Stable / Garage RR4
Recognized Federal Heritage Building
Colwood, British Columbia
Facade
© Department of National Defence / Ministère de la Défense nationale, D. Cebula, 2000.
Address :
Hatley Park / former Royal Roads Military College National Historic Site, Colwood, British Columbia
Recognition Statute:
Treasury Board Policy on Management of Real Property
Designation Date:
2000-12-15
Dates:
-
1914 to 1914
(Construction)
Event, Person, Organization:
-
Howland S. Chandler, Brett & Hall Landscape Architects,
Boston
(Architect)
Custodian:
National Defence
FHBRO Report Reference:
99-137
DFRP Number:
17452 00
Description of Historic Place
The Stable / Garage RR4 is a handsome two-storey, U-shaped building designed in the Tudor Revival style, and features wide-eave dormer windows, half-timbering, ventilation cupolas, and terra-cotta load-bearing walls with white stucco cladding. Originally built to house all of the Dunsmuir’s transportation and provide staff living quarters, the Stable / Garage RR4 has been converted to serve as classrooms, and is located along College Road, southwest of Hatley Castle within the agricultural zone of the Royal Roads University. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.
Heritage Value
The Stable / Garage RR4 is a Recognized Federal Heritage Building because of its historical associations, and its architectural and environmental values.
Historical value:
The Stable / Garage RR4 is associated with the manifestation of great wealth and lavish estates created by leading Canadian industrialists at the beginning of the 20th century. Built during the construction and operation phase of the Dunsmuir’s estate (1908-1937), the Stable / Garage RR4 replaced the first stables and a car garage and were part of Brett & Hall’s comprehensive landscape plan to improve the estate grounds. The Stable / Garage RR4 is also associated with the expansion of the Canadian Armed Forces and the development of its professional training programs during and after World War II. During this second phase of the site’s development, the Department of National Defence purchased the estate to establish the Royal Roads College, whereby the Stable / Garage RR4 was converted to serve as staff accommodations and classrooms, and later as a university conference centre.
Architectural value:
The Stable / Garage RR4 is a very good example of the Tudor Revival Style. The building’s picturesque exterior design and materials speak to the site’s original function as a component of the model farm, and is characterized by English half-timber construction, pair and triplet window groupings, gable dormers adorned with decorated barge boards, and exposed rafters at the eaves. Designed as a multi-purpose building, the U-shaped footprint has proven to be extremely adaptable and has housed carriage and car spaces, repair workshops, stables, and
staff accommodations. The Stable / Garage RR4 is constructed of high quality materials and craftsmanship as evidenced by the terra cotta load bearing walls, the half-timbered dormer windows, and decorative details.
Environmental value:
The Stable / Garage RR4 reinforces the pastoral character of the university, and is set against the regenerated forestland dating from the military phase. Visually prominent owing to its scale and architectural design, the Stable / Garage RR4 speaks to the Edwardian estate period and is an important component of the typical country home from that era. The Stable / Garage RR4 is located along the southern service road, southwest of Hatley Castle, and is familiar to the faculty and students of Royal Roads University.
Sources:
Andrew Waldron, Stable / Garage RR4, Royal Roads University, Colwood, British Columbia. Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office Building Report 99-137.
Stable / Garage RR4, Royal Roads University, Colwood, British Columbia. Heritage Character Statement 99-137.
Character-Defining Elements
The following character-defining elements of the Stable / Garage RR4 should be respected:
Its Tudor Revival Style and its high quality materials and craftsmanship as manifested in:
the scale, massing and well-balanced composition of this one-storey, U-shaped building which features gable roofs, dormers, and projecting ventilation cupolas; its functional and adaptable interior layout; the pair and triplet grouping of six-over-six vertical sliding sash windows; the load-bearing terra cotta walls finished with white cement plaster (stucco); and, the Tudor Revival style details such as the half-timbered facades, dormer windows and roof gables, the decorative barge boards at the dormer eaves, and other decorative details such as the exposed rafters.
The manner the building reinforces the pastoral character of the former estate as evidenced in:
its compatibility with the park-like Edwardian campus and the other buildings that were formerly part of the estate and have since been adapted for university functions.
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 Stables and Garage Building is a “Recognized” Federal Heritage Building because of its historical associations, and its architectural and environmental values.
Historical value
The Stables and Garage Building is associated with the manifestation of great wealth and lavish estates created by leading Canadian industrialists at the beginning of the 20th century. Built during the construction and operation phase of the Dunsmuir’s estate (1908-1937), the Stables and Garage Building replaced the first stables and a car garage and were part of Brett & Hall’s comprehensive landscape plan to improve the estate grounds. The Stables and Garage Building is also associated with the expansion of the Canadian Armed Forces and the development of its professional training programs during and after WWII. During this second phase of the site’s development, DND purchased the estate to establish the Royal Roads College, whereby the Stables and Garage Building was converted to serve as staff accommodations and classrooms, and later as a university conference centre
Architectural value
The Stables and Garage Building is a handsome two-storey structure and is a very good example of the Tudor Revival Style. The building’s picturesque exterior design and materials speak to the site’s original function as a component of the model farm, and it is characterized by English half-timber construction, pair and triplet window groupings, gable dormers adorned with decorated barge boards, and exposed rafters at the eaves. Designed as a multi-purpose building, the U-shaped footprint has proven to be extremely adaptable and has housed carriage and car spaces, repair workshops, stables, and staff accommodations. The Stables and Garage Building is constructed of high quality materials and craftsmanship as evidenced by the terra cotta load bearing walls, the half-timbered dormer windows, and decorative details.
Environmental value
The Stables and Garage Building is located along the southern service road, southwest of Hatley Castle, and set against the regenerated forestland from the military phase. An important component of the typical country home from that era, the aesthetic design if the Stables and Garage Building speaks to the Edwardian estate period. Visually prominent owing to its scale and architectural design, the Stables and Garage Building reinforces the pastoral character of the university and is familiar to the faculty and students of Royal Roads University.
Character-Defining Elements
The following character-defining elements of the Stable and Garage Building should be respected:
Its early role as an illustration of the manifestation of great wealth and lavish estates created by leading Canadian industrialists at the beginning of the 20th century, and its later role as an illustration of the expansion of the Canadian Armed Forces and the development of its professional training programs during and after WWI are reflected in:
- its aesthetic design and its former function as an important component of the typical country home from the Edwardian estate era;
- the adaptability of its multi-purpose layout and its subsequent use as staff accommodations and classrooms as part of the Royal Roads University.
Its Tudor Revival Style and its high quality materials and craftsmanship as manifested in:
- the scale, massing and well-balanced composition of this one-storey, U-shaped building which features gable roofs, dormers, and projecting ventilation cupolas;
- its functional and adaptable interior layout;
- the pair and triplet grouping of six-over-six vertical sliding sash windows;
- the load-bearing terra cotta walls finished with white cement plaster (stucco); and,
- the Tudor Revival style details such as the half-timbered facades, dormer windows and roof gables, the decorative barge boards at the dormer eaves, and other decorative details such as the exposed rafters.
The manner the building reinforces the pastoral character of the former estate as evidenced in:
- its compatibility with the park-like Edwardian campus and the other buildings that were formerly part of the estate and have since been adapted for university functions.