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Publication:14 August 2026The building at 296 Metcalfe was constructed between 1871-1901 in the Queen Anne Revival style representative of the centertown west neighborhood of Ottawa. The property was designated in 1997 as a contributing property in the Centertown conservation district under Part 5 of the Ontario Heritage Act. The building underwent three major changes in use. First from residential to commercial, then to a mixed, residential/commercial use with medical clinics done by Juxta Architects. The former residential building at 296 Metcalfe was repurposed into two medical offices and an apartment on the top floor. The Adaptive reuse also features an addition on the south facade of the building which was added to satisfy fire code, as well as safety and accessibility requirements. The structural loading of the building was also redesigned. The load carrying structure was changed from load-bearing walls to an interior wood framing structure that carries the weight of the floors. Lastly the brick masonry was partially rehabilitated, saving several sections of the wall from failure.
| Location | Canada|Ontario|Ottawa |
| Typologies | Commercial financial and offices|Administration and office buildings |
| Project type | Transformation |
296 Metcalfe : réaffectation adaptative_Carleton_#19As Canada continues to face different challenges within and around its built environment such as climate change, cultural heritage erosion, and socio-economic crises, highlighting the potential for adaptive reuse of our existing infrastructure and buildings to alleviate these issues becomes increasingly important. Carleton Architecture’s Adaptive Reuse Research Team selected a group of case studies to better understand the challenges and solutions adaptive reuse can provide. This document outlines one of the selected case studies, 296 Metcalfe in Ottawa, ON. It provides a concise overview of the building’s context, distinctive features and existing conditions, as well as the process undertaken to facilitate its adaptive reuse.
