This path was created by Jaclyn Legge. The last update was by Maegen Sargent.
The Water Court
Introduction
The Water Court, now formally known as the Michael and Sonja Koerner Family Atrium, is one of three courtyard spaces featured in the National Gallery of Canada. The three courtyards – the Water Court, the Garden Court, and the Rideau Chapel – are nestled side-by-side on the first level of the National Gallery exhibits.
Visitors to the National Gallery can only access the courtyards by weaving their way through the gallery. Though each space contributes something unique to the Gallery experience, all are carefully crafted to serve as “calming and restful places to pause and reflect” (National Gallery of Canada [NGC], "Building"). The Water Court, touted as the “perfect place to contemplate art in the round” (NGC, "Building"), is designed to be an integral component of a trip to the art gallery. Entering the Water Court may mean taking a break from the exhibits physically and mentally, but it is not meant to be a neutral or palette-cleansing space. Rather, the Water Court's design lends itself to the slow contemplation of art with body and mind and encourages visitors to be swept up in the transformative experience of viewing art.
Designed by Moshe Safdie, the Water Court stands out in the gallery space as a work of art in itself. Smooth, beige-grey tiles run along both the floors and up along the high walls; the four long benches lining the sides of the glass-bottomed pool are made from this material as well, creating a sense of uniformity in the architecture. The shallow pool in the centre, littered with coins and wishes, emanates a calm, constant ripple of water. The entrances and windows are near-symmetrical and instill a sense of order. Currently, two art installations line either side of the Water Court. One side, with oceanic green-blue walls which match the water of the glass-bottomed pool, has a quote by Albert Lalibert on the wall which reads: “Beauty is indispensable to all human life. That’s why we must sow it all along our path.”
This is the driving force behind the presence of the Water Court, and the other courtyards, in Moshe Safdie’s design of the National Gallery.
