: Rogers Centre SkyDome, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, with Michael Allen (1985); NY Mets, New Shea Stadium, New York, USA (1996); Taipei City Sports Dome, Taipei, Taiwan (1996); Schuluch School of Business, York University, North York, Ontario, Canada (2003); Sharp Centre for Design, OCAD University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (2004).
Conditions governing reproduction:
- The CCA collection is open to everyone. We only ask that you reach out to us at ref@cca.qc.ca and make an appointment in advance so we have the time to properly prepare your resources.
- For copyright information or permission to reproduce material from the fonds, please contact the CCA (reproductions@cca.qc.ca).
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer:
- Gift of Caroline Robbie-Montgomery on November 21, 2023.
Custodial history:
- Prior to arrival at the CCA, the documents were held by Caroline Robbie-Montgomery and were stored at her house in Toronto. The records came to the CCA in 2023 in two transfers, where they were stored until processing.
Archivist's note:
- The Roderick Robbie Katimavik Project Records were processed and described in 2025 by Hannah Deskin.
Other finding aids:
- For full finding aid please contact reference services.
Related units of description:
- Materials related to Roderick Robbie's work as an architect more generally can be found at Library and Archives Canada (under the reference number R11569-0-1-E), where the rest of his archive was transferred in 2005 and 2016. Records related to Robbie at Library and Archives Canada cover the dates 1944-2010.
