FEBRUARY 2014
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Terrence Donnelly Health Sciences Complex
Kongats Architects | All photos: Shai Gil
opportunities for mentorship
and networking.
As part of advocacy, the RAIC
engages with the public and
other professions in discuss-
ing and promoting excellence
in the built environment. For
example, following Canada
Post’s announcement last De-
cember that it plans to replace
home delivery with commu-
nity mailboxes, the RAIC is-
sued a statement expressing
concern. The statement said
that group mailboxes will
negatively impact the urban
landscape and quality of life
of Canadians. It urged careful
planning and design to inte-
grate the boxes into neighbor-
hoods and to make them look
and function as well as pos-
sible.
Recently, the RAIC joined
forces with Heritage Canada/
The National Trust to pro-
tect important aspects of the
Bank of Canada building in
Ottawa. Considered one of
the finest Canadian buildings
of the 20th century, the Bank
was designed by renowned
Canadian architect Arthur Er-
ickson. At its heart lies a pub-
lic garden-atrium. The Bank
plans to remove the garden
and close public access to the
atrium, as part of a major ren-
ovation. The RAIC and Heri-
tage Canada hope to mini-
mize damage to the design.
The RAIC is also developing
a policy on First Nations com-
munities, where living condi-
tions often fail to meet basic
human rights such as health,
well-being and cultural identi-
ty. It points to positive exam-
ples such as the Quebec Cree
community of Oujé-Bougou-
mou, and says that inclusive
