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Constructing the BC Legislature: The Library
By joel on Jan 5, 2009 | In History, Images
This is a continuation of my series on the construction of the British Columbia Legislature, right here in James Bay. If you are interested and would like to read more, you will find links to the previous installments at the end of this post.
I thought I would ease back into blogging after the holidays with an exploration of what I think are some of the more interesting features of the British Columbia Legislature's structure and design. And I thought I would start with the library, not just because I walk by it every day, but because it's full of decorative flourishes and stands as a noteworthy example of late nineteenth and early twentieth century public arcitecture.
Constructing the BC Legislature: Rats has his way
By joel on Dec 15, 2008 | In History
This is a continuation of my series on the construction of the British Columbia Legislature, right here in James Bay. If you are interested and would like to read more, you will find links to the previous installments at the end of this post.
By 1893 Architect Francis Mawson Rattenbury had work on the legislature's foundation well underway and was polishing up the plans for the second phase, when he suddenly entered a competition on a $1,000,000 contract to design the new capital building in Washington State. Controversy erupted immediately. What if Rattenbury won the contract? How could such a young and inexperienced architect manage two such large contracts without neglecting either one or the other. But then what if he didn't win? Wouldn't that reflect poorly on Rattenbury and the BC Legislature: The work of a second rate architect on a second rate public building?
Constructing the BC Legislature: The Architect
By joel on Nov 17, 2008 | In History
Francis Mawson Rattenbury, the architect who built British Columbia's provincial legislature, has become an integral part of the story that Victoria tells about itself. Not even considering the influence he has had on the appearence of our city, perhaps no other person has provided nearly so much material for the pedi-cab drivers, tour bus drivers, horse carriage operators, and others who make their living interpreting Victoria's history for visitors. Where would our precious tourism industry be without Mr. Rattenbury?
