Wellington Building, Government building near Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Canada
The Wellington Building is a Beaux-Arts office building at Wellington and Bank streets in Ottawa, with its south facade on Sparks Street. Built in 1925–27 to designs by D. Everett Waid, it gained two storeys in 1957–58 and a six-storey east wing in 1958–59. Since a 2010–2016 rehabilitation it houses House of Commons offices, committee rooms and a library.
Built 1925–27 to designs by D. Everett Waid with J.A. Ewart, the building was Metropolitan Life's Canadian headquarters until the company moved south in 1970, when the federal government bought it. Two storeys were added in 1957–58 and a six-storey east wing in 1958–59, both by Marani and Morris. In 1984 MPs were housed here for the first time outside Parliament Hill; it was designated Recognized in January 1987 and reopened in spring 2016 after rehabilitation.
The entrance lobby features a ceiling mosaic made of colored ceramic tiles showing themes of health and prosperity. This artwork greets visitors as soon as they step inside, giving a sense of the original owner's ambitions for the building.
The building sits directly across from Parliament Hill, making it easy to reach on foot from the main parliamentary precinct. Access may be limited as it is an active government building, and security screening is generally required to enter.
The Byzantine-style mosaic in the vestibule was conserved during the 2010–2016 rehabilitation, along with the decorative steel and glass canopy on Wellington Street, whose original had been removed in the 1960s. The building was closed in 2010 for asbestos abatement, seismic reinforcement and a 25% cut in energy use.
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