Architectural Modernism in Victoria

Be sure to see Centennial Square and the Gordon Head Campus: Seminal Projects (1962-1972), on display until May 2, 2011 at the University of Victoria’s McPherson Library. This exhibition is part of The Emergence of Architectural Modernism in Victoria, a series meant to revisit the projects and personalities that shaped the development of a regional modernist aesthetic in post-war Victoria spanning 1939 to present day. Two major 1960s projects that helped transform the city’s urban landscape were the creation of Centennial Square and the expansion of Victoria College to include the Gordon Head Campus. With their forward-thinking design, these projects provided impetus for change and further articulated a West Coast version of modernism. Borrowing from the University of Victoria archives, local archives and private collections, this exhibition explores both the professional and urban design relationships connecting these two projects. It features watercolour renderings, drawings of the projected plans and buildings, and a number of rarely seen architectural scale modes and contemporary photographs. Admission to this exhibit is free. For more information, please visit our website at www.uvac.uvic.ca.