This page was created by Keagan Fowler. The last update was by AVRC.
The Waterworks: Ornament
Taking a close look at the exterior of the Carleton Place Waterworks, one notices the influence of classical architecture. Composed of two simple rectangular shapes, the Waterworks building has a symmetrical main façade, and large rectangular windows frame the centre door, all of which are separated by engaged columns that reach from the bottom of the windows to the architrave. The columns and windows are raised off the ground slightly, and an architrave and cornice wrap around the top of the building. A sign above the door reads, ‘Carleton Place Waterworks 1914.’ These components wrap around the entirety of the structure, providing an ornamental and classically inspired exterior to a utility building. As demonstrated in other 19th and 20th century Canadian civic buildings, the classical style holds symbolic meaning, and the Waterworks building is no exception. To explore this idea, we will now examine how structures such as the Waterworks are understood in its classical form.
