Site2 Physical Architectural Description

The Bastion - ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION

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The Bastion in Nanaimo was 37 feet high and built as an octagon. The first and second floors were the same size and the area of the third floor was twice as big. It was constructed from wood and stone.

Construction on the Bastion commenced in the fall of 1852. The entire building was built from 8 x 8 inch squared cedar timber (Jonathan Yardly. Restoration Study: The Bastion Nanaimo, B.C. p. 3). Bastion was rough-hewn from the beach and hauled up the rocky slope to the site. The logs were then notched and fitted together with dowels.

Poteaux et piece coulissante architecture

The construction of the Bastion was supervised by Leon Labine and Jean Baptiste Fortier. Although they were not architects or contractors by profession, they were familiar with the tradition of the "poteaux et piece coulissante" construction method. This construction type was first developed in the French colonies. The design was later adopted by the Hudson Bay Company in the building of the their forts in the Northwest.

Last updated 31 August 1998.
This digital collection was produced under contract to the Canada's Digital Collections Program, Industry Canada.
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Content provided by BC Heritage Trust and Heritage Branch, Province of British Columbia.