Images of the opening ceremonies of the Thorvaldson Building and the subsequent dinner.

Bio/Historical Note: The Chemistry Building was enlarged with an addition and was renamed in honour of Dr. Thorbergur Thorvaldson, professor and dean of Chemistry from 1919-1959. The Thorvaldson Building opened on 6 June 1966. Architect John B. Parkin’s modern design continued with exterior stone cladding. The near windowless, stone three-storey addition provided classrooms, undergraduate and research laboratories, offices, a library and service facilities.

An empty Thorvaldson Lab.

[Ross Thatcher, Premier of Saskatchewan], cuts the ribbon during the official opening of the Thorvaldson Building.

Bio/Historical Note: The Chemistry Building was enlarged with an addition and was renamed in honour of Dr. Thorbergur Thorvaldson, professor and dean of Chemistry from 1919-1959. The Thorvaldson Building opened on 6 June 1966. Architect John B. Parkin’s modern design continued with exterior stone cladding. The near windowless, stone three-storey addition provided classrooms, undergraduate and research laboratories, offices, a library and service facilities.

Students working at different work stations in the Pharmacy Lab in the Chemistry (Thorvaldson) Building.

Bio/Historical Note: Following passage of the Saskatchewan Pharmacy Act in 1911, the newly incorporated Saskatchewan Pharmaceutical Association requested the University of Saskatchewan undertake the training and examination of pharmacists. A School within the College of Arts and Science was established in 1913 and the following year, 22 students enrolled in a one-year certificate program following a three-year apprenticeship. In 1921 the School became a College offering a four-year course leading to a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy. Three years later the certificate program was extended to two years. In 1946 the four-year BSP was a requirement for license in Saskatchewan. In 1987 a Division of Nutrition and Dietetics was established in the College of Pharmacy. Prior to this, Nutrition and Dietetics had been offered in the College of Home Economics. In 1994 the College was renamed the College of Pharmacy and Nutrition.

Students working in the Pharmacy Lab in the Chemistry (Thorvaldson) Building.

Bio/Historical Note: Following passage of the Saskatchewan Pharmacy Act in 1911, the newly incorporated Saskatchewan Pharmaceutical Association requested the University of Saskatchewan undertake the training and examination of pharmacists. A School within the College of Arts and Science was established in 1913 and the following year, 22 students enrolled in a one-year certificate program following a three-year apprenticeship. In 1921 the School became a College offering a four-year course leading to a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy. Three years later the certificate program was extended to two years. In 1946 the four-year BSP was a requirement for license in Saskatchewan. In 1987 a Division of Nutrition and Dietetics was established in the College of Pharmacy. Prior to this, Nutrition and Dietetics had been offered in the College of Home Economics. In 1994 the College was renamed the College of Pharmacy and Nutrition.

Interior of the new Library in the Thorvaldson Building, showing work desks and bookshelves.

Elevated view of steel structure being erected next to Chemistry Building; crane ar left. Winter scene.

Bio/Historical Note: The Chemistry Building was enlarged with an addition and was renamed in honour of Dr. Thorbergur Thorvaldson, professor and dean of Chemistry from 1919-1959. The Thorvaldson Building opened on 6 June 1966. Architect John B. Parkin’s modern design continued with exterior stone cladding. The near windowless, stone three-storey addition provided classrooms, undergraduate and research laboratories, offices, a library and service facilities.

Elevated view looking east at construction on the Thorvaldson Building; campus buildings in background.

Bio/Historical Note: The Chemistry Building was enlarged with an addition and was renamed in honour of Dr. Thorbergur Thorvaldson, professor and dean of Chemistry from 1919-1959. The Thorvaldson Building opened on 6 June 1966. Architect John B. Parkin’s modern design continued with exterior stone cladding. The near windowless, stone three-storey addition provided classrooms, undergraduate and research laboratories, offices, a library and service facilities.

Students use chemistry equipment in class at the Chemistry lab; equipment visible on tables in foreground.

Looking southwest as Chemistry annexes being moved; Chemistry Building in background.

