Elevated view looking northeast at campus buildings (l to r): Chemistry Building, Physics Building and Kirk Hall.

A line of people walk on a campus sidewalk to Physics Building during a blizzard. Field Husbandry Building (later Crop Science, Archaeology) can be seen in the background but is obscured by blowing snow.

Elevated view looking east of a snow-covered campus, taken from the Arts Tower. Looking across the Bowl at buildings (l to r): Physics Building, Administration Building, Saskatchewan Hall, Qu'Appelle Hall, Marquis Hall, and north wing of Murray Memorial (Main) Library.

Students in elementary laboratory in new Physics addition.

Bio/Historical Note: The Physics Building Addition, designed by Kerr, Cullingworth, Riches and Associates, was initially meant to accommodate a student body of 8,000 for a cost of $750,000. However, the growing demands of the Department during the planning stages led to a drastic increase in the scope of the project. Upon completion the Addition added 36,000 square feet of accommodation to the existing 49,000 in the original Physics Building; the foundations and support columns of the Addition are also designed to support an additional two storeys to the building in future expansions. The basement of the Addition originally housed 20 undergraduate laboratories, each with a proposed capacity of 20 students, four advanced undergraduate labs specializing in Modern Physics, Electronics, Optics and 4th Year studies, and research laboratories for masters and doctoral candidates. As well, main machine, woodworking, students’ and electronic workshops were contained here, as was most of the office space. The building also contained two large lecture theatres and classroom space to accommodate 450 to 500 students. The Addition was restricted to two-storeys so as not to cast shadows on the Biology greenhouses to the north. The exterior of the building was sheathed in greystone, with Tyndall limestone used as window trim, door and window mullions, and as mirror wall panels. Grey slate was used in canopy facings, and in steps and the thresholds to entrances.

Dr. Leon Katz and class in a lecture theatre in the new Physics addition.

Bio/Historical Note: The Physics Building Addition, designed by Kerr, Cullingworth, Riches and Associates, was initially meant to accommodate a student body of 8,000 for a cost of $750,000. However, the growing demands of the Department during the planning stages led to a drastic increase in the scope of the project. Upon completion the Addition added 36,000 square feet of accommodation to the existing 49,000 in the original Physics Building; the foundations and support columns of the Addition are also designed to support an additional two storeys to the building in future expansions. The basement of the Addition originally housed 20 undergraduate laboratories, each with a proposed capacity of 20 students, four advanced undergraduate labs specializing in Modern Physics, Electronics, Optics and 4th Year studies, and research laboratories for masters and doctoral candidates. As well, main machine, woodworking, students’ and electronic workshops were contained here, as was most of the office space. The building also contained two large lecture theatres and classroom space to accommodate 450 to 500 students. The Addition was restricted to two-storeys so as not to cast shadows on the Biology greenhouses to the north. The exterior of the building was sheathed in greystone, with Tyndall limestone used as window trim, door and window mullions, and as mirror wall panels. Grey slate was used in canopy facings, and in steps and the thresholds to entrances.

Students seated in desks listen to an instructor in tiered lecture theatre in Physics; instructor is standing at front. View from back of classroom looking towards instructor.

Bio/Historical Note: A proper addition to the Physics Building was finally completed in 1967 by W.C. Wells Construction for $2,029,876. The Physics Building Addition, designed by Kerr, Cullingworth, Riches and Associates, was initially meant to accommodate a student body of 8,000 for a cost of $750,000. However, the growing demands of the Department during the planning stages led to a drastic increase in the scope of the project. Upon completion the Addition added 36,000 square feet of accommodation to the existing 49,000 in the original Physics Building; the foundations and support columns of the Addition are also designed to support an additional two storeys to the building in future expansions. The basement of the Addition originally housed 20 undergraduate laboratories, each with a proposed capacity of 20 students, four advanced undergraduate labs specializing in Modern Physics, Electronics, Optics and 4th Year studies, and research laboratories for masters and doctoral candidates. As well, main machine, woodworking, students’ and electronic workshops were contained here, as was most of the office space. The building also contained two large lecture theatres and classroom space to accommodate 450 to 500 students. The Addition was restricted to two-storeys so as not to cast shadows on the Biology greenhouses to the north. The exterior of the building was sheathed in greystone, with Tyndall limestone used as window trim, door and window mullions, and as mirror wall panels. Grey slate was used in canopy facings, and in steps and the thresholds to entrances.

Looking east from the roof of the Chemistry Building at proposed site. Campus buildings (l to r): Veterinary Building, Engineering Building, Field Husbandry Building (Crop Science), Livestock Pavilion, Physics Building, College Building.

Bio/Historical Note: In the immediate post-World War II period construction was centred on what was called the “Agriculture Group” of buildings including the Virus Laboratory, School of Agriculture and the Soils and Dairy Laboratories. All three were built between 1948 and 1949, all were flat-roofed structures and all of them would be named after prominent members of the College of Agriculture’s faculty. They also introduced a fourth major building material to campus, yellow brick, which was chosen when the preferred greystone was unavailable. The campus was now colour coded: Engineering, red brick; Agriculture, yellow brick; and the Arts and the Sciences, stone. The main portion of the Soils and Dairy Science Building was divided more or less equally between the two departments. Greenhouses attached to the south end of the building were occupied by Field Husbandry and Forage Crops. The new Dairy Laboratory housed the latest equipment to process milk and milk products and supplied the University with all its milk, cheese and cream needs. In 1957, the building was renamed the John Mitchell Building after the professor and head of the Soils Department and director of the Saskatchewan Soil Survey who had died two years earlier. With the opening of the College of Agriculture Building, the John Mitchell Building became vacant in 1991. It was decided that Drama should move out of the Hangar Building and fill the space. After several renovations, including the conversion of the two large cheese and soil laboratories into theatre space, The Drama Department took up residence in September 1993.

Elevated view looking east from the Arts Tower of the Chemistry (Thorvaldson) Building. Physics Building and Kirk Hall at centre; Administration Building at right.

Princess Elizabeth chats with F. Hedley Auld, University Chancellor, and W.P. Thompson, University President, and other dignitaries in front of the Administration Building. Crowd of onlookers and Physics Building in background.

View of the Bowl, Administration Building, Saskatchewan Hall, Qu'Appelle Hall, and Physics Building. Construction of Biology Building. visible at bottom left. Cars lining the Bowl area.

Elevated view looking east across the Bowl showing cars on road and people walking on pathways. Campus buildings in background (l to r): Physics Building, College Building, Saskatchewan Hall and Qu'Appelle Hall. Taken from the roof of the Chemistry Building.