February 9, 2019

Don Schmitt, principal, Diamond Schmitt Architects, speaks with Ottawa Citizen’s Mohammed Adam about the significance of the commission to design a new central library that will also house Library and Archives Canada.

“We are in an era of tremendous change in libraries as gathering places, and what we do is create buildings that seek to enrich communities through transcendent design,” Schmitt says.

Adam says the project represents more than the opportunity to create great architecture. It’s about civic pride. Most of the landmark buildings in the nation’s capital are federal projects. This undertaking is to be shared with the city. 

Diamond Schmitt in joint venture with KWC Architects will begin extensive public consultations over the coming months to listen and learn from Ottawans about what they want in a 21st-century library and repository of significant national archives and collections. It is a unique pairing of programs. 

To read the full interview, please click here.