Project
AP075.S1.1999.PR05
Description:
Project series documents Cornelia Hahn Oberlander's landscape project for the garden of Linda Yorke and Gordon Forbes in Vancouver, British Columbia. Oberlander worked on this project in the second half of the 1990s. She worked with architect André Rowland who was in charge of designing an addition to the residence designed in the late 1940s by Ned Pratt from architectural firm Sharp, Thompson, Berwick and & Pratt. The project consisted in redesigning the entire yard and adding a play area for children. Oberlander included terraces next to the addition to the house, planting beds and planters. The play area included a tower house accessible by a rope bridge, a two levels playhouse with wooden porch, a slide, a fireman pole and a ladder, and a small water canal with stone edges and activated by a hand pump. The project series contains landscape sketches, design development drawings, including a landscape concept plan, details, sections and elevations for play area and play structures, and building plans used as reference. The project is also documented through correspondence, including with clients, suppliers and consultants, concept notes by Oberlander, plant lists, financial material, research material, and photographs of the landscaping. Source: Herrington, Susan. Cornelia Hahn Oberlander: Making the Modern Landscape, University of Virginia Press, 2014, 304 pages.
1947-2006
Yorke-Forbes Residence, Vancouver, British Columbia (1999)
Actions:
AP075.S1.1999.PR05
Description:
Project series documents Cornelia Hahn Oberlander's landscape project for the garden of Linda Yorke and Gordon Forbes in Vancouver, British Columbia. Oberlander worked on this project in the second half of the 1990s. She worked with architect André Rowland who was in charge of designing an addition to the residence designed in the late 1940s by Ned Pratt from architectural firm Sharp, Thompson, Berwick and & Pratt. The project consisted in redesigning the entire yard and adding a play area for children. Oberlander included terraces next to the addition to the house, planting beds and planters. The play area included a tower house accessible by a rope bridge, a two levels playhouse with wooden porch, a slide, a fireman pole and a ladder, and a small water canal with stone edges and activated by a hand pump. The project series contains landscape sketches, design development drawings, including a landscape concept plan, details, sections and elevations for play area and play structures, and building plans used as reference. The project is also documented through correspondence, including with clients, suppliers and consultants, concept notes by Oberlander, plant lists, financial material, research material, and photographs of the landscaping. Source: Herrington, Susan. Cornelia Hahn Oberlander: Making the Modern Landscape, University of Virginia Press, 2014, 304 pages.
Project
1947-2006
textual records
ARCH153469
Description:
Bill from Bonnie Thayer, May 18 1973 Final Report to the NYS Council on the Arts, 1972-1973 Memo of Peter Wolf on New Project Finance Structure, 11 May 1973 Job applications of Louis Lister & Mary Turner, January 1973 PDE's letter to Suzanne Frank announcing her election to the position of Research Associate at the Institute Balance Sheet, April 30 1973 Proposal for Project Development to Manhattan Community Board, by Peter Wolf, 18 April 1973 PDE letter to Arthur Drexler concerning IAUS's debt to the MoMA surrounding LRHD Housing exhibition, December 18 1973
1973
Bill, report, memo, job applications, letter, balance sheet, proposal
Actions:
ARCH153469
Description:
Bill from Bonnie Thayer, May 18 1973 Final Report to the NYS Council on the Arts, 1972-1973 Memo of Peter Wolf on New Project Finance Structure, 11 May 1973 Job applications of Louis Lister & Mary Turner, January 1973 PDE's letter to Suzanne Frank announcing her election to the position of Research Associate at the Institute Balance Sheet, April 30 1973 Proposal for Project Development to Manhattan Community Board, by Peter Wolf, 18 April 1973 PDE letter to Arthur Drexler concerning IAUS's debt to the MoMA surrounding LRHD Housing exhibition, December 18 1973
textual records
1973
Project
AP046.S1.1983.PR02
Description:
This project documents Rose’s involvement with the design phase of the Old Port of Montreal Master Plan, Montréal, Québec and consists mainly of sketches, studies and presentation drawings for the redevelopment project with very few as built or architectural plans. The project materials reflect a Romantic design aesthetic and landscape development through numerous architectural design drawings for public amenities such as park benches, pedestrian walkways, various lighting sources, pavilions and fountains. This project also includes some of Rose’s submissions to the Faubourg Quebec development project which ran concurrent with the Old Port project. For the redevelopment of the Old Port of Montréal, Master Plan, Rose worked with the following firms: Cardinal Hardy e Associes, Chan Krieger & Associates, and Jodoin Lamarre Pratt. Rose was awarded a Progressive Architecture Urban Design Award (1992) and a Prix d’excellence for Urban Design from the Ordre des architectes du Québec (1993) for the realization of this urban project. The textual records in this project include budgets, correspondence, consultation documents, and intra office communiques as well as extensive research material on the history of the Old Port of Montreal including reproductions of historical photographs. The photographs in this project largely reflect the condition of the Old Port and Rue de la Commune prior to redevelopment and were used for reference and in presentation materials.
