744
edits
Galbraith Building: Difference between revisions
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Revert vandalism
No edit summary |
(Revert vandalism) |
||
| Line 17: | Line 17: | ||
|office6 = Mark Huggins Structures Lab | |office6 = Mark Huggins Structures Lab | ||
}} | }} | ||
The '''Galbraith Building''', named for [[John Galbraith]] (the first [[Dean of Engineering]]) and located on 35 St. George Street, was completed in 1960 as the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering experienced a period of rapid expansion from the late 1940s to 1950s. It was constructed at a cost of $7 million, and was designed by Page and Steele architects (who later redesigned the interior of the [[Sandford Fleming Building]] after it was destroyed by a fire). It currently houses many of the Faculty's main operations, including the Registrar's Office, the First Year Office, and the Civil Engineering Department. | The '''Galbraith Building''', named for [[John Galbraith]] (the first [[Dean of Engineering]]) and located on 35 St. George Street, was completed in 1960 as the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering experienced a period of rapid expansion from the late 1940s to 1950s. It was constructed at a cost of $7 million, and was designed by Page and Steele architects (who later redesigned the interior of the [[Sandford Fleming Building]] after it was destroyed by a fire). It currently houses many of the Faculty's main operations, including the Registrar's Office, the First Year Office, and the Civil Engineering Department. | ||
==Departments and Offices== | ==Departments and Offices== | ||
* Office of the Registrar (GB157) | * Office of the Registrar (GB157) | ||
* Admissions Office (GB153) | * Admissions Office (GB153) | ||
| Line 63: | Line 28: | ||
* [[Department of Civil Engineering]] (GB105) | * [[Department of Civil Engineering]] (GB105) | ||
* [[Michael E. Charles]] Faculty Council Chamber (GB202) | * [[Michael E. Charles]] Faculty Council Chamber (GB202) | ||
==Notable Laboratories== | ==Notable Laboratories== | ||
* [[Mark Huggins Structures Laboratory]] | * [[Mark Huggins Structures Laboratory]] | ||
==History== | ==History== | ||
[[File:Galbraith Building - Concept Art 1960.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Architects' concept art of Galbraith Building, c. 1959-60]] | [[File:Galbraith Building - Concept Art 1960.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Architects' concept art of Galbraith Building, c. 1959-60]] | ||
The Galbraith Building was constructed as part of the University of Toronto's expansion program in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The university underwent an unprecedented growth during this period, which also saw the construction of the Margaret Addison Residence, the Dental Building, Loretto College, Benson Building, Sidney Smith Hall, Edward Johnson Building, and the Victoria College Library, among others. | The Galbraith Building was constructed as part of the University of Toronto's expansion program in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The university underwent an unprecedented growth during this period, which also saw the construction of the Margaret Addison Residence, the Dental Building, Loretto College, Benson Building, Sidney Smith Hall, Edward Johnson Building, and the Victoria College Library, among others. | ||
It was evident to the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering for many years that a new building would be required to accommodate the growing number of students and Faculty members. As early as 1910, the Dean had appealed for new space and the replacement of the old Engineering Building ("[[The Little Red Skulehouse]]" as it came to be known). However, construction of a new dedicated building for engineering would be stalled by surrounding developments as well as the two World Wars. | It was evident to the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering for many years that a new building would be required to accommodate the growing number of students and Faculty members. As early as 1910, the Dean had appealed for new space and the replacement of the old Engineering Building ("[[The Little Red Skulehouse]]" as it came to be known). However, construction of a new dedicated building for engineering would be stalled by surrounding developments as well as the two World Wars. | ||
It was not until the late 1950s that a new building was approved by the Board of Governors, on a budget of about $7 million.<ref>University of Toronto Engineering Society, Skule Handbook, 1959-1960</ref> In the meantime, the Department of Civil Engineering had grown too large for the original Engineering Building, and was forced to share space with the Department of Electrical Engineering in the Electrical Building (now the [[Rosebrugh Building]]), which has been described as "prison-like" by Faculty of the time. At this time, several developments were expected to change the face of the | It was not until the late 1950s that a new building was approved by the Board of Governors, on a budget of about $7 million.<ref>University of Toronto Engineering Society, Skule Handbook, 1959-1960</ref> In the meantime, the Department of Civil Engineering had grown too large for the original Engineering Building, and was forced to share space with the Department of Electrical Engineering in the Electrical Building (now the [[Rosebrugh Building]]), which has been described as "prison-like" by Faculty of the time. At this time, several developments were expected to change the face of the Skule™ campus, including the planned demolition of the old "[[Skulehouse]]" within the decade, and the construction of a new physics building which would free up the [[Sandford Fleming Building]] (then known as the old Physics Building) for engineering. Indeed, the new Galbraith building was to be connected to the western end of the old Physics Building and function as one interconnected structure. | ||
