-
The concrete lantern referencing florence nightingale's lantern -
As viewed from the north-west, the entrance from the parking lot -
The east facade facing the parkway -
The entrance stair, the brick walls and the concrete lantern -
Brick piers and exposed aggregrate precast panels
Canadian Nurses Association House
“The focal point of CNA House is the six-metre lantern, the universal symbol of nursing, dating back to Florence Nightingale, founder of the modern profession. At the base of the lantern are four friezes of unpolished grey slate by Eleanor Milne…”
One of a number of national professional associations in the capital, the headquarters of the Canadian Nurses Association, CNA House, is associated with the professionalization of nursing in the post-war era. Initiated in 1908, today the Association is “the national professional voice of registered nurses in Canada.”
The building occupies a site adjacent to what is now Rideau Canal UNESCO World Heritage Site. The three-storey brick-clad building, designed by Ottawa architect James Strutt, is compatible with its neighbours in the Golden Triangle, a district that was characterized at the time by two and three storey, red brick houses.
Within the impressive double height main lobby, brick wall finishes create the sense of an entry court. A large concrete lantern with a complex geometry illuminates and dominates this space. Eleanor Milne, the Dominion Sculptor, executed a frieze in green slate. The frieze depicts the span of nursing practice. The interior also features high quality architectural finishes.
An addition by Murray and Murray, Griffiths, Rankin and Cook was completed in 1988. CNA House has been granted heritage designation by the City of Ottawa.