Six buildings receive heritage designation

[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/HamiltonHall.jpg” caption=”Hamilton Hall is one of six buildings that will receive heritage designation from the City of Hamilton. Photo by Susan Bubak.”]The City of Hamilton has announced plans to grant heritage designation to the historic core of McMaster's campus and its six original buildings.

The buildings include University Hall, Hamilton Hall, Wallingford Hall, Edwards Hall, the Refectory, which opened in 1930, and Alumni Memorial Hall, built 20 years later.

“This designation reflects the intent of the Campus Master Plan, approved by the Board several years ago,” said Karen Belaire, vice-president administration. “It ensures that the historic core of the campus, the elegant design of the structures and spaces will be preserved.”

The buildings were positioned to take advantage of the natural surroundings provided by the wooded ravine along the campus's north side.

The brick and stone buildings feature a “Collegiate Gothic” design inspired by the medieval colleges of Oxford and Cambridge as well as late 19th and early 20th century American campus buildings.

The stone exteriors of University Hall and Hamilton Hall consist of rock-faced ashlar with dressed stone trim and carved ornamentation. The other four buildings are brick masonry with stone trim.