This page was created by Teddy Maslenkova. The last update was by Lauren Maloney.
Town Hall Architecture in Ontario (Typology)
The Richardsonian Romanesque style of architecture began with Henry Hobson Richardson while on a “search for an American Style” of architecture. (page 438, Fazio, Moffett, Wodehouse)
Richardson, born in the United States, attended the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in 1860 and then worked in Paris until 1865, before returning to the United States, moving from New York to Boston. (page 438, Fazio, Moffett, Wodehouse) His take on the Romanesque style, which originated sometime in the 11th century, (page 184, Cole) was described as “an intelligent and personal interpretation of the Romanesque.” (page 438, Fazio, Moffett, Wodehouse) Some of the key feature of this style include rusticated masonry, semi-circular arches on both windows and doorways, dormer windows, and round towers. Richardson also included “intricate detailing” (page 239, MacRae) through his works.
The Richardsonian Romanesque style was used throughout the United States in both public and private buildings, making it a popular and known style during its time. Its popularity led it to become a style desirable in Canadian public buildings shortly after. Some examples of this style within Canada, specifically Ontario, can be seen in major cities like Toronto, with a building like the Legislative Assembly in Queen’s Park, as well as some smaller towns, such as Carleton Place and St. Marys, both building their town halls in the upcoming and new style.
The Torontonian example was the “first major public edifice in Ontario in the Richardsonian Romanesque” (page 239, MacRae) and featured a “fashionable red sandstone” done “by Richard Waite of Buffalo” in 1886. (page 239, MacRae)
The town hall added to St. Marys skyline, is described as a “pearly grey Romanesque building in rock-faced stone, with red sandstone dressings, checkerboard panels of red and grey on the façade, and a tall corner bell tower.” (page 244, MacRae)
The Carleton Place Town Hall, divided into three well-blended storeys, contains several of the Richardsonian Romanesque style features. Starting on the ground floor one can see a large arched entryway on Bridge St. leading into the main foyer of the building. The arch is made of the same stone as the rest of the building and features three layers with the corners of finely detailed pilasters on either side at each layer. The tops of each pilaster are decorated with an abstract foliage style which blends in with the natural landscape surrounding the building. To the side of the main entrance there is a set of semi-circular windows which is seen around the entirety of the first floor.
The second story, which uses the same rusticated stone technic, features rectangular windows that have a pair of centre-pointed arches that again go around the length of the building. Just above the windows is a line of beltcourse detailing that then leads to the dormer windows seen along the chateauesque roof line. Other features of the space include the rounded tower along the river, and the tall rectangular bell tower located on the opposite side of the building.
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