The York Courtyard - Integrated Project Dossier (2017)

The York Court is a shared outdoor space for buildings found on 527- 531 Sussex Drive, the office building on 12 York Street and the Courtyard Restaurant. It is a section of the connecting courtyards found in the Byward Market which include Clarendon and Jeanne D’ Arc Courts. The York Court has entrances from York Street and is connected to Clarendon Court by an arch. On display, is an exhibit called, Art in the Courtyard, celebrating Canada’s diversity and culture. The court is currently owned by the NCC. The heritage value of the courtyard can be found in the past use of the surrounding buildings. Over many years, space around has been subject to many changes. In 1849, the Courtyard was the scene of a riot between the Reformers and Tories. The Institut Canadien-Francais, which was a major French Canadian cultural institution, bordered the adjacent courtyard. The Institut building held theatre space which was also leased to circus companies. Therefore, the York courtyard participated in the social scene of 18 York. The Courtyard is bordered by the Italianate façade of the Sussex art gallery, The Moscow Tea Room, 12 York street office building and the rustic stone façade of the Schad boutique and the Courtyard Restaurant. The masonry pavement of the courtyard has a subway and modern basket weave style. The refinished facades of the surrounding buildings with the presence of the older building highlight the heritage the site. The courtyard is designed so that it is easily accessible from York Street and the Clarendon courtyard. On the South-East entrance to York Court, there is a segmental masonry arch. The arch is one of the focal points of the space. The site can be easily accessed by the public from York Street and its adjacent courtyard. It displays indigenous artwork that celebrates Canada’s diverse identity. The Moscow Tea room and the Courtyard Restaurant both have an outdoor eating area in the courtyard. Space is subdivided to allow for public and private spaces to coexist, within the same boundary. From the different architectural styles present on the site to the displayed art, space creates a unique environment for the public to gather and enjoy. This is the Integrated Project Dossier compiled by a group of undergraduate students of the Architectural Conservation and Sustainability Program (Engineers and architects) at Carleton University for the CIVE3207 (ARCN4100) Historic Site Recording and Assessment course in 2017.