Bio/Historical Note: The limitations of the original Chemistry Building became apparent with the massive influx of students at the end of World War II. The rise in enrollment put a strain on the resources of universities across the country. In response the federal government offered military surplus equipment and buildings to educational institutions at bargain prices. The University of Saskatchewan purchased nine surplus huts used at the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan airport at Dafoe, Saskatchewan, for $46,000 and joined them together to form Chemistry Annex One and Two. This “temporary” solution remained in place for two decades. The annexes were reconfigured in 1964-1965. The Thorvaldson Building opened on 6 June 1966. The annexes were removed by spring 1977.

Looking west across the Bowl. Campus buildings (l to r): Arts Tower, Chemistry Building, Biology Building, Physics Building.

Aerial view of foundations of Thorvaldson Addition being laid.

Bio/Historical Note: The Chemistry Building was enlarged with an addition and was renamed in honour of Dr. Thorbergur Thorvaldson, professor and dean of Chemistry from 1919-1959. The Thorvaldson Building opened on 6 June 1966. Architect John B. Parkin’s modern design continued with exterior stone cladding. The near windowless, stone three-storey addition provided classrooms, undergraduate and research laboratories, offices, a library and service facilities.

Elevated view of foundations of Thorvaldson Building being laid.

Bio/Historical Note: The Chemistry Building was enlarged with an addition and was renamed in honour of Dr. Thorbergur Thorvaldson, professor and dean of Chemistry from 1919-1959. The Thorvaldson Building opened on 6 June 1966. Architect John B. Parkin’s modern design continued with exterior stone cladding. The near windowless, stone three-storey addition provided classrooms, undergraduate and research laboratories, offices, a library and service facilities.

Looking northwest across the Bowl at the Chemistry Building; crowd of people stands at centre. Union Jack flag flies from top of building.

View of equipment and supplies being used. Cars around Chemistry Building at right in background. Man standing on top of office tower roof taking photographs; other men working shoveling cement.

Bio/Historical Note: The Arts Building was constructed in four major stages from 1958 to 1967 at a cost of $758,491. The first stage of construction began in September 1958 with the raising of the classroom wing. The classroom wing was constructed by W.C. Wells Construction, and was designed by Shore and Moffat. It was officially opened on 28 September 1959. The second phase of construction was completed in 1960. It involved the building of the first seven floors of the Arts Tower, the Arts Theatre, and a link joining the Tower to the classroom wing. The Arts Tower project was contracted to Bird Construction while design of the building was again carried out by Shore and Moffat. The Arts Tower was officially opened on 16 January 1961.The addition to the Arts Tower was constructed from 1963-1965 by Bird Construction. While the initial tower completed in 1960 had been designed to accommodate another three floors at a later date, by 1963-64 improvements in structural building techniques allowed the architectural firm of Shore and Moffat and Partners to add an eleventh floor to the building designs. The second classroom wing of the Arts Building was completed in 1967. This fourth and final phase of construction was built by W. C. Wells Construction and was again designed by the architectural firm of Shore and Moffat and Partners. The building on opening contained a gross area of finished space amounting to 82,980 square feet. In addition, 3,564 square feet of unfinished space was provided in the basement. Plans to adjoin the Addition to the planned Law-Commerce Complex were also included in the design. The building was considerably larger upon completion than initially planned, and included laboratory space as well as classrooms. On opening, the second classroom wing contained one 350-seat theatre, one 150-seat theatre, six 95 seat classrooms, six 45 seat classrooms and one 20 seat classroom as well as three departmental seminar rooms. In addition to these, four laboratory units were added to the building for Psychology, Geography, Languages and the Computation Centre. The second classroom wing was faced in tyndall limestone while the interior main corridors of the building were lined with painted concrete block. In 1974 a pedestrian connection was built to the Arts Building for $394,342. It was designed by BLM Architects, and was contracted to Poole Construction. Portions of the Arts Building, including the theatre, were renovated as part of the first phase of the Place Riel Project. This renovations were designed by D. H. Stock and Partners, and were contracted to Smith Bros. and Wilson. They were completed in 1976 for $178,080.