One evening last week we stepped into the Student Union Building on the Dalhousie University Campus. Sheila and I were between meetings and had a couple of minutes to sample the recent, major renovations designed by Lydon Lynch Architects. The most obvious change was a new, double height, space that faces LeMarchant Street. It smelled…Read More

A delightful little architecture tale we enjoy telling in Halifax is that Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent, had a fondness for round buildings and left us four examples. The Prince was Commander in Chief of British forces in North America, and based in Halifax at the very end of the 18th century. His enduring claim to fame is…Read More

Recently I wrote about my visit to Saint John, New Brunswick in 1976.  I wandered the streets feeling surprise and delight, discovering the wealth of Victorian architecture constructed in the years after the Great Fire of 1877.  A particular fascination of mine was decorative cast iron and this post will show examples that caught my attention. Hope they attract your…Read More

When I grew up in Halifax in the 1950s and 60s we were led to believe that Saint John, New Brunswick was a dark and dreary place that could suck the joy out of you like a Harry Potter dementor. When I finally visited our sister city for a couple of days, in the fall of 1976,…Read More

Let me introduce you to a grand Halifax building that you never met. It came to mind when I saw this recent tweet from New Brunswick architectural historian Johnny Leroux. We hate being one upped by Saint John, but don't worry. Halifax had a great Customs House, on our own Water Street, and we demolished it…Read More

New Year's is traditionally a time of taking stock and often that includes trying to simplify your life (usually translated as "get rid of stuff'). I support minimalism but also enjoy being surrounded by pockets of visual richness. It occurred to me that one solution might be to just have small stuff that didn't take up much…Read More