Description of Historic Place

Located within the Québec Citadel National Historic Site of Canada, Building 8, also known as the Single Officer’s Barracks, Magazine and former Commissariat, extends from the wall of Mann’s Bastion into the Prince of Wales Bastion. It is a long, stone, rectangular, two-storey building with a ten-bay façade and a sheet metal hipped roof. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.

Heritage Value

Building 8 is a Classified Federal Heritage Building because of its historical associations and architectural and environmental values.

Historical Value
Building 8 is one of the best examples of a structure built during the British regime and is associated with the theme of the defence of Canada from the threat of American invasion. Its original construction, the subsequent economic benefits and the resulting influx of personnel had a significant impact on the city of Québec.

Architectural Value
Building 8 is a very good example of a specialized defensive military structure designed as a component within the walls of the Citadel. Its specialized features, solid construction techniques and its use of materials express its excellent functional design. It exhibits very good quality craftsmanship with solidly built interior spaces.

Environmental Value
As an integral component of the Citadel of Québec, the site of Building 8 has retained its original military character. Building 8 reinforces the present character of the coastal defence and military setting of the Citadel, it is well known to residents of the Citadel and together with the associated adjacent buildings, is a well-known local landmark.

Sources: Rhona Goodspeed, Québec Citadel, Québec, Québec. Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office Report 88-161; Ancienne Dépôt de vivres, (bâtiment no.8, Quartiers des officiers célibataires et Magasin, La Citadelle, Québec. Heritage Character Statement 88-161.

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of Building 8 should be respected.

Its functional military defence design and good quality materials and craftsmanship as evidenced in:
- the simple, squat, plain rectangular massing;
- the hipped roof covered with painted sheet metal and the plain masonry walls;
- the plain side elevations with semi-circular arches over the entrances;
- the fortified appearance of the rear elevation, with the two storeys separated by a cordon running the full length of the building, the first floor inclining inwards slightly as it rises, the second floor being vertical and set slightly back;
- the simple decorative details, as seen on the stone base, window sills and pediments over the doors;
- the series of ten bombproof barrel vaults over the second-storey.

The manner in which Building 8 and adjacent buildings reinforce the historic character of the fortress setting, and is a familiar regional landmark, as evidenced by:
- the design and form, which complement the location in the Québec Citadel National Historic Site of Canada;
- the structure’s visibility and ongoing relationship to nearby defence works.