1983-1992
Old Port of Montreal Master Plan, Montréal, Québec
Actions:
AP046.S1.1983.PR02
Description:
This project documents Rose’s involvement with the design phase of the Old Port of Montreal Master Plan, Montréal, Québec and consists mainly of sketches, studies and presentation drawings for the redevelopment project with very few as built or architectural plans. The project materials reflect a Romantic design aesthetic and landscape development through numerous architectural design drawings for public amenities such as park benches, pedestrian walkways, various lighting sources, pavilions and fountains. This project also includes some of Rose’s submissions to the Faubourg Quebec development project which ran concurrent with the Old Port project. For the redevelopment of the Old Port of Montréal, Master Plan, Rose worked with the following firms: Cardinal Hardy e Associes, Chan Krieger & Associates, and Jodoin Lamarre Pratt. Rose was awarded a Progressive Architecture Urban Design Award (1992) and a Prix d’excellence for Urban Design from the Ordre des architectes du Québec (1993) for the realization of this urban project. The textual records in this project include budgets, correspondence, consultation documents, and intra office communiques as well as extensive research material on the history of the Old Port of Montreal including reproductions of historical photographs. The photographs in this project largely reflect the condition of the Old Port and Rue de la Commune prior to redevelopment and were used for reference and in presentation materials.
Project
1983-1992
Oscillating Spaces
Oscillating Spaces, curated by Anneke Abhelakh, explores the Rhône Glacier—undergoing fast melting and transformation processes—as a case study to reflect on environmental challenges in a constantly oscillating site. Juxtaposing glacier cartography, photography, film, ecclesiastical documents, tourist souvenirs, and architectural archives, the exhibition questions the(...)
Octagonal gallery
25 April 2025 to 1 February 2026
Oscillating Spaces
Actions:
Description:
Oscillating Spaces, curated by Anneke Abhelakh, explores the Rhône Glacier—undergoing fast melting and transformation processes—as a case study to reflect on environmental challenges in a constantly oscillating site. Juxtaposing glacier cartography, photography, film, ecclesiastical documents, tourist souvenirs, and architectural archives, the exhibition questions the(...)
Octagonal gallery
drawings
AP075.S3.SS2.089
Description:
Proof version of promotional panels of some of Cornelia Hahn Oberlander's project possibly for an exhibition. Shows proof version of panels about National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (1983-1990), Canadian Chancery, Washington D.C, United States (1983-1990), Museum of Anthropology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (1975-1977), C. K. Choi Institute of Asian Research, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (1993-1996), Library Square, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (1992-1995, and Landscape Master Plan, Smith College, Northampton, Maine, United States (1995-1997).
2003
Proofs for promotional panels of Cornelia Hahn Oberlander's projects
Actions:
AP075.S3.SS2.089
Description:
Proof version of promotional panels of some of Cornelia Hahn Oberlander's project possibly for an exhibition. Shows proof version of panels about National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (1983-1990), Canadian Chancery, Washington D.C, United States (1983-1990), Museum of Anthropology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (1975-1977), C. K. Choi Institute of Asian Research, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (1993-1996), Library Square, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (1992-1995, and Landscape Master Plan, Smith College, Northampton, Maine, United States (1995-1997).
drawings
2003
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
Project
Study of human settlements
AP149.S1.1986.PR01
Description:
This project series documents Minimum Cost Housing Group's human settlement study in developping countries, mainly in India and in China, in the 1970s and 1980s. The project led to three publications series "How the Other Half Builds" (Volume 1: Space (1984), Volume 2: Plots (1986) and Volume 3: The Self-Selection Process (1990)). A series of audio-visual training packages entitled "Human Settlements Training Packages" was also produced in relation with this study. They produced a total of six series comprised of slides and audio cassettes that provide new ideas for planning low-income housing and low-cost technologies. The production of these training packages is based on years of field work in China and in India, and research in collobaration with the Vastu-Shilpa Foundation in Ahmedabad, India. The material in this project series was produced between 1985 and 1993. The files contain a large collection of slides of the training packages, guides for the slide show presentations, and various textual records related to the production of the training packages. The project series also comprises correspondence with the Vastu-Shilpa Foundation and sketchbooks with study drawings of housing mainly in India, possibly by Vikram Bhatt. The file also includes textual records related to the production of the publications series "How the Other Half Builds", as well as proofs for the publications and the final version of the books.
