| Embassy of Canada to Germany | |
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| Location | Berlin, Germany |
| Address | Leipziger Platz 17 |
| Coordinates | 52°30′37″N13°22′39″E / 52.5103°N 13.3775°E |
| Ambassador | John Horgan |
| Website | Official website |
Canada House (German : Kanada Haus [1] ) is a diplomatic and office building in Berlin. It is the location of the Embassy of Canada to Germany, which is the diplomatic mission of Canada to Germany.
Unlike other western nations, Canada never had an embassy in Berlin when it was the capital from 1871 to 1945 (although there was a consulate). Canada's first embassy to West Germany was in Bonn, and Canada conducted diplomatic relations with East Germany through its embassy in Warsaw. [2]
The site of Canada House, Leipziger Platz, was once one of Europe's most elegant squares before it was damaged during the Second World War and later destroyed in preparation for construction of the Berlin Wall. [2]
The design for the new embassy was the subject of a national competition, for which the international jury selected the scheme proposed by Montreal-based Saucier Perrotte. However, Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs at that time, Lloyd Axworthy, overruled the jury decision to appoint a multi-firm team headed by Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg and including additional architectural firms in the ridings of both Axworthy and the then-prime minister, Jean Chrétien. The overruling of the jury decision was severely criticized by many in the Canadian design community, media and architectural press, and it was widely considered to be government interference motivated by political factors. [3]
The new ten-storey chancery was inaugurated in April 2005 by Adrienne Clarkson, then Governor General of Canada.[ citation needed ]
It was designed by Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg Architects with Gagnon Letellier Cyr architects and Smith Carter Architects + Engineers. The design has been praised by the German press for its "openness", particularly the walkway which allows pedestrians to short-cut through the property on their way to the nearby Potsdamer Platz U-Bahn station. However, this is primarily the result of German regulations. [2]
Other features of the building include a green roof featuring a scale model of the Mackenzie River Delta, a multimedia centre with wireless internet access and interactive kiosks, and an auditorium and conference centre. [4] Materials include Tyndall limestone from Manitoba on the exterior, with Douglas fir from British Columbia, black granite and maple from Quebec, and Eramosa marble from Ontario inside. The largest room, the "Timber Hall" is a twenty-sided multi-purpose room with a skylight. [5]
The chancery building is leased and has a mix of embassy offices in a secure zone, and private sector tenants in a public zone. About 100 Canadian diplomatic staff and locally employed personnel work at the embassy.[ citation needed ]
The media room is called the Marshall McLuhan Salon, named after Canadian media philosopher Marshall McLuhan. [6] which includes a multimedia information centre and an auditorium. [7] The centre hosts a permanent exhibition dedicated to McLuhan, based on its collection of film and audio items by and about him. [8] Apart from media events, The centre also hosts screenings, presentations and lectures, like the annual Marshall McLuhan Lecture of media theorists that is always organized on the evening before the opening of transmediale festival.
It was used to host an exhibition called NDN Survival Trilogy, by Thirza Cuthand, during the Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale) in 2022. [7]
Canada maintains consulates in Munich, Düsseldorf, and Stuttgart.[ citation needed ]
Additionally, the Ministère des Relations internationales du Québec maintains a representative office next to the Brandenburg Gate.[ citation needed ]
Potsdamer Platz is a public square and traffic intersection in the center of Berlin, Germany, lying about 1 km (1,100 yd) south of the Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag, and close to the southeast corner of the Tiergarten park. It is named after the city of Potsdam, some 25 km (16 mi) to the south west, and marks the point where the old road from Potsdam passed through the city wall of Berlin at the Potsdam Gate. Initially, the open area near the city gate was used for military drills and parades. In the 19th into the 20th century, it developed from an intersection of suburban thoroughfares into the most bustling traffic intersection in Europe. The area was totally destroyed during World War II and then left desolate during the Cold War era when the Berlin Wall bisected its location. Since German reunification, Potsdamer Platz has been the site of major redevelopment projects.
The Embassy of the United States of America in Ottawa is the diplomatic mission of the United States of America to Canada. Opened in 1999, the embassy complex is located at 490 Sussex Drive in Ottawa, Ontario.
The Fields Institute for Research in Mathematical Sciences, commonly known simply as the Fields Institute, is an international centre for scientific research in mathematical sciences. It is an independent non-profit with strong ties to 20 Ontario universities, including the University of Toronto, where it occupies a purpose-built building on the St. George campus. Fields was established in 1992, and was briefly based at the University of Waterloo before relocating to Toronto in 1995.
