Big River Landscape
Nepean Point Design Competition
Client
National Capital Commission (NCC)
Location
Ottawa, Ontario
2017
Winning Submission
Design Team
Core Team:
Janet Rosenberg & Studio Inc. (Lead Landscape Architect)
Patkau Architects (Architect)
Blackwell Structural Engineers (Bridge Designer)
ERA Architects (Heritage Conservation Architect)
Supporting Team:
The Flat Side of Design (Renderer)
Lisa Prosper (Cultural Heritage Consultant)
Jeffrey L. Bruce & Company LLC (Soil Scientist)
Ombrages-Éclairage Public (Lighting Designer)
Turner & Townsend (Quantity Surveying/Cost Consultant)
exp. (Civil, Mechanical & Electrical Engineer)
Graham Lancaster (Civil Engineer)
Photography Credit: (Graphics) JRS, The Flat Side of Design and Patkau Architects
Nepean Point is a promontory at the symbolic heart of Canada’s Capital, Ottawa.
The winning concept for the Nepean Point Redevelopment, entitled Big River Landscape, submitted by Janet Rosenberg & Studio Inc. with Patkau Architects, Blackwell Structural Engineers, and ERA Architects Inc., was approved by the National Capital Commission’s (NCC) Board of Directors on November 23, 2017.
Our design seeks to give a voice to various actors and histories – the land, the river, First Nations, visitors, and all Canadians.
The National Capital Commission (NCC) launched in the Spring of 2017 this two-stage international design competition for Nepean Point. To help spur on this conceptual shift, our design for Nepean Point takes inspiration from cultural themes associated with the river’s past, notably those of ‘journey’ and ‘exchange’, and utilizes them to curate experiences that celebrate our layered histories.
Our Nepean Point is envisioned as a park in which to experience the ‘Big River Landscape’, by bringing the sensory and aesthetic experience of the landscape to the foreground. We seek to provide a choreographed journey whereby the many voices of Canada – future and past – can be heard.
Nepean Point is an inclusive space that is welcoming to all, where Canadians can come together to create new memories. Of primary importance to us is the restoration and enhancement of connections, both physical and spiritual, to Nepean Point to enable visitors to connect with the river landscape and its stories in ways not currently possible.
As one moves through the site, the voices emerge: the gently rustling leaves of the cottonwood trees, the power of the river below, the subtle, ephemeral narratives at Whispering Point, and
the animated dialogue around the Gathering Circle. Using a light touch design strategy, the site is flexible and can support all types of gatherings and exhibitions. It is a place where life will unfold.
View the complete submission here.
Nepean Point is currently under construction with completion targeted for Summer 2023. Information on the project can be found here.
