archives
Level of archival description:
Fonds
Gianni Pettena fonds
AP207
Synopsis:
The Gianni Pettena fonds documents Pettena’s work as an artist, architect, critic, and professor of history of contemporary architecture from the 1960s to the end of the 2010s. It includes one hundred artistic and architectural projects, material related to exhibitions he curated and designed, and his writings.
1960-2019
Gianni Pettena fonds
Actions:
AP207
Synopsis:
The Gianni Pettena fonds documents Pettena’s work as an artist, architect, critic, and professor of history of contemporary architecture from the 1960s to the end of the 2010s. It includes one hundred artistic and architectural projects, material related to exhibitions he curated and designed, and his writings.
archives
Level of archival description:
Fonds
1960-2019
Project
AP056.S1.1988.PR09
Description:
This project series documents renovations and additions to the Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto from 1988-1993. The office identified the project number as 18703. This project, known as Phase 3, built upon two other major expansion projects to the art gallery, Phase I and Phase II, that were completed by the architecture firm Parkin Architects Planners in the 1970s. Phase 3 was the winning entry for a limited competition won by KPMB, with Thomas Payne as partner-in-charge, in joint venture with the firm of Barton Myers Inc. This project consisted of 100,000 square feet of additions to the building including a prints and drawings study centre, a reference library and administrative offices in the southwest corner and new vaulted galleries, a tower and pyramidal arrival hall along Dundas Street. The Dundas Street elevation was transformed by these additions and brick facades were added. A new double height sculpture atrium, connected to the Victorian Grange mansion, was also added. This project also included 190,000 square feet of renovations to the existing building including changes to galleries, circulation, vaults, staff areas, the restaurant, bookstore and volunteer shop. The goal of these changes was to create a more coherent design between old and new parts of the building and to reinforce the role of art galleries in contemporary life by increasing the scale of the building and creating new spaces for interaction and participation. This project won the Canadian Architect Award of Excellence in 1988. The project is recorded through drawings, photographic materials and accompanying notes dating from 1986-1992. The drawings include site plans and surveys, sketches, plans, elevations, sections, perspectives, details, studies, axonometric drawings, furnishing and structural drawings and some presentation drawings.
1986-1992
Art Gallery of Ontario, Phase 3, Toronto (1988-1993)
Actions:
AP056.S1.1988.PR09
Description:
This project series documents renovations and additions to the Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto from 1988-1993. The office identified the project number as 18703. This project, known as Phase 3, built upon two other major expansion projects to the art gallery, Phase I and Phase II, that were completed by the architecture firm Parkin Architects Planners in the 1970s. Phase 3 was the winning entry for a limited competition won by KPMB, with Thomas Payne as partner-in-charge, in joint venture with the firm of Barton Myers Inc. This project consisted of 100,000 square feet of additions to the building including a prints and drawings study centre, a reference library and administrative offices in the southwest corner and new vaulted galleries, a tower and pyramidal arrival hall along Dundas Street. The Dundas Street elevation was transformed by these additions and brick facades were added. A new double height sculpture atrium, connected to the Victorian Grange mansion, was also added. This project also included 190,000 square feet of renovations to the existing building including changes to galleries, circulation, vaults, staff areas, the restaurant, bookstore and volunteer shop. The goal of these changes was to create a more coherent design between old and new parts of the building and to reinforce the role of art galleries in contemporary life by increasing the scale of the building and creating new spaces for interaction and participation. This project won the Canadian Architect Award of Excellence in 1988. The project is recorded through drawings, photographic materials and accompanying notes dating from 1986-1992. The drawings include site plans and surveys, sketches, plans, elevations, sections, perspectives, details, studies, axonometric drawings, furnishing and structural drawings and some presentation drawings.
