Wednesday, June 28, 2017

A Library In The Bank

This is a regular location for Doors Open, located on Sparks Street, a block south of Parliament Hill, which features prominently in its current use. Built as the main Ottawa branch of the Bank of Nova Scotia in the Beaux-Arts style, it dates to 1924. The building is now one of the annex spaces for the Library Of Parliament, which has turned the interior into an archive, blending older architecture with new infrastructure. It's usually only accessible to Parliamentary staffers, so Doors Open is ideal to have a peek inside.


The visitor first comes into what was the manager's office, and is now a conference room. Period photos of the bank were placed on the table.


Within the interior space, we see the floors of newer infrastructure that house documents on both sides around the open area below. All of that is designed in such a way that it doesn't interfere with the building itself. Staffers were on hand to answer questions about what's done here most of the time.


This staircase leads down to what is today a staff lunch room, but which was, back in the day, the bank's vault. Tomorrow I'll show you a building a short walk away that was once a bank, but is also now converted for government use.

31 comments:

  1. I think I remember a previous visit here. It really is nice to see its new purpose. And I like your new header!

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  2. Beautiful architecture! I love all those details.

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  3. I like the mix of modern and older style and design of the building both exterior and interior. Have a beautiful day!

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  4. It's so interesting to have a look around in places where you normally don't have access to.

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  5. ...blending new with the old!

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  6. Your new header is miraculous !

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  7. love the firecracker painting shot, neat-O!! love the decor/design there. ( :

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  8. @Sussi: I think so!

    @Kay: yes, I have featured this spot before.

    @Halcyon: I do too.

    @Nancy: thank you!

    @Marleen: I agree!

    @Francisco: thanks!

    @Tom: and done well.

    @Orvokki: thanks!

    @Beth: thank you.

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  9. Looks like a fabulous building - stylish. Like your header photo, though the onlookers don't seem too impressed by the dancers..!

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  10. I really like that second one!

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  11. Love the new header and seeing inside the building.

    Janis
    GDP

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  12. Enjoy going about with you William

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  13. I might be biased but I like the old building with a much more permanent quality. they were also uilt with more style.

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  14. I'd enjoy seeing this. I wish they did an open door type of event here!

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  15. @Mike: with that view, a lot was to offer for distractions!

    @Norma: so do I.

    @Janis: thanks!

    @Cloudia: thank you!

    @Linda: it certainly is.

    @Red: they really don't build banks like this anymore.

    @Sharon: I encourage people to tell their local governments about the idea. It works very well in Ontario, where you've got everything from the big cities to small towns doing it.

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  16. It's a very nice looking building!

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  17. I love it. A wonderful transformation. But even more wonderful is your beautiful new header! Zowza!

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  18. So is the lunch room called The Vault? :-)

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  19. They sure knew how to build a bank in those days!

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  20. They don't build them like that anyone. It's beautiful.

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  21. @Tamago: I agree!

    @Lowell: thanks!

    @Revrunner: that'd be fitting! :)

    @RedPat: they did indeed.

    @Bill: it really is.

    @Klara: they do.

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  22. That is a lot of documents. Do they use computers to track the location? I'm assuming they would need to do so.

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  23. Libraries can be so different! We visited the QUBS library, in the forest. Large or small, they need to be preserved!

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  24. Firstly, I love your header. Libraries are a big attraction for me.

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  25. Wonderful space William, how fab to be able to get in and have a look around. Love that it's now used as a library, even if they are stuffy parliamentary books 😀

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  26. A very impressive building and the scale of it too!
    Amazing.

    All the best Jan

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  27. @Mari: I do think a lot of the archives at all of the satellite sites would be computerized.

    @Jennifer: it's the same among city libraries here. Some are larger than others.

    @Jackie: thank you!

    @Grace: it must be quite a place to work in.

    @Jan: thanks!

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