Confederation Building

Ottawa, Canada, Canada

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The Confederation Building in Ottawa, Canada, was constructed between 1927 and 1932 as part of the expansion of the federal government precinct west of Parliament Hill.

Designed by the Chief Architect's Branch of the Department of Public Works with contributions from architects R.C. Wright, David Ewart, and Thomas Adams, it features a distinctive V-shaped layout in the Château-style, characterized by steep copper roofs, dormer windows, turrets, finials, and elaborate stone carvings.

The building's exterior showcases rusticated and random coursed stonework alongside rich patriotic symbolism including provincial coats of arms and carvings representing Canadian occupations, youth, wildlife, and native peoples. While the exterior remains mostly unchanged from its original 1932 appearance, the interior was refurbished in the 1970s to accommodate government ministers and parliament members.

The Confederation Building plays a key architectural and symbolic role in defining the character of Ottawa’s federal precinct and is designated as a Classified Federal Heritage Building due to its historical, architectural, and cultural significance .