Description of Historic Place

The Bank of Nova Scotia building was built in 1931 to serve as the main branch for the organization in Canada. This six storey, sandstone Art Deco building is located in downtown Halifax. The building and property are included in the provincial designation.

Heritage Value

The Bank of Nova Scotia building is valued for its architecture and design as well as its association with the well known architect, John MacIntosh Lyle, who designed the building.

Lyle began designing banks in 1907 and had received four commissions from the Bank of Nova Scotia, including the main branch building in Halifax. Lyle was passionate about architecture and strove to make every design unique and reflective of its environment. The design of this building is the result of Lyle's research on the plants, animals and ocean life of the Maritimes. Built of sandstone, carved by Ira Lake, the design was chosen to harmonize with nearby Province House and Montreal Trust in height, material and vertical lines.

The Bank of Nova Scotia is one of the finest examples of Canadian Art Deco buildings. The building is six storeys with the interior ground level being the most spectacular and also the section of the bank that is open to customers. The main floor is sheathed in marble, brass, bronze, and wood. The front doors are bronze and metal of great size. On the exterior, there are traditional pilasters rising from channeled stonework. The window grille motifs include turtles, seahorses and kingfishers; the stone work incorporates the face of Neptune, more seahorses and a representation of the Sydney steel industry.

The building continues today to serve as a bank and branch offices.

Source: Provincial Heritage Property files, no. 52, Heritage Division, 1747 Summer Street, Halifax, NS

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of the Bank of Nova Scotia relate to its Art Deco style and include:

- six-storey, steel frame construction, with exterior walls of Bedford limestone;
- central location and form and massing that complement neighbouring buildings;
- interior main floor is sheathed in marble, brass, bronze, and wood;
- exterior stone carvings and metal castings depicting the fauna and flora of the Maritimes and symbols appropriate for a bank;
- large, bronze front doors;
- traditional pilasters rising from channeled stonework;
- symetrically placed, slightly inset windows;
- codfish incorporated into window grilles;
- stone panels depicting the workings of the Sydney steel plant and a clipper ship in full sail on the Prince Street side;
- mammoth Canadian coins emblazoned on the central frieze beneath the roof cornice.