Project
1986-1992
Series
Sketchbooks
AP178.S2
Description:
Series AP178.S2 consists of over 280 of Siza’s personal sketchbooks, beginning from the late 1970s to the beginning of the early 2000s. The sketchbooks mostly contain sketches with some notes and are numbered chronologically. Indicated on the front cover of each sketchbook are the sketchbook number and the architectural project(s) and/or the geographic site(s) documented by the sketches and notes. The sketchbooks are mostly black notebooks and measure 21 x 30 cm, with a few exceptions. Most sketchbooks contain notes in Portuguese while some also include French and English notes. The sketchbooks document Siza’s creative process and demonstrate his unique method to comprehend an architectural project. Siza mentions that in the early stages of a project he immediately begins to draw, regardless of if he has knowledge of all the details and problems. The sketchbooks document the evolution of Siza's projects and also serve as a type of log. Not only does each sketchbook contain various sketches and notes for projects Siza was working on but also schedules, contacts, and drafts of letters. Among the sketches for projects are also general sketches of his travels, people, animals, objects, furniture, and at times landscapes. Most sketchbooks primarily contain sketches for projects with intermingled sketches of people or faces, however there are a number of sketchbooks that mostly contain sketches of people. The Siza fonds is being processed in four phases. Up to date the sketchbooks that have been processed are ones that relate to architectural projects that were processed in the first and second phase of processing. This includes projects from 1950’s, 1960’s, and 1970’s; urban planning projects; Reconstrução do Chiado; Berlin projects submitted to the IBA competition; and the Plano de urbanização Deelgebied 5 Schilderswijk-West in The Hague. However, it is important to note that the sketchbooks usually contain sketches related to multiple projects and therefore the sketchbooks that were processed also contain sketches related to projects not included in this list.
1978-1993
Sketchbooks
Actions:
AP178.S2
Description:
Series AP178.S2 consists of over 280 of Siza’s personal sketchbooks, beginning from the late 1970s to the beginning of the early 2000s. The sketchbooks mostly contain sketches with some notes and are numbered chronologically. Indicated on the front cover of each sketchbook are the sketchbook number and the architectural project(s) and/or the geographic site(s) documented by the sketches and notes. The sketchbooks are mostly black notebooks and measure 21 x 30 cm, with a few exceptions. Most sketchbooks contain notes in Portuguese while some also include French and English notes. The sketchbooks document Siza’s creative process and demonstrate his unique method to comprehend an architectural project. Siza mentions that in the early stages of a project he immediately begins to draw, regardless of if he has knowledge of all the details and problems. The sketchbooks document the evolution of Siza's projects and also serve as a type of log. Not only does each sketchbook contain various sketches and notes for projects Siza was working on but also schedules, contacts, and drafts of letters. Among the sketches for projects are also general sketches of his travels, people, animals, objects, furniture, and at times landscapes. Most sketchbooks primarily contain sketches for projects with intermingled sketches of people or faces, however there are a number of sketchbooks that mostly contain sketches of people. The Siza fonds is being processed in four phases. Up to date the sketchbooks that have been processed are ones that relate to architectural projects that were processed in the first and second phase of processing. This includes projects from 1950’s, 1960’s, and 1970’s; urban planning projects; Reconstrução do Chiado; Berlin projects submitted to the IBA competition; and the Plano de urbanização Deelgebied 5 Schilderswijk-West in The Hague. However, it is important to note that the sketchbooks usually contain sketches related to multiple projects and therefore the sketchbooks that were processed also contain sketches related to projects not included in this list.
Series
1978-1993
Through the work of internationally renowned architects, this exhibition reveals the presence of utopian modernist ideas thought to have been discarded with the advent of the postmodern era. According to the exhibition’s lead curator Reinhold Martin, much of the architectural production of the last half-century has been haunted by the ghosts of modernist utopias: “The(...)
Octagonal gallery
28 February 2008 to 25 May 2008
Utopia's Ghost: Postmodernism Reconsidered
Actions:
Description:
Through the work of internationally renowned architects, this exhibition reveals the presence of utopian modernist ideas thought to have been discarded with the advent of the postmodern era. According to the exhibition’s lead curator Reinhold Martin, much of the architectural production of the last half-century has been haunted by the ghosts of modernist utopias: “The(...)
