In November of 2011, when Colin Ripley and I embarked on our research for an exhibition on Canada?s Centennial projects, the sesquicentennial seemed far in the future. Now, as we find ourselves approaching the end of 2017, our work on the exhibition has left us so immersed in the Centennial that the current anniversary has barely registered.
We conceived Architecture and National Identity: The Centennial Projects 50 Years On to explore and reflect on the central role of architecture in the Centennial celebrations. In addition to the Expo 67 extravaganza, two major buildings of national significance were completed: the Fathers of Confederation Memorial Buildings in Charlottetown  and the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. Beyond these high-profile projects, the nation?s 100th birthday helped generate close to 900 building projects, completed with the support of the Centennial Grants Program and the Confederation Memorial Program. Some of these were?and remain?highly visible institutions, such as the Centennial Concert Hall in Winnipeg, the Ontario Science Centre in Toronto, the Grand Théâtre de Québec in Quebec City and the Arts and Culture Centre in St. John?s. But many more are unsung, underappreciated parts of the fabric of everyday life for Canadians in towns across the country. They are the hockey rinks, libraries, schools, parks, community centres and local museums that for 50 years have been central to public life. Centennial Museum and H.R. MacMillan Planetarium, V...