Four welded steel sculptures by Ron Baird.

Annex 1 was one of four original prefabricated buildings constructed in 1957 on the campus of Waterloo Lutheran University (now Wilfrid Laurier University). Initially located in the parking lot behind Willison Hall, Annex 1 was built by Geratt Construction Co. and housed temporary classrooms and drafting rooms for the new co-operative engineering program established by Waterloo College and Associate Faculties (now University of Waterloo). Some offices were also located inside the building. The space could not accommodate science labs, which had to be conducted in WLU’s arts building.

Annex 1 was built alongside Annex 2, Annex 3, and Annex 4. Annex 2 also held classrooms and offices as well as the main cafeteria. Annex 1 and Annex 2 were built at a cost of about $50,000.

Annex 3 and Annex 4 were used for building and maintenance purposes. One of these buildings was purported to have been a cement block structure that was formerly used as a sausage factory.

In 1958, construction was finished on the new chemistry and chemical engineering building, which was later named Engineering I and is now known as the Douglas Wright Engineering (DWE) building. Annex 1 and Annex 2 were relocated that year next to DWE to supplement the new permanent building. The relocation was carried out by Cooper Building Movers over a period of six days at a cost of around $6,000.

Annex 1 was relocated again in 1965 to a new location near Laurel Creek, on the road leading to the Residence Village. The relocation was managed by Lackie Bros., using two trucks to transport the building across the Engineering parking lot, the Physics parking area, and behind the Chemistry-Biology building to its new site. The move began on August 30, 1965, and was successfully completed within a span of two weeks, with an estimated cost of approximately $6,000.

After the relocation, Annex 1 was renamed the Federation Building, sometimes referred to as the Student Federation Building. The building then housed the Board of Publications offices, Student Book Store, the Campus Shop, Health Services, and the Federation of Student offices.[1]

Annex 1 was demolished in 1968.[2] Annex 2 was kept until the Food Services Building (now South Campus Hall) was completed in September 1967. Annex 3 and Annex 4 were demolished around 1965.[3]

The Bombshelter Pub, commonly referred to as "the Bomber," opened in January 1975 inside the Campus Centre (now the Student Life Centre) at the University of Waterloo.[1] Initially known as the Campus Centre Pub or C.C. Pub, the establishment briefly underwent a name change to the "Orange Bombshelter" on May 29, 1976, before adopting its contemporary name.[2]

The pub was initially owned and managed by the University of Waterloo. The University's leadership had expressed interest in establishing a campus pub as far back as the 1960s. However, regulations at the time prohibited universities from obtaining permanent liquor licenses, limiting alcohol service to special occasions. In 1969, the University formally petitioned the provincial government to revise these regulations.[3] By 1975, the legislation was amended, and the University was granted a permanent license. This license permitted the serving of alcoholic beverages exclusively to students, faculty, staff, and registered guests. An area inside the Campus Centre was renovated to create space for the pub, which was scheduled to open on January 20, 1975.[4]

Original prices for drinks in 1975 was 50 cents for a bottle of beer, 45 cents for a 12-ounce glass of draft beer, 70 cents for straight bar liquor, 85 cents for bar liquor with mix, and $2.10 for a pitcher of beer.[5]

Ownership of the pub was transferred to the Federation of Students (now the Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association, WUSA) sometime between 1976 and 1978. Throughout its years of operation, the pub hosted many musical performances, became well-known for trivia nights, and served as a popular meeting place for members of the University community.[6]

In 2018, WUSA announced that the pub was not financially sustainable, and the business was closed permanently after more than 40 years of service.[7]

Fiberglass fountain by Bruce Watson located outside of the southeast corner of the Mathematics & Computer Building.

The Campus Shop was a store open to all students on the University of Waterloo campus in the 1960s. The shop was run as a service by the Circle K Club and profits from the store were used towards specific projects on campus. The store was located in the Student Federation Building (also known as Annex I) that was located by Laurel Creek. Examples of items sold in the store include jackets, sweatshirts, running shoes, toiletries, candy, pipes, cigarettes, and cards.[1]

By 1969, the Campus Shop had moved and was located in the basement of the Campus Centre.[2]

The Dana Porter Library officially opened on October 23, 1965 as the Arts Library Building. It was designed by Toronto based Shore and Moffatt and Partners and was built between 1964 and 1970. The 10-storey building had floors added over time, with work on the final three beginning in 1969 by Hamilton-based Eaglewood Construction.