Octagonal gallery
Project
AP178.S1.1980.PR02
Description:
The project series documents Block 121, better known as Bonjour Tristesse. While the records were held in the office’s archives this project was assigned the number 2/80. This project was one of several projects Siza submitted to the International Architectural Exhibition Berlin competition (International Bauaustellung, IBA, circa 1979-1987), and was Siza’s first international built project. The IBA was an urban renewal strategy for West Berlin and received submissions from several international architects. The IBA divided West Berlin into two parts: IBA Neubau ('new building'), led by Josef Paul Kleihues and IBA Altbau ('old building') led by Hardt-Walherr Hämer. IBA Nuebau's focus was to build new buildings while IBA Altbau's was to renovate existing buildings. The project site for Block 121 was in the district of Kreuzberg, a district on the eastern side of then West Berlin. Due to low rents, there was an influx of immigrants and students to Kreuzberg in the late 1970s. Bonjour Tristesse would serve as a residential complex for a predominantly Turkish immigrant population. In 1980, Hämer invited Siza to submit an entry for this complex to be built on the east side of Kreuzberg beside the Schlesisches Tor train station. Hämer encouraged the participatory model which Siza had become known for from his work with the Servicio Ambulatorio de Apoio Local (SAAL) in Portugal. This project series is arranged in four subseries: AP178.S1.1980.PR02.SS1, Competition, Block 121 (identified as 2/80); AP178.S1.1980.PR02.SS2, Bonjour Tristesse (identified as 2/80 A); AP178.S1.1980.PR02.SS3, Kita [Kindergarten] (identified as 2/80 B); and AP178.S1.1980.PR02.SS4, Senior Club Anziani [Senior citizens’ clubhouse] (identified as 2/80 C). The office’s archivist assigned the number 2/80 to materials related to the competition phase of this project; letters (A, B, and C) were then assigned to each subsequent portion of the project following the competition. All documentation for this project series, including the project subseries, has been kept together to maintain the order of the office’s arrangement.
circa 1980-1990
Block 121, Schlesisches Tor [Block 121, Schlesisches Tor residential complex], Berlin, Germany (1980-1990)
Actions:
AP178.S1.1980.PR02
Description:
The project series documents Block 121, better known as Bonjour Tristesse. While the records were held in the office’s archives this project was assigned the number 2/80. This project was one of several projects Siza submitted to the International Architectural Exhibition Berlin competition (International Bauaustellung, IBA, circa 1979-1987), and was Siza’s first international built project. The IBA was an urban renewal strategy for West Berlin and received submissions from several international architects. The IBA divided West Berlin into two parts: IBA Neubau ('new building'), led by Josef Paul Kleihues and IBA Altbau ('old building') led by Hardt-Walherr Hämer. IBA Nuebau's focus was to build new buildings while IBA Altbau's was to renovate existing buildings. The project site for Block 121 was in the district of Kreuzberg, a district on the eastern side of then West Berlin. Due to low rents, there was an influx of immigrants and students to Kreuzberg in the late 1970s. Bonjour Tristesse would serve as a residential complex for a predominantly Turkish immigrant population. In 1980, Hämer invited Siza to submit an entry for this complex to be built on the east side of Kreuzberg beside the Schlesisches Tor train station. Hämer encouraged the participatory model which Siza had become known for from his work with the Servicio Ambulatorio de Apoio Local (SAAL) in Portugal. This project series is arranged in four subseries: AP178.S1.1980.PR02.SS1, Competition, Block 121 (identified as 2/80); AP178.S1.1980.PR02.SS2, Bonjour Tristesse (identified as 2/80 A); AP178.S1.1980.PR02.SS3, Kita [Kindergarten] (identified as 2/80 B); and AP178.S1.1980.PR02.SS4, Senior Club Anziani [Senior citizens’ clubhouse] (identified as 2/80 C). The office’s archivist assigned the number 2/80 to materials related to the competition phase of this project; letters (A, B, and C) were then assigned to each subsequent portion of the project following the competition. All documentation for this project series, including the project subseries, has been kept together to maintain the order of the office’s arrangement.
