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The beautiful city of Brantford boasts many different architectural building styles, including one very prominent example of the Beaux Arts movement which can be seen in the Federal Building located at 60 Dalhousie Street.
The term "Beaux Arts" comes from the French word for "Fine Arts" and was a popular, but short lived, architectural style from 1880-1930. The style echoes back to classic Greek and Roman forms characterized by order, symmetry, formal design, grandiosity and elaborate ornamentation. Architectural features distinct to the Beaux Arts movement can include balustrades, balconies, columns and cornices. The stones exteriors are massive and grandiose in their symmetry.
Brantford's Federal Building was built between 1913-1915 and is associated with the Federal government’s increasing presence in smaller centres across Canada as reflected in the construction of many post office buildings between the years 1897- 1914. Points of architectural interest in this U-shaped structure include a 3 storey assembly with a 6 storey copper roofed clock tower under which can be seen a tripartite window with a stone balcony. The clock face is framed by a semi-circular bracketed arch and a variety of stone facings including a granite base and a ground storey of rustic stone. Also to be noted is the window arrangement and treatment.
If you have never stopped to take a detailed look at the grandeur of this Beaux Arts Federal Heritage building, put it on your to do list. You won’t be disappointed.
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