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James Strutt
James W. Strutt.png
Born
James William Strutt

8 January 1924
Pembroke, Ontario
Died 8 November 2008 (age 84)
Alma mater University of Toronto (1950)
Occupation Architect
Spouse(s)
Audrey Elizabeth Lett
(m. 1949; her death 2004)
Practice Gilleland and Strutt

James William Strutt (born January 8, 1924 – died November 8, 2008) was a famous Canadian architect. He designed buildings from 1950 to 1999. Most of his work was in the Ottawa area. James Strutt is known for helping to shape modern architecture in Canada. This was especially true after World War II.

Life and Career

Strutt House
Strutt House in Gatineau

James William Strutt was born in Pembroke, Ontario. He grew up in Ottawa, in a neighbourhood called Glebe. He had one sister named Esther. After finishing high school in 1942, he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force. He became a pilot and served on Canada's east coast during the war.

University and Family Life

After the war, James Strutt went to the University of Toronto. He first studied mechanical engineering. But after one semester, he changed to architecture. While at university, he met two very famous architects: Buckminster Fuller and Frank Lloyd Wright.

On May 21, 1949, James married Audrey Elizabeth Lett. She was also a student at the University of Toronto. They had four children: Lesley, David, Katherine, and Jocelyn. Both James and Audrey graduated in 1950.

Starting His Architectural Practice

After graduating, Strutt moved back to Ottawa. He started working for an architecture firm called Lefort and Gilleland. A year later, in 1951, he and William Gilleland started their own company. It was called Strutt and Gilleland and lasted until 1960.

During the 1950s, their firm mostly designed homes. One of his most famous designs was his own house in Gatineau, built in 1956. This house had a very unique roof shape. It was called a hyperbolic paraboloid. The Strutts often hosted parties at their home. Important guests like Pierre Trudeau would attend.

After James Strutt passed away, his house was bought by the National Capital Commission in 2010. They are now working to restore it to its original look. During the same time, Strutt and Gilleland also designed two airports. They created the Ottawa and Halifax airport terminals. Both were built in the International Style. This style uses clean lines and simple shapes.

Later Career and Teaching

In 1960, James Strutt started a new partnership with Inigo Adamson. This firm, Strutt and Adamson, lasted until 1966. After that, he started his own practice, J.W. Strutt, Architect. He worked there for the rest of his career.

Strutt was also very involved in professional groups. He was the chairman of the Ottawa chapter of the Ontario Association of Architects. He also served as vice president and president of this group. For the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, he held roles like honorary treasurer, honorary secretary, and vice-president.

From 1969 to 1986, he taught architecture at Carleton University. He even became the director of the department from 1987 to 1988.

The Strutt Foundation

After James Strutt's death in 2008, a group of people created the Strutt Foundation. This is a non-profit organization started in 2013. Its goal is to support projects related to modern architecture in Canada. The foundation also keeps an archive. This archive holds some of Strutt's papers, papers from his clients, and documents from other Canadian modernist architects.

You can find James Strutt's official records at Library and Archives Canada. They are part of the James W. Strutt fonds.

Notable Works

James Strutt designed many buildings throughout his career. Here is a list of some of his projects:

Name City Address Year Status
Shaefer House Ottawa Montreal Road 1949
Palmer House Ottawa 824 Maple Crest Road 1950
Dowbiggin House Senneville 1952
Dawson House Senneville 1953
Geophysical Lab Ottawa Experimental Farm 1953
Burke House Ottawa Revelstoke Drive 1954
Shore House Gatineau (Aylmer) 1204 Mountain Road 1954
Waring House Aylmer 1124 Mountain Road 1954
Seven Islands Airport Sept-Îles 1954
St. Mark's Anglican Church Ottawa 1606 Fisher Avenue 1954
St. Peter's Anglican Church Ottawa 915 Merivale Road 1955
Gibson House Ottawa Cunningham Avenue 1955
Halifax Civic Airport Terminal Enfield 1956
Southam Ski Lodge Kingsmere, Gatineau Park 1956
Hall House Ottawa Dorothea Drive 1956
Strutt House Aylmer 1220 Mountain Road 1956 Owned by National Capital Commission
Neatby Building Ottawa Experimental Farm 1957
Uplands Airport Terminal Ottawa 1958 Demolished
St. Paul's Presbyterian Church Ottawa 971 Woodroffe Avenue 1958
Dobell Chalet Edna Lake 1958
Weiner House Ottawa 418 Roger Road 1958
Loeb House Ottawa 225 Minto Place 1958
Geldhart House (sic Geldart) Aylmer 170 Edgewood Drive 1958 Demolished
"SolenHus". formally, known as The Van Leeuwen House. Aylmer 120 Chestnut Street 1959
Zarzycki House Aylmer 1959
Baldock House Aylmer 1224 Mountain Road 1959
Rothwell United Church Ottawa 42 Sumac Street 1960
Trinity United Church Ottawa 1099 Maitland Avenue 1960
Morley House Aylmer 190 Edgewood Drive 1960
Anderson House Aylmer 241 Skyridge Road 1960 Demolished
Quain Chalet Mont Cascades 1961
Hanlan House Aylmer 145 Chestnut Street 1962
Royal Trust Building Ottawa 55 Metcalfe Street 1962
Fischer House Ottawa 339 Pleasant Park Road 1962 Designated Heritage Property
Stopforth House Chelsea Mine Road 1962
Kemper House Ottawa 11 Briarcliffe Drive 1962 Part of Briarcliffe Heritage Conservation District
St. Paul's Anglican Church Ottawa 194 Prince Albert Street 1963
Camp Fortune Ski Lodge Gatineau 1963
Merrit House Deep River 54 Laurier Avenue 1963
Northern Electric Advanced Devises Centre Ottawa Moody Drive 1963
Loeb Building, Carleton University Ottawa Carleton University 1964
Plaza de las Américas (Expo '67) Montreal 1967
National Capital Commission Ottawa Western Parkway 1965
Bells Corners United Church Ottawa 3955 Old Richmond Road 1965
Westboro Beach Pavilions Ottawa Kitchisippi Lookout 1966
Canadian Nurses Association Headquarters Ottawa 50 Queen Elizabeth Drive 1967
Borman House Ottawa 20 Qualicum Street 1968
Gatineau River Yacht Club Chelsea 1 chemin Summerlea 1976
Rochester House Almonte Concession Rd. 7 1976
Meredith House Aylmer 1203 Mountain Road 1987
Lambert House Aylmer 1211 Mountain Road 1994
Canadian Embassy Algiers 1998
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