Project
circa 1980-1990
Project
AP206.S1.1975.PR01
Description:
This project series documents Aditya Prakash's proposal for an alternative plan for Chandigarh, India, which came to be known as the Linear City. Prakash began developing and advocating for this idea around the early 1970s. The Linear City had two fundamental ideas at its core. The first was to raise the roadways in Chandigarh (or any future city) 10-12 feet from ground level. This, he proposed, would separate vehicular traffic from pedestrians, eliminating all the hazardous impacts of traffic on daily life. The large part of the drawings for this project show sector plans and city blocks with evenly dispersed roundabout roadways as major transit hubs, wrapping around but high above centres of pedestrian activity that included shops, markets and green spaces. The sale of the land below the roadways would pay for the upheaval. He also recommended building this city only a few sectors deep, but endlessly expanding it length-wise, with a raised canal along one side to provide an additional transpiration network and irrigation. The second fundamental idea of this city was the creation of self-sustaining sectors in the city plan, advocating that each neighbourhood should have the infrastructure to provide food and recycling for its residents. He fervently argued for the reimagination of modernist Chandigarh by incorporating sustainable, local traditions - the rural should exist in harmony with the urban. In opposition to Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret, he believed areas for recycling, animal husbandry, and growing food should be incorporated into the fabric of the city.[1] This project is recorded largely through original drawings of city plans, perspectives and axonometric views detailing Prakash's new vision for the city. It seems that many of the perspectives were drawn by family friend Sandeep Virmani, after listening to Prakash's ideas.[2] The project is also recorded through photographs, negatives and slides showing plans and the project model. A small amount of notes and an article on the project are also included. [1]Vikramaditya Prakash, One Continuous Line: Art, Architecture and Urbanism of Aditya Prakash (Ahmedabad, India: Mapin Publishing Pvt. Ltd., 2019), 164-181. [2]Prakash, One Continuous Line, 169.
circa 1975-2003
Linear city, Chandigarh, India (circa 1975-1987)
Actions:
AP206.S1.1975.PR01
Description:
This project series documents Aditya Prakash's proposal for an alternative plan for Chandigarh, India, which came to be known as the Linear City. Prakash began developing and advocating for this idea around the early 1970s. The Linear City had two fundamental ideas at its core. The first was to raise the roadways in Chandigarh (or any future city) 10-12 feet from ground level. This, he proposed, would separate vehicular traffic from pedestrians, eliminating all the hazardous impacts of traffic on daily life. The large part of the drawings for this project show sector plans and city blocks with evenly dispersed roundabout roadways as major transit hubs, wrapping around but high above centres of pedestrian activity that included shops, markets and green spaces. The sale of the land below the roadways would pay for the upheaval. He also recommended building this city only a few sectors deep, but endlessly expanding it length-wise, with a raised canal along one side to provide an additional transpiration network and irrigation. The second fundamental idea of this city was the creation of self-sustaining sectors in the city plan, advocating that each neighbourhood should have the infrastructure to provide food and recycling for its residents. He fervently argued for the reimagination of modernist Chandigarh by incorporating sustainable, local traditions - the rural should exist in harmony with the urban. In opposition to Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret, he believed areas for recycling, animal husbandry, and growing food should be incorporated into the fabric of the city.[1] This project is recorded largely through original drawings of city plans, perspectives and axonometric views detailing Prakash's new vision for the city. It seems that many of the perspectives were drawn by family friend Sandeep Virmani, after listening to Prakash's ideas.[2] The project is also recorded through photographs, negatives and slides showing plans and the project model. A small amount of notes and an article on the project are also included. [1]Vikramaditya Prakash, One Continuous Line: Art, Architecture and Urbanism of Aditya Prakash (Ahmedabad, India: Mapin Publishing Pvt. Ltd., 2019), 164-181. [2]Prakash, One Continuous Line, 169.
