Ottawa’s Claridge Icon tower, standing as both a landmark and a testament to the city’s evolving boundaries, embodies a shift in our engagement with urban space. Once the edge of the city at the turn of the 20th century, this location now hosts the tallest building in Ottawa, standing at 143 meters and representing the city’s first venture beyond previous height restrictions. The Claridge Icon, visible from diverse vantage points, overlooks urban ecologies that thrive in its shadow. This towering structure reminds us that humans are continually pushing boundaries and that our more-than-human kin persist, adapting and flourishing in these evolving landscapes.
Coexistence was presented as part of Correspondances, at the Shenkman Arts Centre.
Open this page on a desktop computer, then scan the QR code with your mobile phone or enter valeriechartrand.ca/coexistence in your phone browser, then point your phone at the Claridge Icon tower photos, symbol of Ottawa’s expanding urban boundaries. Explore the natural life in its shadow and get a glimpse of a future without insects, a reminder of the need to balance human development with fostering urban ecologies and protecting the more-than-human world.
