Team Leinster
Images of the design concept
Team members
- The Planning Partnership, landscape architecture
- Douglas Coupland, artist
- Karen Mills, public art consultant
Design intent
Our design finds its inspiration in the “office” of a Global Affairs employee – the world. Oriented to true north, the monument and plaza emulate the Robinson Projection of a map with flat poles, linear parallels, and curved meridians slicing through the paving. Scattered throughout the monument are native stone boulders. They illustrate the Canadian presence abroad, perched on various granite-clad plinths representing the inhabited continents. Solitary boulders represent Global Affairs Canada employees working internationally, while the stacked boulders represent their families that relocate with them to accommodate their roles. A feature archway is located in the collection of granite forms that represent Canada. The granite face will be etched with the names of Global Affairs Canada members that lost their lives in service, while a second plinth situated to the south will feature a dedication message.
The plaza is bordered east and west by lush gardens planted with exclusively native, drought-tolerant plants.
Transcript of the Global Affairs Canada Commemorative Artwork Team Leinster video
Length of video: 1:31 minutes
The visual elements are photographs, video, renderings, and animation.
[Aerial view of Green Island in the Rideau River, showing the commemorative artwork site and the Diefenbaker Building; zooms out to show earth from space, centred over North America]
Voice of Douglas Coupland: “For those that serve Global Affairs Canada, their career is more than just a job, it’s a way of life. This memorial will honour their contributions and their sacrifices.”
Text on screen: [Global Affairs Canada Commemorative Artwork
The Planning Partnership | Douglas Coupland | Karen Mills
Narrated by Douglas Coupland]
Voice of Douglas Coupland: “This was the inspiration for our design.”
[Animation of globe transforming into flattened world map; fades to rendering of overhead view of the commemorative artwork design]
Voice of Douglas Coupland: “Oriented to true north, we emulate the Robinson Projection, with flat poles, linear parallels, and curved meridians slicing through the paving.”
[Animation highlights in yellow each of the unique sections that compose the design]
Voice of Douglas Coupland: “Monolithic continents rise out of the plaza, staggered in height for year-round seasonal interest.”
[Photos of 3D model of the design, painted grey]
Voice of Douglas Coupland: “The black granite landforms are topped with native stone boulders, a playful collection of globetrotters spread across the map. The singular boulders signify employees working internationally, and the stacked boulders their families and friends.”
[Rendering of pathway leading to the artwork, winter scene; transitions to rendering of the feature archway, summer scene]
Voice of Douglas Coupland: “Guests arriving from the north are greeted by a feature archway in the area representing Canada, [...]”
Text on screen: [
- Annemarie Desloges:2013, Kenya
- Glyn R. Berry: 2006, Afghanistan
- Mark Bourque: 2005, Haiti
- Derrick Haro : 1993, Iran
- Gordon Cox: 1978, Austria
- John Douglas Turner: 1965, Vietnam
- Wayne Hubble: 1972, India
- J. Macleod Boyer: 1952, Cairo
- Hans Karl Rott: 1969, Vienna
- Patricia Harland: 1991, Kenya
- Alfred Sautner: 1969, Vienna
- Marc Bastien: 2000, Russia
- Peter Roman Lishchynski: 1997, Ukraine
- Dr. Egerton Herbert Norman: 1957, Egypt]
Voice of Douglas Coupland: “[...] etched with the names of Global Affairs Canada members that lost their lives while in service.”
[Rendering of boulders set on top of square pillars]
Voice of Douglas Coupland: “Atop the archway sit two boulders. They reach across the void space between them, towards each other, capturing the sense of yearning for home and loved ones experienced by employees abroad.”
[Renderings showing elements of the artwork and landscape across different seasons]
Voice of Douglas Coupland: “The ambling arrangement of pathways draws visitors between the continents; the undulating choreography of stone and planting reveals themselves as guests move through the space.”
[Animation of the design components and plantings descending into place]
[Rendering of the artwork at dusk, bordered by trees with autumn leaf colours; transitions to rendering of the artwork in daylight, bordered by green-leafed trees]
Voice of Douglas Coupland: “Thirteen trees border the piece, signifying the Canadian provinces and territories, while native plants swell across the tops of plinths and encircle the monument.”
[Renderings of the commemorative artwork with the Diefenbaker Building in the background]
Voice of Douglas Coupland: “Ample seating is extruded from the equator and parallel banding along the perimeter, and extends along the plinths nestled into the monument, providing areas for gathering and quiet contemplation. This is a place for storytelling and remembrance.”
View the other teams' designs
Click on the images below to view the design concepts of the other teams.
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