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Cornelia Hahn Oberlander to Exhibit in Canada

Oberlander’s work will be displayed through photographs by Etta Gerdes, as well as through material from the CCA archives.

Meaghan O'Neill -- Interior Design, 5/5/2006 12:00:00 AM

An upcoming exhibit at the Canadian Centre for Architecture (CCA) in Montréal will highlight the work of Cornelia Hahn Oberlander. The landscape architect is known for her pioneering vision of socially conscious and environmentally sustainable design.

“Cornelia Hahn Oberlander: Ecological Landscapes,” May 11–July 30, will feature Oberlander’s work through 2005 photographs by German photographer Etta Gerdes, as well as material from the CCA archives. The exhibition primarily focuses on projects executed in Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver, Yellowknife, and Berlin, over a period of more than 30 years. Drawings and writings from the CCA’s Cornelia Hahn Oberlander Archive, along with the photos and commentary from Oberlander herself, situate each project within the larger context of the designer’s lifelong philosophical and practical approach to design.

Oberlander has collaborated with internationally acclaimed architects, including Renzo Piano and Moshe Safdie, on public projects in the United States and Canada. Her work graces the Canadian Chancery in Washington, D.C., the New York Times Building in New York, the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa, and the Vancouver Public Library, among other venues.

Oberlander, who founded her eponymous Vancouver-based firm, Cornelia Hahn Oberlander Landscape Architects, in 1953, once said, “From my 11th year onward I had only one goal: become a landscape architect to design outdoor spaces for the use and enjoyment of all in urban environments.” Her office, whose aesthetic tends towards strong but simple concepts, is dedicated to preserving the natural environment and greening urban areas thorough research, innovative techniques, and new technologies.

Oberlander will be on hand at the CCA on Thursday, May 11 at 6m to discuss her work. Admission is free.

Top: Library Square, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, by Cornelia Hahn Oberlander Landscape Architect. Photograph by Etta Gerdes, 2005, commissioned by the Goethe-Institut Montréal.

Bottom: Provincial Government Complex and Law Courts at Robson Square, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada by Cornelia Hahn Oberlander Landscape Architect. Photograph by Etta Gerdes, 2005, commissioned by the Goethe-Institut Montréal.