Canadian War Museum Celebrates Canadian Architect With Renamed Moriyama Regeneration Hall

MEDIA RELEASE

Ottawa, Ontario, October 18, 2021 —  The Canadian War Museum has renamed one of its signature spaces Moriyama Regeneration Hall, in honour of the Museum’s architect.

Raymond Moriyama is one of the most important Canadian architects of the 20th century, with a legacy of iconic buildings across Canada and around the world. His innovative design for the War Museum not only incorporates themes related to restoration and regeneration, but also environmental sustainability and the inclusion of all peoples.

“Although all museums share stories through exhibitions, programming and research, Raymond Moriyama’s vision has given the Canadian War Museum an evocative platform for the discussion of important themes related to conflict and renewal,” said Caroline Dromaguet, Interim President and CEO of the Canadian Museum of History and Director General of the Canadian War Museum. “Nowhere is that more apparent than in the newly renamed Moriyama Regeneration Hall, which features symbols of grief, remembrance and hope for a better world.”

During the Second World War, the Canadian government forcibly removed Raymond Moriyama’s family and 23,000 other Japanese Canadians from the Pacific coast. Raymond’s father was sent to a camp in Ontario, while the rest of the family was relocated to a camp in British Columbia’s interior, and their property was seized and sold off. Moriyama’s first architectural project was a treehouse he built as a teenager during this time, as an escape from the hardships of camp life. The treehouse also inspired some of the elements in Moriyama Regeneration Hall. One of these is its eerie soundscape: a recording of the wind as it whistled through the unfinished War Museum, reminding Moriyama of his long-ago treehouse.

The renaming was made possible through the generous support of Ajon Moriyama, Jason Moriyama, Mark Michi Moriyama, Murina Moriyama, Loubert and Midori Suddaby and Moriyama & Teshima Architects, as well as additional donors to the Moriyama Tribute Campaign.

A popular draw among visitors, Moriyama Regeneration Hall features angled walls, life-sized plaster maquettes of sculptures for the Vimy Memorial in France, and a view of the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill. Reconciling the upheaval of war with hope for the future, Moriyama Regeneration Hall reflects Mr. Moriyama’s own words in his brief for the Canadian War Museum: “While nature may be ravaged by human acts of war, it inevitably survives, regenerates and renews itself.”

Visitors are invited to come and experience Moriyama Regeneration Hall and see the new dedication plaque on their next visit to the Museum. For more information about safety measures at the Museum and to book tickets, please visit warmuseum.ca.

The Canadian War Museum is Canada’s national museum of military history. Its mission is to promote public understanding of Canada’s military history in its personal, national, and international dimensions. Work of the Canadian War Museum is made possible in part through financial support of the Government of Canada.

-30-

Media contact
Avra Gibbs Lamey
Senior Communications and Media Relations Officer
Telephone: 613-791-0910
avra.gibbs-lamey@warmuseum.ca