Description of Historic Place

Building 56, also known as Junior Quarters, is a three-storey barrack block located at Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Trenton, and is part of a group of four identical barrack blocks. Its Modern, Art Deco design is exhibited in its flat roof, flat planes, evenly spaced windows, clean lines, and painted white stucco finishes. The building is composed of a central pavilion block with four attached rectangular pavilion wings at each corner and with lightwells between the wings. Generous balconies are located over the principal entrance and pavilion ends. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.

Heritage Value

Building 56 is a Recognized Federal Heritage Building because of its historical associations, and its architectural and environmental values.

Historical Value
Building 56 is associated with the development of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) as an independent wing of the Canadian military. It is also associated with Canadian military air training, including the World War II British Commonwealth Air Training Program centered at Trenton, and more recently with international military, peacekeeping and humanitarian missions. Building 56, as part of Canadian Forces Base Trenton, is strongly associated with the post-1930s economic and social development of Trenton.

Architectural Value
Building 56 is valued for its good aesthetic design. It was designed as a barrack block and is a good example of the Modern, Art Deco styling favoured by the federal government in this period. It is characterized by its symmetry, flat roof, clean lines, and well-crafted exterior with painted white-stucco finishes. The simple, classical, rectilinear plan and massing as well as its internal circulation patterns, reflect its good functional design.

Environmental Value
Building 56 has remained mostly unchanged, and as such, reinforces the formal character of its military base setting at CFB Trenton. It is part of the south-west corner element of the group of four barrack blocks which together form a prominent base orientation landmark and contribute significantly to the grid, axial planning and unity at the base. It is a familiar building at the base.

Sources: Building #21, #22, #23, #56, Canadian Forces Base Trenton, Trenton, Ontario, Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office, NOTES, 94-090; Building #56, CFB Trenton, Trenton, Ontario, Heritage Character Statement, 94-090.

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of Building 56 should be respected.

Its good aesthetic and functional design and its good materials and craftsmanship, for example: the simple, classical, rectilinear plan and massing that consists of a central pavilion block and four attached regular pavilion wings at each corner with lightwells between the wings; the classical, symmetrical planning and Modern, Art Deco styling as expressed by its flat roof, clean lines and painted-white stucco finishes; the projecting balconies over the principal entrance and at the wing pavilion ends, the central pavilion stair bays and the entrance court porches; the regularly spaced window pattern with wood sash windows; the internal ‘H’ plan circulation layout, stairwells with balustrades and first floor
entrances.

The manner in which Building 56 reinforces the formal character of its military base setting at CFB Trenton and is a familiar building at the base, as evidenced by: its overall scale, massing, axial symmetry and materials, which maintain a matching design relationship with the adjacent barrack blocks and complement the base setting; its familiarity on the base as part of an ensemble of four identical buildings and as a component of the grouping of original permanent base buildings.

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.

Building 56 at Canadian Forces Base Trenton was originally constructed as a Barrack Block in 1937 by the Department of National Defence, Engineer Services Branch. In 1995 the building was converted into office space and training accommodation. The Department of National Defence is the custodian. Externally, few alterations have taken place. Internally, all floors have been refitted as offices although the circulation pattern has generally been maintained. See FHBRO Building Report 94-90.

Reasons For Designation

Building 56 at CFB Trenton was designated Recognized for its environmental significance, architectural importance, and historical associations.

Laid out in the late 1920s and 1930s, and planned as Canada's principal air force land and sea plane training base, CFB Trenton was designed as a state-of-the-art modern-style military station. Built as a three storey barrack block with a semi-basement to house single service personnel, Building 56, together with Building 23, were the last completed of four identical such buildings planned as an ensemble, each sited on a quadrant of a rectangular block, and erected sequentially between 1932-37. As part of this ensemble, Building 56 is significant for being a component of the grouping of original base buildings including Hangers 50 and 51 (1931), the Administration Building (1934), the Officer's Mess (1936), Hanger 49 (1936) and NCO's Mess (1938).

Architecturally, the simple, classical, rectilinear plan and massing of the barracks, the bold International Modern / Art Deco styling, feature elements and white-painted stucco finishes, reflect the functional design and construction methods favoured by the RCAF in this period. This continues internally with the surviving circulation layout.

Building 56 is associated with the post-1930s economic and social development of Trenton, the development of the RCAF as an independent wing of the Canadian military, Canadian military air training, including the WW2 British Commonwealth Air Training Program centred at Trenton, and more recently with international military, peacekeeping and humanitarian missions, as a transportation base.


Character Defining Elements

The heritage character of the Barrack Block Building 56 lies in its site relationships, in its 1930s International Modern / Art-Deco style design and materials, and internally in its circulation patterns, general layout and surviving original internal finishes and stairs.

Building 56, as the south-west corner element of the ensemble of four barrack blocks which together forms a prominent base orientation landmark, contributes significantly to the grid and axial planning, unity, and overall 1930s design character of the station due to its scale, form, styling and white-painted stucco finishes. Any future developments or landscape alterations should respect the relationship between Building 56 and the other barrack blocks, and between this ensemble and the base as a whole. The flowing open space between the buildings, permitting all-round views of the barrack blocks, and with their mid block axis and long vistas terminating on the centres of neighbouring 1930s base buildings, should also be respected and maintained.

With a central pavilion block and four attached rectangular pavilion wings at each corner defining three sided courts to the north and south sides, with lightwells to the east and west sides between the wings, Building 56 is characterized by its classical, symmetric planning and International Modern / Art Deco styling as expressed by its flat roof, clean lines and painted-white stucco surfaces. Important articulating elevation elements include the projecting balconies over the principal entrance and at the wing pavilion ends, the central pavilion stair bays, and the entrance court porches should not be altered. The balconies which cast dramatic shadows should remain open and unglazed. The elevations should continue to maintain their matching design relationship with the other adjacent barrack blocks.

The barrack block maintains its regularly spaced window pattern generally with its original painted wood sash windows which should be respected and conserved. If replaced, the original dimensions, fenestration pattern and colours should be matched.

Internally, although refitted, Building 56 generally retains its original 'H' plan circulation layout on the main floors, the original two stairwells with their balustrading, and the 
entrance locations at first floor level which continue the symmetric planning and design aesthetic of the building internally. These should be respected and maintained, complete with surviving original feature elements, finishes and trim, doors and fixtures.