1985-1993
Study of human settlements
Actions:
AP149.S1.1986.PR01
Description:
This project series documents Minimum Cost Housing Group's human settlement study in developping countries, mainly in India and in China, in the 1970s and 1980s. The project led to three publications series "How the Other Half Builds" (Volume 1: Space (1984), Volume 2: Plots (1986) and Volume 3: The Self-Selection Process (1990)). A series of audio-visual training packages entitled "Human Settlements Training Packages" was also produced in relation with this study. They produced a total of six series comprised of slides and audio cassettes that provide new ideas for planning low-income housing and low-cost technologies. The production of these training packages is based on years of field work in China and in India, and research in collobaration with the Vastu-Shilpa Foundation in Ahmedabad, India. The material in this project series was produced between 1985 and 1993. The files contain a large collection of slides of the training packages, guides for the slide show presentations, and various textual records related to the production of the training packages. The project series also comprises correspondence with the Vastu-Shilpa Foundation and sketchbooks with study drawings of housing mainly in India, possibly by Vikram Bhatt. The file also includes textual records related to the production of the publications series "How the Other Half Builds", as well as proofs for the publications and the final version of the books.
Project
1985-1993
Series
Exhibitions
AP207.S2
Description:
The series documents Pettena’s activities as a curator and exhibition designer from 1980 to 2004 and includes materials for most of the related publications. The material in this series relates to fifteen out of the over twenty-five exhibitions designed by Pettena, which were presented in various galleries in Italy. Pettena’s exhibitions include installations on contemporary architecture, such as an exhibition on avant-garde architects from London, exhibitions on Hans Hollein, on Richard Meier, on Ettore Sottsass and on Ettore Sottsass Jr. He also designed many exhibitions on architects of the Radical movement and the evolution of their work from the beginning of the movement to more recent years. The series also contains material for Pettena’s work on exhibitions on contemporary landscape architecture and the evolution of urban parks. Also included are a few documents related to exhibitions on Pettena’s work, either group exhibitions or solo ones, and curated by others. The series contains research materials, such as publications and reference photographs, correspondence related to exhibition planning and the accompanying publications, exhibition proposals, and some installation designs and concept development notes. The series also contains draft texts, and documents related to the image selection process for the exhibition catalogues. Finally, the series contains installation views, photographs of exhibition openings and some draft exhibition and publication texts for exhibitions on Pettena’s work but that were not curated by him.
circa 1980--2019
Exhibitions
Actions:
AP207.S2
Description:
The series documents Pettena’s activities as a curator and exhibition designer from 1980 to 2004 and includes materials for most of the related publications. The material in this series relates to fifteen out of the over twenty-five exhibitions designed by Pettena, which were presented in various galleries in Italy. Pettena’s exhibitions include installations on contemporary architecture, such as an exhibition on avant-garde architects from London, exhibitions on Hans Hollein, on Richard Meier, on Ettore Sottsass and on Ettore Sottsass Jr. He also designed many exhibitions on architects of the Radical movement and the evolution of their work from the beginning of the movement to more recent years. The series also contains material for Pettena’s work on exhibitions on contemporary landscape architecture and the evolution of urban parks. Also included are a few documents related to exhibitions on Pettena’s work, either group exhibitions or solo ones, and curated by others. The series contains research materials, such as publications and reference photographs, correspondence related to exhibition planning and the accompanying publications, exhibition proposals, and some installation designs and concept development notes. The series also contains draft texts, and documents related to the image selection process for the exhibition catalogues. Finally, the series contains installation views, photographs of exhibition openings and some draft exhibition and publication texts for exhibitions on Pettena’s work but that were not curated by him.
