1. Canadian War Museum
The national museum of military history was relocated to its current site in the 1990s, opening on the 8th of May 2005: the 60th anniversary of the end of World War Two.
The design is striking. The concrete walls and roof somewhat resemble a bunker, and the moss and grass-covered top hint to themes of regeneration and renewal.
The prominent fin that emanates from the east end of the building is copper-clad, with windows that read in Morse code “Lest we forget”, and the equivalent French “N’oublions jamais”.
2. National Gallery of Canada
The famous glass and granite structure, opened in 1988, houses the Gallery.
While I am not the biggest fan of the design itself, you cannot argue that it isn’t striking.
3. Canadian Museum of History
Another audacious public building in Ottawa is the Canadian Museum of History, which lies directly across the river from Parliament Hill.
The two wings of the complex are surrounded by park areas that connect the museum and its outdoor spaces to the Ottawa River and Jacques Cartier Park.
Again, perhaps not to my own taste, but definitely striking in its postmodernist vigour.