Crystal Garden

Here's another building designed by Victorian architect Francis Rattenbury, who also designed The Empress Hotel. This is the Crystal Garden, formerly a swimming pool and recreation centre and now a part of the Victoria Conference Centre.

Victoria Conference Centre - Main Entrance Plaza

We had a look at the interior of the Victoria Conference Centre last week and here is the most imposing exterior face, the plaza and main entrance to the building. I like how the extensive glass walls and roof echo the heritage building known as the Crystal Gardens, that also forms a part of the conference centre. We'll have a look at that later this week.

Victoria Conference Centre 2

Here's a little closer look at some of the totems and other art that decorate the interior of the Victoria Conference Centre. Above we are looking into the centre itself with the passage to The Empress on the left. Below is looking towards the Douglas Street entrance.

Victoria Conference Centre

Last week we took a stroll through The Empress Hotel and on the last post peeked through the passage where the hotel connects to the Victoria Conference Centre. In today's photos we have stepped through this passage and are looking at the main foyer or lobby of the conference centre. I mentioned that it has an excellent selection of West Coast totem art and we will have a closer look at some tomorrow.

Victoria in Black and White - Another Rattenbury

Today's photo provides a nice wrap-up to two photo series I've started in the last few weeks. Earlier in August we had a look at three of architect Francis Rattenbury's creations that frame Victoria's Inner Harbour. Nearby, there is a fourth, the Crystal Garden. Originally a swimming pool and recreation center, it is now a part of the Victoria Conference Centre. It is located at the bottom of Douglas Street, behind another Rattenbury building, the Empress Hotel. While not as monumental as the Empress Hotel, the CPR Terminal, or the Legislative Assembly Buildings, it is nonetheless an impressive building. It should be noted that Rattenbury designed The Crystal Garden and the CPR Terminal in conjunction with another architect, Percy James. This photo will also be the last in the series I started last week to explore black and white photography.

Victoria Conference Centre

Joined to the back of the Fairmont Empress Hotel is the Victoria Conference Centre, part of which is pictured above. I posted an interior shot last year. The conference centre also includes the Crystal Gardens (another Rattenbury creation), which is just across the street to the right in this photo.

Victoria Conference Centre

In yesterday's post I mentioned that the Crystal Gardens is now a part of the Victoria Conference Centre. The photo above is a glimpse into the centre's lobby, certainly worth a visit if only to see its magnificent collection of totem poles and other native works of art.