Series
circa 1980--2019
Project
AP075.S1.1994.PR01
Description:
Project series documents Cornelia Hahn Oberlander's project of a roof garden for the New Canadian Embassy at Leipziger Platz in Berlin, Germany. Oberlander worked on this project in from 1999-2005 with architectural firm Kuwabara, Payne, McKenna, Blumberg Architects. Oberlander's work for the project included a terrace at the Ambassador's Level (6th floor) with mounded evergreen white flowering groundcover azaleas, cascading roses hanging along the Leipzigerstrasse facade, and a green roof on top of the building. The concept of the landscaping of the green roof was to represente Canada's land of the north in an abstract form, simulating the river system of the MacKenzie River in the Northwest Territories, linking Alberta to the Arctic Ocean. She used black-glass panels to represente the water. The drainage for the green roof was also connected the drainage infrastructure of the building to recycle the water collected from the roof. The project series includes sketches and design development drawings for the green roof landscaping, planting details and irrigation details, presentation drawings from KPMB and drawings of the building used as reference. The project is also documented through research material, concept notes by Oberlander, correspondence, including with architects, consultants, contractors and clients, proposal, specifications, and press clippings about the project. The project series also includes sample of glass tiles used for the landscaping.
1994-2005
New Canadian Embassy in Berlin, Germany (1994-2005)
Actions:
AP075.S1.1994.PR01
Description:
Project series documents Cornelia Hahn Oberlander's project of a roof garden for the New Canadian Embassy at Leipziger Platz in Berlin, Germany. Oberlander worked on this project in from 1999-2005 with architectural firm Kuwabara, Payne, McKenna, Blumberg Architects. Oberlander's work for the project included a terrace at the Ambassador's Level (6th floor) with mounded evergreen white flowering groundcover azaleas, cascading roses hanging along the Leipzigerstrasse facade, and a green roof on top of the building. The concept of the landscaping of the green roof was to represente Canada's land of the north in an abstract form, simulating the river system of the MacKenzie River in the Northwest Territories, linking Alberta to the Arctic Ocean. She used black-glass panels to represente the water. The drainage for the green roof was also connected the drainage infrastructure of the building to recycle the water collected from the roof. The project series includes sketches and design development drawings for the green roof landscaping, planting details and irrigation details, presentation drawings from KPMB and drawings of the building used as reference. The project is also documented through research material, concept notes by Oberlander, correspondence, including with architects, consultants, contractors and clients, proposal, specifications, and press clippings about the project. The project series also includes sample of glass tiles used for the landscaping.
Project
1994-2005
Project
AP075.S1.1995.PR01
Description:
Project series documents Cornelia Hahn Oberlander's project for proposed improvements to the garden of the Rotman Residence on Forest Hill Road in Toronto, Ontario. Orberlander worked on this project in 1994. The Georgian style residence was originally design by architect John Lyle in 1924. As the residence was sited perpendicularly to the street, Oberlander's landscape concept was to create a series of garden from the street to the back of the property, which included terraces for entertaining at the front of the property, a rose garden and lawn for strolling. She also created a birch trees walk with ascending grass stairs. Oberlander was later commissioned in 1996-1997 to combine the existing garden with an extensionof the property after the acquisition of a lot next door by the owners of the residence. She extended the birch walk and created a oval-shaped lawn accessed through a wrought iron gate. The project series also contains material related to later restorations to the garden, including an alteration to the garden in 2013 to improve the view from the living room. The project series contains design development drawings, including landscape plans, planting plans, and grading plans, and also a landscape presentation drawing.The project is also documents through photographs of the landscaping, research material, correspondence with clients and contractors, concept notes by Oberlander, specifications, and meetings notes.
1994-2014
Rotman Residence, Toronto, Ontario (1995-1997)
Actions:
AP075.S1.1995.PR01
Description:
Project series documents Cornelia Hahn Oberlander's project for proposed improvements to the garden of the Rotman Residence on Forest Hill Road in Toronto, Ontario. Orberlander worked on this project in 1994. The Georgian style residence was originally design by architect John Lyle in 1924. As the residence was sited perpendicularly to the street, Oberlander's landscape concept was to create a series of garden from the street to the back of the property, which included terraces for entertaining at the front of the property, a rose garden and lawn for strolling. She also created a birch trees walk with ascending grass stairs. Oberlander was later commissioned in 1996-1997 to combine the existing garden with an extensionof the property after the acquisition of a lot next door by the owners of the residence. She extended the birch walk and created a oval-shaped lawn accessed through a wrought iron gate. The project series also contains material related to later restorations to the garden, including an alteration to the garden in 2013 to improve the view from the living room. The project series contains design development drawings, including landscape plans, planting plans, and grading plans, and also a landscape presentation drawing.The project is also documents through photographs of the landscaping, research material, correspondence with clients and contractors, concept notes by Oberlander, specifications, and meetings notes.
Project
1994-2014