F.DAVID MATHIASCAC Accession No: 82
 

DESCRIPTION

Frederick David Mathias was born in Montreal on March 2, 1913. He attended Selwyn House School, Montreal and Ashbury College, Ottawa. Mathias studied architecture at M.I.T. in Boston from 1931 to 1936, graduating in 1936. His thesis was a Recreational Centre for St. Helen's Island in Montreal. From 1936 to 1937 Mathias worked in the office of Sir Astin Webb in London, England. He joined Montreal architect D.J.Spence in 1937. Between 1940 and 1945 he joined the armed forces and fought in Italy. He returned to the firm (Spence, Mathias & Burge) in 1945. His work includes residential and commercial architecture. “The Well House,” 5 55 Victoria Ave., Westmount (1954) is included in Montréal’s Little Mountain / La Petite Montagne, a book that draws on the work of Montreal’s greatest architects. Mathias also designed numerous buildings for the Protestant School Board of Greater Montreal, the Phillips Square Building, and the façade of the Seagram’s Building on Peel Street. Fine architectural renderings by David Mathias in competition drawings at M.I.T. and in project drawings, reflect the influence of his studies, and of the British architectural tradition learned in the office of Sir Astin Webb. David Mathias died in December 1997, at the age of 84.

PROVENANCE

The drawings and paper files were donated to the John Bland Canadian Architecture Collection by Mrs F. D. Mathias.

SCOPE AND CONTENT

Architectural drawings, specifications and correspondence for the Seagrams Building 1929, 1931, 1955-57.
24 ink on linen; 25 pencil on paper 8 pencil on waxed paper; 21 blueprints; 4 blueline prints; 4 reproductive print.
10 design drawings: floor plans, section.
5 development drawings structural plans, elevator hatchway, rear elevation, opening in party wall.
32 working drawings: floor plans, elevations, sections, roof plan mechanical plans.
23 shop drawings: schedule, footing plan, elevations, wiring, mezzanine, stairs, elevator elevator, penthouse, machinery, floor slab, metalwork, structural plans, steelwork, structural details, structural analysis of existing frame, structural steel plans.
23 details: front elevation, display window and shop entrance, revised elevation, stair framing, roof framing, existing party wall, front elevation including wall section and half plans lightwell, framing plan, flush duct, junction box, walker duct, office partitions, stairs, wall sections, vent dome, general office, windows, entrance doorway, stonework, piping, heating system, boiler room, interior elevations, panelling, display window.
1 sheet; Distillers Corporation Building History. July 5, 1974.
De Stein & McCutcheon. Analysis of Capacity of Existing Structural Frame to Support an Additional Story for Distillers Corporation Limited Peel Street Building. July 11,1955.
F.D. Mathias. Specifications for Heating, Plumbing and Ventilation. July 1955.
F. D. Mathias. Specification for Air conditioning. December 1955.
F. D. Mathias. Specifications for Additions and Alterations to 1430 Peel Street Distillers Corporation Limited. August 1, 1955.
F.D. Mathias. Specifications for Alterations to Heating System. June 1957.
Alterations to Heating System Addendum no.1. July 5, 1957.
Specification for Structural Steel.
Correspondence: De Stein & McCutcheon to F.D. Mathias, Montreal, August 8, 1956. Correspondence: De Stein & McCutcheon to F.D. Mathias, Montreal, October 6, 1956.
F.D. Mathias. Work to be done for 3rd floor alteration. January 21, 1959.

Architectural drawings and paper files Belgo Building, 1912, 1913,1923, 1924, 1937, 1954, 1958, 1959, 1965, 1970.
10 paper, 30 linen, 14 blueprints. working drawings: elevations, plans, details structural, electrical, mechanical.

SEE ALSO

Spence and Mathias
Finley and Spence
David Jerome Spence
Spence Mathias and Burge