New Shoppers Drug Mart pays homage to architecture of department stores of the past

By Louise Rachlis
It’s not the da Vinci code, but if you look up at the new Shoppers Drug Mart on Rideau Street where Nate’s used to be, you’ll find a puzzle to intrigue you.
The puzzle is hidden in the 15 precast concrete caps that adorn the tops of the architectural pilasters of the building.
Each cap features a medicinal plant - Pacific Yew, Roseroot, Fireweed, Evening Primrose, Tundra Rose, May Apple, American Ginseng, Black Cohosh, Golden Seal, Echinacea, Seneka Snakeroot, Cascara, Witch Hazel, Bearberry and Calamus Sweetflag.
Each of the 15 plants is arranged in sequence from east to west with a cryptic puzzle in the sequence of the names, says architect Barry Padolsky who designed the project. “It’s a subtle thing and people will have to figure out what the message is.”
thing and people will have to figure out what the message is.”
“I’ve always thought that architecture should stimulate our interest at a variety of levels,” he says, “including the more esoteric. The medicinal plant project is a Dan Brown puzzle that will add some whimsy and intrigue to Rideau Street.”
Barry Padolsky Associates Inc., Architects is an Ottawa-based architectural, urban design and heritage consulting practice founded in 1969. With commercial and residential, public and community projects, bridges, heritage and urban planning, they’ve received a multitude of awards for excellence in architectural conservation.
In keeping with City of Ottawa objectives for a mixed use building, the new Shoppers Drug Mart will have medical offices and apartments on the upper floors.
Padolsky says his architectural design was inspired by the legacy of iconic family department stores along Rideau Street, like the Ogilvy’s department store, Caplan’s and Laroque’s, and also by the former Bell Telephone building on the corner of Besserer and King Edward, and the hydro substation on King Edward Avenue. “They form a family of early 20th century buildings,” he says. “I wanted to honour Rideau Street’s heritage.”
“If you look carefully, the design also picks up the art deco spirit of Laroque’s department store, with its ornamented vertical pilasters caps,” he says.
While the City of Ottawa has a policy to promote public art and in publically funded projects, the private sector is not compelled to comply.
Nevertheless, “in terms of the Rideau Street store, it was obvious to us that given the location, Shoppers Drug Mart was going to have to address the unique architectural aspects of this part of the city,” says Chris Stoyanovich, Director of Planning and Development for Shoppers. With BPA and Delcan Consulting, Stoyanovich led the process of obtaining City of Ottawa development approvals.
“With Barry Padolsky’s experience and understanding of the neighborhood, he provides some great advice and design creativity which is self-evident when you have a chance now to see the finished product,” he says. “The precast concrete caps with the medicinal plants were a perfect example of how a new building can be made to address the street, while at the same time helping to symbolize the new pharmacy use.”
“The reliefs show Canadian medicinal plants from every province and territory,” says Padolsky. “The plants have all been uses by aboriginal societies in Canada and have been used in the pharmaceutical industry.”
“Shoppers Drug Mart has been very conscientious in this location,” he says. “There is a public footpath from Besserer to Rideau, and a linear park all along Besserer to give a soft edge. It will be very attractive for the streetscape.”
“From a locational standpoint, this site gave us an opportunity to improve our retail store facilities,” says Chris Stoyanovich, “and to provide increased product lines in a very vibrant inner city neighborhood.”
For information on products and services at the store itself, view www.shoppersdrugmart.ca .