After nearly two decades of vacancy, the West Memorial Building in Ottawa has been rehabilitated and transformed into the temporary home of the Supreme Court of Canada. Following the renovation of the existing Supreme Court of Canada Building, the West Memorial Building will transition into a long-term workplace for federal employees.
Originally built between 1954 to 1958, the seven-storey federal heritage building was built alongside the East Memorial Building and linked by the Memorial Colonnade. The complex was constructed to honour Canadian veterans who served their country in war. Together, these structures are part of Ottawa’s Judicial Precinct and located along Wellington Street, occupying an entire city block and marking the entry to Ottawa’s urban downtown core.
Unoccupied since 2008 due to poor condition, the West Memorial Building required a complete rehabilitation to meet contemporary standards while preserving its cultural significance. Regenerate 344 - Moriyama Teshima Architects + Kasian Architecture in Joint Venture were selected to lead the modernization of the building that could both function as a judicial facility and a future government office. The design considered accessibility to ensure all Canadians can participate in the justice system; sustainability and seismic resilience to protect the building’s future; and heritage conservation to retain existing features of the historic character.
Guided by these priorities, the project reimagined the building’s two existing lightwells as major interior spaces, now covered with new high-performance skylights. In one, a Grand Hall creates an accessible multi-purpose hosting space and public arrival sequence. The bronze-clad spiral staircase gently curves to arrive at the entrance of the Supreme Court, providing panoramic views on the climb up. A dramatic acoustic chandelier hangs above to display an interplay of light and sound, inspired by the aurora borealis, a symbol of Canada’s northern identity.
The second lightwell was converted into courtrooms for the Federal and Supreme Courts. The Supreme Court is framed by nine angled wooden arches to echo the nine justices. Natural light from the skylight above filters between these arches, animating the interior with a warm light.
On the exterior, the comprehensive rehabilitation encompassed a full-scale masonry restoration and building envelope improvements, including the replacement of a new copper roof, the repointing of the existing limestone envelope, interior seismic bracing and the addition of new interior thermal windows as well as the restoration of all existing heritage windows. From a sustainable design perspective, the project worked to increase the building’s energy performance and environmental stewardship, achieving 4 Green Globes for design.
The design subtly inserts the new interventions while addressing the complex programmatic needs of the Supreme Court and the necessity of future reversibility. A new Lyon Street secure public entrance and plaza were introduced to improve accessibility and pedestrian flows and were developed through coordinated reviews with the National Capital Commission (NCC) and Federal Heritage Review Office (FHRO). New benches and planters were introduced along Wellington and Sparks Street to improve the public realm.
The rehabilitation of the West Memorial Building demonstrates how a significant federal heritage building can be renewed to meet contemporary standards while retaining its heritage character and introducing a new major function.
The insertion of new public, ceremonial and judicial spaces has given the building functions and experiences that did not previously exist, allowing it to serve the complex requirements of the Supreme Court of Canada today while supporting its future transition to a long-term federal workplace.
By providing comprehensive upgrades to its structure, envelope, building systems, accessibility, security and environmental performance, the West Memorial Building will ensure it can continue to serve future generations while preserving an important part of the National Capital Region’s civic and architectural heritage.
