design work

The Saskatchewan Legislative Building Rehabilitation Project was originally announced in March of 1997. It represented one of SPMC’s most challenging assignments ever. Because of that and the nature of the building, extensive design and investigative work was conducted. SPMC, along with a highly qualified design consultant team, took extensive measures to ensure the success of this project. The building will continue to be monitored to ensure the structural integrity of the building is retained.

The design work involved in the rehabiliation project was extensive. Engineers and project managers combed all areas of the building to ensure the success of this four-year project. It was during this phase of the project that engineers found a message to the past in the form of a message inside of a bottle written in 1911.

The majority of the settlement was under the Dome of the building where approximately 40 per cent of the original piles exisedt. At the same time, a series of photographs that capture the damage to some of the masonry construction around the Dome were taken. This damage has been caused not only by the shifting, but by the variable weather conditions in Saskatchewan over the past eight decades. The shifting has caused Tyndall stone to crack, allowing moisture in behind the stones.

Weather conditions have also wreaked havoc on the copper roofing covering the Saskatchewan Legislative Building Dome. Upon close inspection, one can notice small pricks in the copper cladding. This is the result of numerous lightning strikes. The copper has also faded to a dull black finish.

Conditions of immediate concern will be addressed as part of the current rehabilitation project. The remainder will form part of a master plan and may be repaired in the future.

The same attention to detail has been carried out on the interior of the building. Utilizing scaffolding to reach the ceilings high above the Rotunda and other areas of the building, Heritage Consultants documented the interior of the building to ensure the historical significance of the building is retained.

How many piles currently exist under the Dome? Approximately 40 per cent of the over 2,700 piles currently under the building are situated under the Dome.

How high is the building to the top of the Dome?
From ground level, to the top of the Dome, the building stands approximately 53 metres.

Have consultants or construction crews found any other artifacts other than the message in the bottle?
Since the message in the bottle was found, a number of artifacts have come to the attention of construction officials. These include a set of chisels used in the original construction of the building from 1908 - 1912. A cigarette package dated 1912 as well as an envelope with a 1912 stamp and a 1912 newspaper have been located in the attic above the legislative chambers. For a more detailed story on these finds, please go to the artifacts section.