Queen's Marque

Halifax,
Nova Scotia

Completed
2023
Queen's Marque
Location

Halifax,
Nova Scotia

Halifax, Nova Scotia
Completed
2023

This is an urban design project, rebuilding the waterfront at the original landing place where Halifax began in 1749. The re-establishment of the fine-grained pier building fabric creates microclimates and public gathering places, contrasting the current trend of object buildings recently constructed downtown and course-grained fabric, typically surrounded by wasteland.

The site is at the crossing of the historic George Street ceremonial axis, a central public gathering place since the founding of Halifax connecting the Citadel, the town clock, City Hall, St. Paul’s Church, Province House and the harbour, and intersecting the recently established continuous public boardwalk running along the harbour. This scheme forms three public spaces: one along the George Street corridor, one along the Prince Street corridor, and the sacred central court. These places along with the project’s mixed uses (office, retail, food and beverage, boutique hotel, and residential) supports the revival of the center of the city’s waterfront as a vital public gathering place.

The materials correspond to the sandstone institutional precinct adjacent. A 350’ long floating sandstone bar, references the city grid, is supported by a series of copper clad pier buildings. These ‘boats’ run east to west intersecting with the public boardwalk stretching from north to south. A series of pedestrian passages are squeezed beneath the stone bar and between the pier buildings connecting the city to the waterfront. This porosity and the consistent public ground treatment unifies Queen’s Marque to be a publicly accessible waterfront district.

Design Team
Brian MacKay-Lyons
Talbot Sweetapple
Shane Andrews
Will Perkins
Rimon Soliman
Melanie Hayne
Tyler Reynolds
Izak Bridgman
Jennifer Esposito
William Green

Photographer
Nic Lehoux

Developer and Master Builder
Armour Group Limited - Scott Armour McCrea

Design Architects and Urban Design
MacKay-Lyons-Sweetapple Architects

Prime Consultant
FBM Architects

Landscape Architecture
Fathom Studio and Brackish Design Studio

Structural Engineer
Campbell Comeau Engineering Limited

Mechanical and Electrical Engineer
M + R Engineering

Builder
Armour Group Limited in joint venture with Bird Construction

Interior Design Muir Hotel
Studio Munge

Interior Design lobbies, core and residences
MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects