Seymour Conservatory and Museum

Nestled along the Lake Couchiching waterfront in Orillia, Ontario, the Dr. Seymour Conservatory & Museum is a year-round public facility that serves as a focal point for community gatherings, festivals, and family picnics. It is one of two operational greenhouses pivotal in the City of Orillia’s annual planting production for its various gardens, including those within the park itself. Not only does it function as an interactive discovery center and teaching garden for both young students and the public, it also houses horticultural programs aimed at fostering community engagement with respect to plant- and flower-growing for the park. 
 
The project’s overarching objective is to establish an inspiring landmark within Couchiching Beach Park. The building is oriented to take advantage of panoramic lake views of the lake and the historical fishing weirs used by the Indigenous fisherpeople. Inspired by the flexible and intricate structure of these traditional weirs, the design communicates flexibility and rhythm, with the greenhouse framework gradually transitioning to become the structural framework for the pavilion itself.

The curving roof, adorned with white cedar shingles that mirror those found on neighbouring park buildings, pays homage to the region’s white cedar trees, historically used by the Mnijijaning over 3000 years ago in the construction of the fishing weirs. Not only does white cedar reflect the site’s historical context, but its practicality, natural weather resistance, longevity, and sustainable sourcing align appositely with the project’s environmental ethos.