The opening of the building in 1965 was marked by a special convocation ceremony during which honorary degrees were presented to Bertha Bassam, Robert Harold Blackburn, and Jack Ernest Brown. Afterwards, the academic procession proceeded directly from Convocation to the main entrance of the Arts Library Building. The Arts Library Building was dedicated to and named after Dana Harris Porter, the first chancellor of the University of Waterloo, on October 27, 1967.

The Douglas Wright Engineering Building, originally called Engineering I, was the first permanent building on the University of Waterloo campus. It was opened in December 1958 by Ontario premier Leslie M. Frost.

Environment I, one of three buildings used by the Faculty of Environment, along with Environment 2 and Environment 3, was built in 1966 as Arts II. In 1967, the building was named in honour of Isaiah Bowman, a geographer and veteran of both World Wars who was born Waterloo County. Known first as the Isaiah Bowman Building of the Social Sciences and later the Isaiah Bowman Building for Environmental Studies, the building was officially renamed Environment 1 in 2008 however a plaque and photo of Bowman, known for anti-Semitic and racist views, remained in place until 2022.

Two stylized concrete figures by Theodore Harlander located at the north entrance of South Campus Hall.

Bronze sculpture by Almuth Lutkenhaus commissioned for the University of Waterloo campus by the Works of Art committee.

The Arts Building at the University of Waterloo, now known as the Modern Languages Building, was a major addition to the campus, marking the university’s expansion into liberal arts education. Plans for the three-story structure were announced on July 20, 1961, with a projected cost of $1,200,000, later revised to $1,400,000 to include furnishings, landscaping, and architectural fees. The building was designed to include a teaching wing as well as a distinctive seven-sided theatre wing including art galleries, which would serve both the university and the surrounding community as a fine arts centre.[1]

The original 1961 plans for the Arts Building at the University of Waterloo outlined a teaching wing with classrooms, seminar rooms, and specialized labs for geography, psychology, and a 54-unit language lab. The lower floor included a student coffee room, women’s lounge, and faculty lounge, all opening onto a terrace facing the theatre wing. The theatre wing was designed to feature several art galleries and a main theatre with a hydraulically operated retractable stage, allowing the space to function both as a lecture hall and a performance venue. Seating was planned for over 500 people, including 312 seats in the main area, 40 on each side of the stage, and additional temporary seating in the adjacent galleries.[2]

Construction of the Arts Building was scheduled to begin in November 1961, following a tender process in October.[3] The teaching wing was planned for completion by August 31, 1962, with the theatre wing to follow by October 31.[4] The building officially opened in September 1962, and the theatre wing was completed shortly after, in October.[5]

Designed by Shore and Moffat of Toronto and built by Cooper Construction Company of Hamilton, the Arts Building stood out on campus for its modern architectural style, featuring long, vertical V-shaped windows and dark brick. The final structure spanned approximately 55,000 square feet.[6]

A defining feature of the teaching wing was the language laboratory. By 1968, the language laboratory in Room 109 was equipped with 36 individual recording booths where students could listen to lessons, repeat them, and record their voices on a separate tape channel. This setup enabled students to compare their pronunciation with that of the instructor and re-record until they were satisfied with their progress. Instructors could monitor each booth and communicate directly with students, providing personalized feedback to support both pronunciation and comprehension.[7]

The theatre wing, home to the Theatre of the Arts, served all departments within the Faculty of Arts. The Theatre of the Arts functioned as the university’s largest lecture hall and a cultural venue. Michael Langham, artistic director of the Stratford Festival, contributed to the design of the amphitheater, which could seat over 400 people.[8]

The theatre quickly became a cultural hub, with a debut performance Wintersong on January 26, 1963, featuring folk singers Judy Orban and Cedric Smith that was part of Winterland ’63 celebrations.[9] The first play hosted in the theatre was The Miser, directed by Dr. A.I. Dust that opened on March 14, 1963.[10] The venue welcomed the general public for the first time with a performance by the University of Toronto Orchestra on February 2, 1963.[11]

The first exhibit in the gallery was a display of 32 paintings and sketches by 8 Canadian artists including A.Y. Jackson, Sir Frederick Banting, J.E.H. MacDonald, Arthur Lismer, Lawren Harris, F.H. Varley, Thoreau MacDonald, and Tom Tomson. The artworks were from the private collection of N.D. Young of Toronto.[12]

