Places

St. James Collegiate, St. James-Assiniboia School Division

Address:1900 Portage Avenue
Current Use:

Educational

Original Use:

Educational

Constructed:1950
Other Work:

East annex, 1954; Gym, 1958; Vocational, 1963; Theatre, 1966; Gym, 2001

Architects:
Engineers:
  • E S Kent

Photographs

More Information

Within the large and vibrant campus of St. James Collegiate, there is a visual epicentre which is the original high school building with its striking modern north elevation gazing confidently onto Portage Avenue.

Design Characteristics

Materials:

brick, glass block, stone

Height:

2 storeys

Neighbourhood:

Bruce Park, St. James-Assiniboia

  • It is two storeys high in brown brick and restrained stone trim, with projecting entry towers near either end of the facade, windows containing clear glass and glass block that reveal each room, including the twelve academic classrooms, an auditorium with a stage, shops for woodworking and domestic science, a library and four big science labs in the original design
  • J. N. Semmens was retained a second time to design the east annex in 1954, which tucks behind and to the side of the first sections and marks the beginning of the gradual but steady growth of the campus
  • While later additions never attempted to continue the stylistic theme of the original building, neither did they overshadow or even compete with it, so the front remains the visual focus even while the collegiate unravels a good distance to the south and east, even so far as to contain another school with in – the George Waters Middle School on the east side facing Ferry Road

Locations of Supporting Info

  • Winnipeg Architecture Foundation, Inc.

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