The Saskatchewan Power Building is a 14-storey office building in

Regina, Saskatchewan Regina ( ) is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province, and is a commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. As of the 2021 Canadian census, ...

. Designed by architect Joseph Pettick and completed in 1963, it is Regina's best example of

modern architecture Modern architecture, also called modernist architecture, or the modern movement, is an architectural movement and style that was prominent in the 20th century, between the earlier Art Deco and later postmodern movements. Modern architectur ...

. At the time of its completion it was the tallest building in Regina, and would remain so until 1967 when the

Avord Tower The Avord Tower is a 16-story office tower in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. The 16 story building was completed in 1967 and is an example of Modernist architecture Modern architecture, also called modernist architecture, or the modern moveme ...

surpassed it at sixteen stories.

History and design

In 1955 Joseph Pettick (1924–2010) left the firm Portnall and Stock and formed his own practice. Pettick's first building was an office located at 2146 Albert Street, built for a steel pipe company. At the sod-turning ceremony Pettick met David Cass-Beggs, the head of the

Saskatchewan Power Corporation Saskatchewan Power Corporation, operating as SaskPower, is the principal electric utility in Saskatchewan, Canada. Established in 1929 by the provincial government, it serves more than 550,000 customers and manages nearly $13 billion in assets. ...

. During their conversation Cass-Beggs mentioned that the company was thinking of constructing a new office to consolidate their staff. After meeting Cass-Beggs on several occasions at art events in the city over the next few months, Pettick received a phone call one evening and was told that he had been selected to design the new office for the Saskatchewan Power Corporation. Over the next few years Pettick worked with the company to design and build the new office tower, which finally opened in 1963. The Saskatchewan Power Building is an early example of the turn away from

Internationalism Internationalism may refer to: * Cosmopolitanism, the view that all human ethnic groups belong to a single community based on a shared morality as opposed to communitarianism, patriotism and nationalism * International Style, a major architectura ...

towards

Post Modernism Postmodernism encompasses a variety of artistic, Culture, cultural, and philosophical movements that claim to mark a break from modernism. They have in common the conviction that it is no longer possible to rely upon previous ways of depicting ...

. In lieu of the right angles and rectilinear forms of the former style, Pettick employed flowing curvature and a less formal order. One of the greatest influences on Pettick's design was Brazilian architect

Oscar Niemeyer Oscar Ribeiro de Almeida Niemeyer Soares Filho (15 December 1907 – 5 December 2012), known as Oscar Niemeyer (), was a Brazilian architect considered to be one of the key figures in the development of modern architecture. Niemeyer was b ...

, and specifically Niemeyer's

Edifício Copan The Edifício Copan (''Copan Building)'', or just Copan, is one of the most important and emblematic buildings in the city of São Paulo, located at number 200 Avenida Ipiranga, in the city center, and was inaugurated in 1966. It is one of the ...

São Paulo São Paulo (; ; Portuguese for 'Paul the Apostle, Saint Paul') is the capital of the São Paulo (state), state of São Paulo, as well as the List of cities in Brazil by population, most populous city in Brazil, the List of largest cities in the ...

. The Saskatchewan Power Building is also one of the first examples of a new Canadian prairie style of architecture, which would be further developed over the next two decades by architects such as

Douglas Cardinal Douglas Joseph Cardinal (born 7 March 1934) is a Canadian architect based in Ottawa, Ontario. His architecture is influenced by his Indigenous heritage, as well as European Expressionist architecture.

and

Peter Hemingway Peter George Hemingway (1929 – May 15, 1995) was a British architect who practiced mainly in Canada and designed many public works, including the Muttart Conservatory and the Central Pentecostal Tabernacle. Biography Hemingway was born in Mins ...

. Pettick chose to colour the building a light tan, similar to that of a prairie field. From above, the curvature of the building can also be seen as symbolic of wind-blown wheat.

Filmography

The Saskatchewan Power Building was the topic of an episode of the two-season DVD series ''Edifice and Us'' (2009).

References

{{Authority control Buildings and structures in Regina, Saskatchewan Joseph Pettick buildings