In The Works: Ottawa Independent School
Silence, stillness, solidity, and intimacy – the qualities that define the places that are inviting and encourage lingering.
Interior render of Ottawa independent school, dining hall
There exist qualities of space that create a deeper connection to the human body, for example, the tonalities of light and shadow falling on a surface, the materials used and their surface depth, sheen, and reflectivity, the ambient sound of a room. These qualities incentivize one to listen beyond and within their body, adding a sensation of stillness and intimacy to the experience of architecture.
Exterior render of Ottawa independent school
Silence, in terms of enriched environments, is not the absence of sound rather the sensory experience of space that allows one to gain awareness of your own body. This principle takes shape in the design for the dining hall at an independent school in Ottawa. The dining hall’s timber ceiling is supported by large, thick, L-shaped laminated timber columns and beams, with a gently curved piece of timber linking the two components.
The space thus evokes memories of ancient archaeological sites such as Stonehenge – pure unadorned places now defined only by the structures that have survived for centuries. In this way, the large volume of the dining hall becomes an intimate gathering place that communicates silence, stillness, and solidity.