Capital Modern is dedicated to celebrating and preserving the modern architectural heritage of Canada’s capital region, Ottawa-Gatineau. Founded in 2012 by Chris Warden, Partner at TRACE architectures Inc, Capital Modern is both a blog and source of information for regional Modern architecture. Website visitors can explore a continuously updated database of Modern places (buildings, structures and landmarks), including information, photographs, and resources.

The website’s newest feature is a list of virtual tours, available for a self-led discovery of Ottawa’s Modern architecture.?

Whether you’re an architecture enthusiast, a historian, or simply interested in the cultural heritage of the nation’s capital, Capital Modern is your go-to database of Ottawa’s Modern architectural legacy, with info ranging from historical context, design principles, and the lasting impact of modern design on the city’s skyline.

TRACE and Capital Modern have worked extensively on providing new building entries, in collaboration with Watson MacEwen Teramura Architects (WMTA), to include buildings from the Ottawa Architecture 150 initiative. Entries will be added on an ongoing basis with credit where content has been provided by collaborators.

Check out the CapMod website regularly to view the database progress, or follow along on our Instagram @capitalmodern.

In-Person Tour @ National Trust for Canada Conference?

This year, as part of the National Trust for Canada’s annual conference, Capital Modern will be hosting a bus tour of Ottawa’s Suburban Modern. The tour will take participants through some of Ottawa’s suburban landscapes, offering a unique perspective on the city’s lesser-known architectural heritage. Participants will explore three suburban neighbourhoods and visit iconic structures that embody the innovative spirit and design principles of the Modern movement.

The tour schedule includes Ottawa’s west end; exploring places such as the federal complex Tunney’s Pasture, and the First Unitarian Church (completed in 1967 and designed by architect James B. Craig). The tour will then head southeast along Woodroffe Avenue, Baseline Road, Hog’s Back Park (for a stop), the federal Confederation Heights complex with its exceptional Edward Drake Building (former CBC headquarters). The tour will conclude in the south-end neighbourhood of Alta Vista with its remarkable Federal Study Centre complex (now being repurposed by Canada Lands Company), driving by local icons such as St. Timothy’s Presbyterian Church, and various Canadian architect-designed houses. 

Can’t make the National Trust Conference’s Modern Suburbia tour? Follow along virtually at capitalmodern.ca and discover our self-led virtual tours list! Tours include:

·        Virtual Tour of Suburban Ottawa

·        Virtual Tour of Downtown West

·        Virtual Tour of Downtown East