Description of Historic Place

Located within the Québec Citadel National Historic Site of Canada, Building 8, also known as the Single Officer’s Barracks, Magazine and former Commissariat, extends from the wall of Mann’s Bastion into the Prince of Wales Bastion. It is a long, stone, rectangular, two-storey building with a ten-bay façade and a sheet metal hipped roof. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.

Heritage Value

Building 8 is a Classified Federal Heritage Building because of its historical associations and architectural and environmental values.

Historical Value
Building 8 is one of the best examples of a structure built during the British regime and is associated with the theme of the defence of Canada from the threat of American invasion. Its original construction, the subsequent economic benefits and the resulting influx of personnel had a significant impact on the city of Québec.

Architectural Value
Building 8 is a very good example of a specialized defensive military structure designed as a component within the walls of the Citadel. Its specialized features, solid construction techniques and its use of materials express its excellent functional design. It exhibits very good quality craftsmanship with solidly built interior spaces.

Environmental Value
As an integral component of the Citadel of Québec, the site of Building 8 has retained its original military character. Building 8 reinforces the present character of the coastal defence and military setting of the Citadel, it is well known to residents of the Citadel and together with the associated adjacent buildings, is a well-known local landmark.

Sources: Rhona Goodspeed, Québec Citadel, Québec, Québec. Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office Report 88-161; Ancienne Dépôt de vivres, (bâtiment no.8, Quartiers des officiers célibataires et Magasin, La Citadelle, Québec. Heritage Character Statement 88-161.

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of Building 8 should be respected.

Its functional military defence design and good quality materials and craftsmanship as evidenced in: the simple, squat, plain rectangular massing; the hipped roof covered with painted sheet metal and the plain masonry walls; the plain side elevations with semi-circular arches over the entrances; the fortified appearance of the rear elevation, with the two storeys separated by a cordon running the full length of the building, the first floor inclining inwards slightly as it rises, the second floor being vertical and set slightly back; the simple decorative details, as seen on the stone base, window sills and pediments over the doors; the series of ten bombproof barrel vaults over the second-storey.

The manner in which Building 8 and adjacent buildings reinforce the historic character of the fortress setting, and is a familiar regional landmark, as evidenced by: the design and form, which complement the location in the Québec Citadel National Historic Site of Canada; the structure’s visibility and ongoing relationship to nearby defence works.

Heritage Character Statement

Disclaimer - The heritage character statement was developed by FHBRO to explain the reasons for the designation of a federal heritage building and what it is about the building that makes it significant (the heritage character). It is a key reference document for anyone involved in planning interventions to federal heritage buildings and is used by FHBRO in their review of interventions.

The Former Commissariat was constructed in 1839. The building extends from the wall of Mann’s Bastion to the Prince of Wales Bastion. In 1985, it was converted to barracks. The rear wall was demolished and rebuilt, and the old loopholes on the ground floor were replaced with new windows. Within the interior, stairs were added and partitions were built to create a corridor. The Former Commissariat (Building No. 8) is today used as single officers’ quarters and stores. The building is part of the Citadel of Québec, a National Historic Site. It is owned by the Department of National Defence. See FHBRO Report 88-161.

Reasons for Designation

The former Commissariat has been designated “Classified” because of the importance of the historical theme with which it is associated, its fine design, the importance of its designer and its environmental value.

The building, which is an integral part of the walls of the Citadel, is directly associated with the defence of North America between 1839 and 1857, a period marked by the threat of a U.S. invasion. More specifically, it is associated with the first phase of improvements to the fortress (1839-1842) resulting from the tension created by the 1837 Rebellions. Building No. 8 accentuates the military character of the Citadel, which last century had a major impact on the civilian administration of Québec and also on local development.

The design of the Former Commissariat was ingenious. Because the building had to serve as a curtain, its back wall was pierced with loopholes that made it possible to defend the fortress against attackers scaling the cliff. In addition to serving that defensive purpose, the Commissariat housed the department responsible for furnishing provisions to the military personnel at the Citadel. The interior was compartmentalized and vaulted throughout to make it more bomb-proof. The building’s designer, Lieutenant-Colonel John Oldfield, is credited with the construction of several other buildings in the fortress.

The Former Commissariat is a landmark building in the Prince of Wales Bastion. It strengthens the historical and military character of the bastion. Building No. 8, the Administration building of the Royal 22e Régiment and the Men’s and Women’s Quarters, which are similar in terms of scale, style and materials, together form an architectural grouping of great interest.

Character Defining Elements

The heritage character of the Former Commissariat resides in its architectural design, the choice of building materials and techniques, and the strategic location of the building.

The Former Commissariat is a long, rectangular, two-storey masonry building. It has a hip roof supported on wooden trusses and covered with painted sheet metal with batten seams. The facade has ten similar bays. On the ground floor, each bay has a door framed by two windows; on the upper floor, each bay has three similar windows that bring light into the vaulted interior spaces. The small stone corbels under the eaves were originally intended to support a gutter that has now disappeared. In contrast with the other elevations, the rear wall, which overlooks the cliff, looks like a fortified structure. A string course that runs the length of the building divides the two storeys. The lower part of the wall is slightly inclined, while the upper storey wall is set back slightly and rises vertically. Windows have replaced the old loopholes on the upper storey.

Because of its regular design and the small number of decorative elements, the building is faithful to the British military building tradition. It is recommended that the current composition not be altered and that the defensive character of the rear wall be preserved. An ongoing masonry maintenance program should be put in place, and new mortar joints and replacement stones should be chosen so as to blend in seamlessly with the texture of the existing walls. To preserve the masonry, it is recommended that all metal elements be protected from corrosion and that the gutters be checked periodically to make sure they are in good working order.

Ornamentation that is inconsistent with the simplicity of the original design should not be added. The two small pediments, added later to protect the entrances, are a decorative touch that detracts slightly from the military context; they could be replaced with more neutral elements. It is important to preserve the stone corbels as significant elements of the original design. The original shutters and storm doors have disappeared, but some hinges, supports and pegs are still visible; these iron elements set into the stone should be preserved as testimony to the past. The old type of doors, windows and gutters could eventually be restored (in terms of material and style), in order to respect the historical consistency of the materials. The installation of interior lighting and air conditioning units should not undermine the historical texture; it is recommended that a style compatible with the that of the building be chosen.

Originally, there was one room behind each exterior bay. Despite the addition of new partitions, the creation of a corridor on the upper storey and the installation of new stairs, the compartmentalization of the spaces, the thick walls and the vaulted ceilings are still visible. It is recommended that these formal characteristics that define the heritage character of the building be preserved.

The architectural design of the Former Commissariat is closely associated with the building’s defensive role and its strategic position between Mann’s Bastion and the Prince of Wales Bastion. It is therefore important to respect the integrity of the site and avoid constructing new buildings or additions that would make the area even more congested than it already is.