Project
circa 1975-2003
When Gordon Matta-Clark assembled the titles to and documentation of a dozen-odd small, vacant parcels of New York property between 1974 and 1977 (later assembled and exhibited as Reality Properties: Fake Estates in 1992), it was with no well-formed agenda—other than his view that the availability of vacant and underutilized parcels [was] a direct reminder of the fallacy(...)
Paul Desmarais Theatre
22 September 2016, 6pm
Nicholas de Monchaux: Local Code
Actions:
Description:
When Gordon Matta-Clark assembled the titles to and documentation of a dozen-odd small, vacant parcels of New York property between 1974 and 1977 (later assembled and exhibited as Reality Properties: Fake Estates in 1992), it was with no well-formed agenda—other than his view that the availability of vacant and underutilized parcels [was] a direct reminder of the fallacy(...)
Paul Desmarais Theatre
Evoking a provocation famously framed by Le Corbusier, “Architecture ou Révolution,” this conversation will situate the SAAL process in Portugal within international debates during the 1960s and 1970s on social housing and the architect’s social responsibility. Nuno Portas, Secretary of State for Housing and Urbanism of the government established after the 1974 Portuguese(...)
Paul-Desmarais Theatre
14 May 2015 , 6pm
Architecture or Revolution? A Conversation with Nuno Portas and Nuno Grande
Actions:
Description:
Evoking a provocation famously framed by Le Corbusier, “Architecture ou Révolution,” this conversation will situate the SAAL process in Portugal within international debates during the 1960s and 1970s on social housing and the architect’s social responsibility. Nuno Portas, Secretary of State for Housing and Urbanism of the government established after the 1974 Portuguese(...)
Paul-Desmarais Theatre
In the Yesterday Today lecture series, American architect Michael Reynolds discusses Earthship houses, which use recycled materials and sustainable energy technologies to create autonomous dwellings. The structure and systems of Earthships are integrated so that all materials have a secondary use, from the greywater system in bathrooms and kitchens to planter boxes in(...)
Paul-Desmarais Theatre
15 November 2007
Michael Reynolds: The Earthship Sustainable Housing Concept
Actions:
Description:
In the Yesterday Today lecture series, American architect Michael Reynolds discusses Earthship houses, which use recycled materials and sustainable energy technologies to create autonomous dwellings. The structure and systems of Earthships are integrated so that all materials have a secondary use, from the greywater system in bathrooms and kitchens to planter boxes in(...)
Paul-Desmarais Theatre
archives
Level of archival description:
Fonds
Álvaro Siza fonds
AP178
Description:
The Álvaro Siza fonds documents the architectural work of Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza. Records in this fonds document Siza’s projects from 1958-2012, including built and unbuilt designs. A collaborative project was established between the Canadian Centre for Architecture (CCA), Fundação de Serralves, and Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian to allow for international research and access to the archive. The archive is shared by the three institutions with each institution holding different projects while collaborating on the descriptive work and increasing the visibility of the archive. The holdings at both the Fundação de Serralves and Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian focus on Siza’s Portuguese projects, while the portion of the archive held by the CCA mainly includes Siza’s projects abroad. All three institutions are committed to describing the archive and making it accessible for scholarly research. The processing of the Siza archive held by the CCA has been divided into four phases to allow for access to parts of the archive while still in process. For the first, second, and third phases, the processing archivist has described the projects from the fifties, sixties, and seventies, as well as projects for the IBA competition in Berlin, urban renewal projects in The Hague from the eighties, urban plans, museums, and individual houses between 1980 and 2000. The processing archivist has also described approximately 203 sketchbooks. Many of these sketchbooks include sketches related to architectural projects which were processed. The complete list of projects processed by the CCA to date can be found in series AP178.S1. The bulk of the Álvaro Siza fonds is arranged in Series AP178.S1, which contains documentation for over 200 of Siza’s architectural projects. Records in this archive are predominantly from 1970 to 2000. Series AP178.S1 mainly contains conceptual, design