To facilitate the construction of the Galbraith Building, the old Forestry Building (now known as the Physical Geography Building) was physically moved 200 feet north from its location just north of the Wallberg Building to its current location just west of Convocation Hall. It was lifted from its foundations by a series of jacks, and moved with steel rollers on a set of rails by manual labour at a rate of several inches per day. | To facilitate the construction of the Galbraith Building, the old Forestry Building (now known as the Physical Geography Building) was physically moved 200 feet north from its location just north of the Wallberg Building to its current location just west of Convocation Hall. It was lifted from its foundations by a series of jacks, and moved with steel rollers on a set of rails by manual labour at a rate of several inches per day. | ||
| Line 91: | Line 53: | ||
To mark the occasion of the opening of the Building, a special convocation was held on the preceding evening, at which the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws was conferred on William Percy Dobson, Henri Gaudefroy, Paul Gray Hoffman, John Hamilton Parkin and John Bertram Stirling. Dr. Hoffman gave the address to Convocation. As part of the opening day ceremonies, three scientific lectures were given by distinguished engineers.<ref name="Opening">University of Toronto. ''Galbraith Building: Opening Ceremonies''. [http://www.utpress.utoronto.ca/ University of Toronto Press], 1961. </ref> | To mark the occasion of the opening of the Building, a special convocation was held on the preceding evening, at which the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws was conferred on William Percy Dobson, Henri Gaudefroy, Paul Gray Hoffman, John Hamilton Parkin and John Bertram Stirling. Dr. Hoffman gave the address to Convocation. As part of the opening day ceremonies, three scientific lectures were given by distinguished engineers.<ref name="Opening">University of Toronto. ''Galbraith Building: Opening Ceremonies''. [http://www.utpress.utoronto.ca/ University of Toronto Press], 1961. </ref> | ||
=== Dean McLaughlin's Speech at the Opening Ceremonies === | |||
===Dean McLaughlin's Speech at the Opening Ceremonies=== | |||
Dean [[R.R. McLaughlin]]'s speech of March 1961 at the opening ceremonies provides insight into the plans and hopes of the Faculty at that time:<ref name="Opening"/> | Dean [[R.R. McLaughlin]]'s speech of March 1961 at the opening ceremonies provides insight into the plans and hopes of the Faculty at that time:<ref name="Opening"/> | ||
<blockquote> | |||
It is almost forty years since any additional accommodation | |||
has been made available to Civil and Electrical Engineering, | has been made available to Civil and Electrical Engineering, | ||
and Aeronautical Engineering has entered as a newcomer | and Aeronautical Engineering has entered as a newcomer | ||
| Line 115: | Line 75: | ||
their own engineering operations within it. | their own engineering operations within it. | ||
Tribute should be paid to the architects, Messrs. Page & | |||
Steele, to the contractors, The Foundation Company, and to | Steele, to the contractors, The Foundation Company, and to | ||
the Superintendent, Mr. Hastie, and his staff for having so | the Superintendent, Mr. Hastie, and his staff for having so | ||
| Line 123: | Line 83: | ||
functional and at the same time eye-pleasing building. | functional and at the same time eye-pleasing building. | ||
As an arresting overstatement it has been said that much | |||
early and fundamental research was accomplished with little | early and fundamental research was accomplished with little | ||
more than some sealing wax and a bit of string. Those days | more than some sealing wax and a bit of string. Those days | ||
| Line 140: | Line 100: | ||
the purpose for which they have been provided. | the purpose for which they have been provided. | ||
I do not intend to indulge in any statistics--the statistics | |||
are all about you, and I hope you will examine the building | are all about you, and I hope you will examine the building | ||
as much as you wish. It is not yet in full use as it was completed | as much as you wish. It is not yet in full use as it was completed | ||
| Line 148: | Line 108: | ||
like. We are proud of our new home, and thank you for | like. We are proud of our new home, and thank you for | ||
joining us in our house-warming. | joining us in our house-warming. | ||
</blockquote> | |||
[[Image:Galbraith_building_1962.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Galbraith Building in 1962]] | |||
==Structure and Architecture== | |||
The Galbraith Building, much like many buildings at the University constructed in the mid-twentieth century, is said to be designed in the spare [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Style_(architecture) International Style] with its clean geometric lines and exposed concrete structural elements. It is a kind of "square donut" built around a courtyard (known to most students as the "GB Quad"). The main architectural features consist of regular concrete columns and beams forming bays filled by dark and light-brown brick. On the north side, the columns are clad with limestone.<ref>L.W. Richards, ''The Campus Guide: University of Toronto'' (Princeton Architectural Press, 2009).</ref> | |||
===Becca's H=== | |||
The steel sculpture at the front of the building on the West side is known as ''Becca's H'', donated to the Faculty in 1973 and designed by [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Murray_(artist) Robert Gray Murray], a Canadian sculptor known for his abstract designs. The minimalist red sculpture is so named because it is shaped like the letter "H" and is dedicated to the artist's daughter, Rebecca.<ref>https://thevarsity.ca/2014/10/20/hiding-in-plain-sight/</ref> The plaque in front of the sculpture reads: "Presented by grateful alumni and friends to commemorate the centennial of the founding of the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering University of Toronto 1873-1973." | |||
==References== | |||
<references/> | <references/> | ||
[[Category:Buildings]] | [[Category:Buildings]] | ||