Architectural projects

Part of:

People:

John Cresswell Parkin (archive creator)

Title:

Architectural projects

Date:

1945-1986

Level of archival description:
Series

Extent and medium:

Approximately 56,658 drawings (including reprographic copies)
6,253 photographic materials
68.156 l.m. of textual records
20 artefacts
8 paintings
1 book

Scope and content:
The Architectural Projects series, 1945-1986, is the largest series in the fonds and documents the projects worked on by Parkin’s two firms throughout his career. These projects include built work, urban planning, proposals, competitions and feasibility studies. The majority of the projects were based in Toronto and the surrounding area, but projects from across Canada and some international projects in the Caribbean, Middle East, and Northern Africa are also included. These individual projects were identified and separated based on distinct project numbers assigned by the creating offices. The general numbering rule at the offices was two digits to represent the year, followed by two or three digits to represent the consecutive project number for that year (YY###). For instance the 7th project taken on in the year 1980 would be assigned the project number 8007. This chronological ordering has been respected in the arrangement of this series.

These projects are recorded primarily through textual records and drawings, but some photographs, paintings, artefacts and one book are also included in this series. The amount of drawings and textual materials for the projects vary greatly. Materials for projects before 1971, from the firm John B. Parkin Associates, are very sparse, sometimes with only a few files or drawings representing a project. Materials after 1971, from the firm Parkin Architects Planners, are much more complete and often contain drawings from initial sketches to finished construction work. Among these drawings are plans, elevations, sections, details, perspectives, and mechanical, electrical and structural drawings. Textual records for these projects typically include correspondence, meeting minutes, specifications, site reports, consultancy files and other construction documentation. The photographic materials in this series often show construction progress and completed work. Also present are presentation panels with mounted drawings, photographs and paintings for some projects. The artefacts typically consist of material samples for construction. The textual records for projects are almost always in English, but some drawings are in French or are bilingual for projects commissioned by the Government of Canada.

Although John C. Parkin is the creator of this series, the partners at his firms and other employees played a significant role as creators of the contents. Especially in the material from Parkin Architects Planners, the names of his partners such as J.B. Mar, P.H. Warren, D.L. Wilson, and L. Payne are often marked as authors of the materials.

Reference number:

AP018.S1

Physical characteristics and technical requirements:

A large part of the drawings arranged within the textual materials are folded.

Arrangement:
Materials in the Architectural Projects series have been arranged by project number in chronological order of the project start dates.

Conditions governing reproduction:

Materials from the 1997 accession AR1997:0021 are under copyright of Jennifer A.C. Parkin. Permission must be sought from the copyright holder before reproductions can be made.

Language of material:

English
French

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