development, presentation, and working drawings. Also included are photographic materials, models, born digital records, and textual documentation, which include correspondence, project proposals, and notes. The architect’s creative process is captured in 282 sketchbooks arranged in Series AP178.S2. In all there are approximately 60 000 drawings, 3000 folders of textual documentation, 9.46 linear meters of photographs and negatives, 6,545 slides, 250 CD-ROMS, 101 floppy disks, and 371 models that document the architectural activities of Siza and his office. Among the drawings are sketches by Siza on various items, such as napkins, receipts, envelopes, or on the back of working drawings. The fonds contains several types of architectural projects including residential buildings, museums, universities, urban plans, offices, and city restorations. Of particular significance are the sketchbooks, comprised of sketches for architectural projects, Siza’s travels, people, and animals as well as notes and draft letters. The sketchbooks are organized in chronological order, starting in the late 1970’s to the beginning of the 2000’s. Locations, notes, and dates have also been identified on the front of each sketchbook along with the sketchbook number. The sketchbooks provide a unique perspective of Siza’s use of drawing as part of his work process.
1958-2002
Álvaro Siza fonds
Actions:
AP178
Description:
The Álvaro Siza fonds documents the architectural work of Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza. Records in this fonds document Siza’s projects from 1958-2012, including built and unbuilt designs. A collaborative project was established between the Canadian Centre for Architecture (CCA), Fundação de Serralves, and Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian to allow for international research and access to the archive. The archive is shared by the three institutions with each institution holding different projects while collaborating on the descriptive work and increasing the visibility of the archive. The holdings at both the Fundação de Serralves and Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian focus on Siza’s Portuguese projects, while the portion of the archive held by the CCA mainly includes Siza’s projects abroad. All three institutions are committed to describing the archive and making it accessible for scholarly research. The processing of the Siza archive held by the CCA has been divided into four phases to allow for access to parts of the archive while still in process. For the first, second, and third phases, the processing archivist has described the projects from the fifties, sixties, and seventies, as well as projects for the IBA competition in Berlin, urban renewal projects in The Hague from the eighties, urban plans, museums, and individual houses between 1980 and 2000. The processing archivist has also described approximately 203 sketchbooks. Many of these sketchbooks include sketches related to architectural projects which were processed. The complete list of projects processed by the CCA to date can be found in series AP178.S1. The bulk of the Álvaro Siza fonds is arranged in Series AP178.S1, which contains documentation for over 200 of Siza’s architectural projects. Records in this archive are predominantly from 1970 to 2000. Series AP178.S1 mainly contains conceptual, design development, presentation, and working drawings. Also included are photographic materials, models, born digital records, and textual documentation, which include correspondence, project proposals, and notes. The architect’s creative process is captured in 282 sketchbooks arranged in Series AP178.S2. In all there are approximately 60 000 drawings, 3000 folders of textual documentation, 9.46 linear meters of photographs and negatives, 6,545 slides, 250 CD-ROMS, 101 floppy disks, and 371 models that document the architectural activities of Siza and his office. Among the drawings are sketches by Siza on various items, such as napkins, receipts, envelopes, or on the back of working drawings. The fonds contains several types of architectural projects including residential buildings, museums, universities, urban plans, offices, and city restorations. Of particular significance are the sketchbooks, comprised of sketches for architectural projects, Siza’s travels, people, and animals as well as notes and draft letters. The sketchbooks are organized in chronological order, starting in the late 1970’s to the beginning of the 2000’s. Locations, notes, and dates have also been identified on the front of each sketchbook along with the sketchbook number. The sketchbooks provide a unique perspective of Siza’s use of drawing as part of his work process.
archives
Level of archival description:
Fonds
1958-2002