Bruce Bunji Kuwabara, is a Canadian architect and a founding partner of the firm KPMB Architects. He is an invested Officer of the Order of Canada and recipient of the RAIC Gold Medal. He is Board Chair of the Canadian Centre for Architecture in Montreal.
Pariser Platz is a square in the historic center of Berlin, Germany, situated by the Brandenburg Gate at the end of the Unter den Linden. The square is named after the French capital of Paris to commemorate the victory of the Sixth Coalition over the French Empire at the Battle of Paris (1814), and is one of the main focal points of the city.
The Embassy of the United States of America in Berlin is the diplomatic mission of the United States of America in the Federal Republic of Germany. It started in 1797, with the appointment of John Quincy Adams to Berlin, the capital of Prussia. There was no permanent building for the embassy until 1930, with the purchase of the Blücher Palace. During the United States involvement in World War II, the embassy ceased operations.
Canada's National Ballet School, also commonly known as the National Ballet School of Canada, is a classical ballet school located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Along with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School, it is a provider of professional ballet training in Canada. Mavis Staines has been the Artistic Director of the school since 1989.
Quartier Concordia is a neighbourhood redevelopment project centred on Concordia University's Sir George Williams campus in downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Bordered by Sherbrooke Street, Saint-Mathieu Street, René Lévesque Boulevard and Bishop Street, the district is designed to be a green urban campus that will improve the use and quality of public places and spaces, student life on campus and transportation.
The Berlin International Film Festival, usually called the Berlinale, is an annual film festival held in Berlin, Germany. Founded in 1951 and originally run in June, the festival has been held every February since 1978 and is one of Europe's "Big Three" film festivals alongside the Venice Film Festival held in Italy and the Cannes Film Festival held in France. Furthermore, it is one of the "Big Five", the most prestigious film festivals in the world. The festival regularly draws tens of thousands of visitors each year.
The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in Washington, D.C. was the primary diplomatic mission of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to the United States. The building is located at 2341 Wyoming Avenue N.W. in Washington, D.C.'s Kalorama neighborhood. The chancery is built in the Colonial Revival style.
The Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Washington, D.C. is the diplomatic mission of the Republic of Indonesia to the United States. It is located at 2020 Massachusetts Avenue, Northwest, Washington, D.C., in the Embassy Row neighborhood.
KPMB is a Canadian architecture firm founded by Bruce Kuwabara, Thomas Payne, Marianne McKenna, and Shirley Blumberg, in 1987. It is headquartered in Toronto, where the majority of their work is found. Aside from designing buildings, the firm also works in interior design. KPMB Architects was officially renamed from Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg Architects to KPMB Architects on February 12, 2013.
The Embassy of France in Berlin is the diplomatic mission of the French Republic in Germany. Designed by Christian de Portzamparc and completed in 2002, it is at the same address, Pariser Platz 5, as the former embassy which was destroyed in World War II. Prior to German reunification, France had an embassy in the German Democratic Republic at a different address in Berlin and an embassy in the Federal Republic in Bonn.
The 50th annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from February 9 to 20, 2000. The festival opened with The Million Dollar Hotel by Wim Wenders. Bossa Nova by Bruno Barreto, screened out of competition was the closing film of the festival.
The Embassy of Austria in London is the diplomatic mission of the Republic of Austria in the United Kingdom. The embassy is located at 18 Belgrave Mews West in the Belgravia area of London, and the residence of the ambassador is located at 18 Belgrave Square.
Marianne McKenna, OC, FRAIC, OAA, OAQ, AIA, RIBA is a Canadian architect and a founding partner of KPMB Architects, a Toronto-based practice established in 1987. She is an invested Officer of The Order of Canada "for her contributions as an architect, designing structures that enrich the public realm". Her projects include the renovation and expansion of The Royal Conservatory TELUS Centre for Performance and Learning and Koerner Hall. McKenna and KPMB were selected by The Brearley School, an independent all-girls school located in New York City, to lead the renovation of its building located on the Upper East Side. Her current projects also include for Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity in Banff, Alberta and an expansion and renovation of historic Massey Hall in Toronto In 2010 she was named one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women and in 2014 she was named one of Toronto’s top 50 Powerful People by MacLean’s Magazine.
Shirley Blumberg is a Canadian architect. She is a founding partner of KPMB Architects in Toronto, a Canadian practice. In 2013, Blumberg was invested as a Member of the Order of Canada "for her contributions to architecture and for her commitment to creating spaces that foster a sense of community." Notable projects include the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) Campus, 2011 which is the recipient of the Royal Institute of British Architects International Award (2012), the Architectural Record “Good Design is Good Business Award” (2013) and the Governor General's Medal for Excellence (2014).
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