The Arts Building marked a significant milestone in the university’s building development, initiating the arts cell of the campus and complementing the existing science and engineering facilities.[13]

In the early mid-1960s, there was some uncertainty surrounding the official name of the Arts Building. While it was originally referred to simply as the Arts Building, the name "Modern Languages" appears to have been formally adopted by university administrators, including William Lobban, Director of Physical Plant and Planning, likely between 1965-1966. However, signage on the building continued to read, "Arts and Theatre Building" until at least 1967.[14]

Notre Dame College was the women’s residence section of St. Jerome’s University, a public Roman Catholic university federated with the University of Waterloo. The college was operated by the School Sisters of Notre Dame.[1]

The original Notre Dame College Women’s Residence was built in 1962. The building was intended to house women on the University of Waterloo campus with private rooms for students and Sisters’ quarter. The residence accommodated 50 individuals and was constructed with funding provided by the School Sisters of Notre Dame.[2]

An addition to the residence building was completed around 1970 or 1971. The new wing enabled the residence to house approximately 125 students. The addition cost approximately $500,000 to complete and the funding was provided by the School Sisters of Notre Dame.

An extension to the residence building was completed in 1970, allowing the facility to accommodate approximately 125 students. The construction of the new wing was funded by the School Sisters of Notre Dame and cost approximately $500,000. The architects of the new addition were Horton and Hall of Kitchener. The contractor was Monteith-McGrath Ltd.[3]

Porcellino is a bronze sculpture of a wild boar, located in front of the Modern Languages building at the University of Waterloo. The piece weighs approximately 700 pounds.

Porcellino is a cast of a bronze fountain originally made by the Baroque master Pietro Tacca in 1620. This cast along with four others, was produced by Marinelli of Florence in 1962. The other copies are in Florence, Italy; Sydney, Australia; Victoria, British Columbia; and California. Additional casts of the fountain created over the years can be found around the world. For many years, the original fountain by Pietro Tacca sat on the south side of the Straw Market in Florence, Italy. Today, the piece is held by the Museo Stefano Bardini in Palazzo Mozzi and a modern cast is installed by the market.

The fountain cast by Pietro Tacca was based on a Hellenistic marble statue known as Cinghiale, which was discovered in Rome and relocated to Florence in the mid-sixteenth century by the Medici family. Today, the original marble statue is in the Uffizi Museum in Florence, Italy.

Cinghiale and Porcellino have been associated with the Calydonian boar hunt from Greek mythology. Some researchers have suggested that the boar was likely part of a larger hunting scene. The unique position of the boar is noteworthy, as it is neither in repose or attack and appears as if suddenly awakened by the sound of the hunt.[1]

The Porcellino sculpture on the University of Waterloo campus was donated to the Faculty of Mathematics’ Descartes Foundation in 1978 by Dr. Henry Crapo. Dr. Crapo served as a professor in the Faculty of Mathematics from 1965 to 1977 and was known as a patron of the arts.

Upon its donation, the Works of Art Committee on campus considered installing the sculpture near Laurel Creek across from the Student Life Centre.[2] However, the committee ultimately decided to place the sculpture inside the Modern Languages foyer in January 1979.[3]

In the 1980s students used the boar as a meeting place and rubbed its nose for good luck before exams. Due to its location, the sculpture was informally adopted as the mascot for the Faculty of Arts.[4] The piece was also the subject of pranks on campus and was kidnapped by Engineering students in 1991 and dressed as a dog.[5]

In the early 1990s, Dr. Brian Hendley, the Dean of Arts, asked Ann Roberts, staff member in the Department of Fine Arts, to identify a suitable permanent location for the sculpture, where it could be securely installed using bolts and concrete. Initial ideas for potential sites included the Davis Centre Quadrangle, the Arts Quad, and East Campus Hall.[6] The decision was made to place the sculpture in front of the Modern Languages building in 1994. On June 4, 1994, the campus hosted a celebration for the unveiling of the boar as part of the annual Waterloo Weekend for alumni.[7]

Painted steel sculpture by Ron Baird.

Bronze sculpture by Almuth Lutkenhaus purchased through donations in memory of Muriel DeGre.