Following the award-winning completion of the interior renovation and restoration of the Basilica Church of our Lady, the Diocese of Hamilton turned its attention to the adjacent rectory building – the Basilica of Our Lady Immaculate Rectory. The restoration and adaptive re-use of this structure completes another important component of the historic campus of buildings located atop ‘Catholic Hill’ in Guelph, Ontario.
Erected in 1855 prior to the cornerstone of the current church being laid, the former seminary is a four-storey rendered stone structure in the Federal style with a two-storey, rubble stone rectory attached at the north end. It balances a similar three-storey convent erected on the opposite side of the hill which has since been restored and re-purposed as a civic museum. Larkin Architect Limited ensured that this building was sensitively restored and creatively adapted to contemporary needs.
A conservation and renovation strategy was required to convert the original building into a priest’s residence with a new addition accommodating the parish offices and meeting room functions.
The Basilica of Our Lady Immaculate Rectory programme called for a priest’s residence with an interconnected parish office building having its own separate entrance. The challenge was to arrive at a design solution that respected the heritage value of the Basilica and established the most appropriate era in which to restore the original seminary complex. Archival research of available documentation, forensic investigations of the building itself, and strict adherence to the Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada provided the evidence-based groundwork for achieving agreement on the conservation, restoration, and renovation of the seminary, as well as the location, form, and material design decisions for the additions.
Exterior addition to heritage rectory
The first two floors of the of the Basilica of Our Lady Immaculate Rectory were adapted to create a four-bedroom priest’s residence. Original features like the staircase were restored. Elements that needed replacement such as the front entrance were fabricated based on research into contextual designs for the time period. The original third and fourth floors of the Basilica of Our Lady Immaculate Rectory are left intact with the exception of the removal of the floor surfaces to create an attic space. Catwalks have been created around the perimeter of each attic floor to provide access to the components of the building envelope, all of which remain as found. The only element that was touched upon were the windows which have been replaced for the sake of consistency and exterior harmony. Along the walls, traces remain of the seminary’s squash courts and original finishes.
Rectory residence spaces
Within the office addition, interiors were designed to create a bright and welcoming environment in contrast to the more intimate and private design of the priest’s residence. Large windows provide ample natural light and views to the historic Church and Hill, linking the Basilica of Our Lady Immaculate Rectory back to the historic site. As an urban and civic landmark, the stakeholders in the project were focused on preserving the ongoing integrity and legacy of the historic ‘Catholic Hill’ campus in its entirety.
Office addition spaces with views back to the Basilica