Boardwalk at the Locks
Typology Landscape, Commercial
Location Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Site Area 21,800 sqm [234,650 sq ft]
Location Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Site Area 21,800 sqm [234,650 sq ft]
Building Area 280 sqm [3,014 sq ft]
Date October 2021
Date October 2021
The primary aim of this project is to forge a meaningful path along the existing site of the Hartwell Locks of the Rideau Canal. Following an analysis of the site’s significant viewpoints, as well as the movement of pedestrians, cyclists, automobiles, and watercraft, the form of this proposed path emerged. The Boardwalk inserts itself into the hilled topography of the southern end of the locks, using subtle ramps to direct visitors towards three key vantage points. A stair also allows for access to the southern lock gate itself in order to cross the Canal.
The segmented shape that makes up the Boardwalk encloses in a small bay a shelter, housing a year-round beverage kiosk, fire pit, rest area, and washroom. This structure is composed of an open timber construction supported by a floating concrete base. The Boardwalk is a work of land manipulation, earthwork, and floating architecture that offers a multisensory experience to visitors, in addition to sorely needed services along
the Canal.
the Canal.
At the northern end of the Boardwalk, a portion of the ramped floor fills with water as the lock’s water level rises and falls throughout the day as watercraft make their way through the Canal. Thus, based on the activity of the locks, the experience of the visitor differs, adding a temporal quality to the project. As the water rises and falls, sections of the Boardwalk are revealed and concealed, locked and unlocked.
