It takes a lot of planning and thoughtfulness to design an urban district that seamlessly integrates into the fabric of the city, welcoming all who meander along the cobbled plaza and streets, while also honoring the local history, contributing to the cultural ethos, and instilling a sense of pride in the region.

This is what you’ll find in the Queen’s Marque District in Halifax, Nova Scotia’s capital, that represents urban development at its best. In fact, whether you’re an art aficionado, a history buff, someone who wants to engage in well curated shopping, indulge in some tasty dining experiences or simply relax along the waterfront and take in the salt air, you’ll find it hard to leave this relatively new district—actually, you needn’t leave so quickly, given that Muir , the city’s first five-star hotel, is a centerpiece of the district—without being changed by it and without gaining a new appreciation for and knowledge of Nova Scotia and its people.

Early morning light shows off the Muir and the Queen's Marque district.

Queen’s Marque takes its name from the Crown’s Letter of Marque, whereby the Monarch authorized privateering in the mid-18th to early 19th centuries, something seafaring merchants in Halifax engaged in and profited from. Halifax has a long nautical history, situated on one of the greatest natural harbors in the world. And this maritime activity required great resilience, given that the Nova Scotian weather and landscape is harsh, to say the least: dense fog, fearsome storms, blustery winds, a rock-strewn coast and treacherous seas. No wonder there’s an abundance of shipwrecks around Nova Scotia, including Halifax Harbour. So, given the care with which this district was created, it’s no surprise that so much of the design reflects the resilience of these courageous maritime people.

A community where the waterfront meets the core of downtown.

The district extends almost five acres along a dynamic harbor, invigorating the public space that had, after World War II, become a black hole along the waterfront. Now, a pedestrian boardwalk links with the rest of the miles-long promenade that’s perfect for a jog or a scenic stroll. Numerous passageways easily allow public access to the central plaza, since creating public open space was key in this development.

As you wander about, you’ll notice that, though the architecture is contemporary, the forms and materials honor Nova Scotia’s nautical past, its maritime legacy and those who came before. In other words, the entire project is “born of this place,” a phrase that’s essentially the district’s vision statement. This reflects a project that could only have been made at this very spot, interwoven and dependent on the identity of Nova Scotia. And one thing that’s a constant: numerous art installations peppering the district, including Muir.

Rise Again Square

This grand central plaza takes its name from a unique two-story structure set along a pier with a spacious timber staircase. The term “rise again” is meant to reflect the strong character of the people. It comes from a song produced by a Canadian group, a song that embraces themes of hope and resilience in the face of adversity, whether economic or stormy seas.

Rise Again.

The structure’s stairs beckon all who set foot in the plaza, whether to race to the top, take selfies, enjoy the sun later in the day or simply delight in the ocean views. The top is crowned by “Tidal Beacon,” a kinetic art installation. From this vantage point, you may feel like the structure is floating above the waves.

Steps from your room at Muir, you’ll find an array of local retailers and top culinary talent.

With the plaza facing east, visitors enjoy the morning sun, while the other three sides protect them from the chilly North winds, especially in winter. Granite blocks here and in other parts of the district serve as benches, having been repurposed from an old seawall. (Granite references the boulder-lined craggy coastline.)

In front of Muir stand a copse of Autumn Blaze maple trees planted in an elevated terrace of sorts where you can sit in the shade and enjoy listening to frequent entertainment such as a band playing Swing music. Native to Nova Scotia, these trees remain standing despite the frigid weather and salty breezes — another symbol of the resilient Nova Scotians.

Queen’s Landing

The region’s connection with the ocean as you stand where land and sea embrace at Queen’s Landing.

More steps can be found at Queen’s Landing, a historic spot in the plaza along the waterfront where the British landed in the mid 1700s. Descending into the harbor, these granite steps represent something universal, the idea of explorations beyond the land. This is something found elsewhere in the world where staircases meet water, such as La Seine in Paris or Flume Tevece in Rome. Take off your shoes and dangle your feet in the Atlantic as you watch the fluctuating tide, launch a kayak, fish, swim or sit on one of the granite steps and relax.

A profound connection with the ocean as you stand where land meets sea, right at the bottom of Queen’s Landing.

Queen's Landing, where land meets sea.

Reminders of Nova Scotia’s History

Muntz Metal

Etched in the Muntz metal used throughout the Queen’s Marque are stories, images and symbols that share Nova Scotia’s past.

Ambling around Muir’s facade (and elsewhere in the district), you can’t miss noticing that it’s clad in Muntz metal—a zinc/copper alloy—that was used in the 19th century. Muntz is a marine material in the nautical brass family that was relied upon to sheath ship hulls, protecting them from marine organisms that would contribute to rot. Here, there’s a contemporary take on this historic use, as they’re engraved with everything from historical maps and seafaring poetry to ship manifests, charts and navel images, all reflecting Nova Scotia’s maritime heritage and contributing to a storytelling narrative on the historic nature of this location. When walking through the plaza, look down on the ground and you’ll also find Muntz metal tiles engraved with maritime symbols. In other parts of the district, you may see maritime sayings etched into the ground, such as “batten down the hatches” and “come hell or high water.”

Echoes of the seafaring past.

Cable Spools

The Spoolyard reflects reminders of local history, thanks to the etchings, glyphs and quotes reflecting the seafaring past.

Continue your explorations outside the central plaza where, on Cable Wharf, you’ll find, what else, but, a trio of Muntz metal cable spools, each etched with symbols, quotes and stories of the history of Marconi’s transatlantic cable. Dating to the early 1900s, subsea cables relayed messages between North America and Europe. (The world’s first such cables were laid in this location.) And thousands of miles of cable were wrapped around spools like these. Interestingly, the cable system had a key role in emergencies, including the rescue/recovery of the Titanic.

Ballast Boxes

When a ship emptied its cargo, ballast boxes were filled with stones and natural materials before sailing back home.

You’ll likely look curiously at mesh-encased boxes containing rocks. (These are referred to as ballast boxes.) Atop each box is a wooden plank with a different port destination: Caicos, W. Indies, Havana in Cuba, Galway in Ireland, Charleston in South Carolina and Nassau in the Bahamas. These rocks were recycled ship ballast that had been unearthed. Ballast—it could be all sorts of heavy materials, whether bricks or stones, for example—had long been used to lower a ship’s center of gravity and enhance stability, especially when navigating turbulent waters, when the ship contained little in the way of cargo.

Muir

With expansive waterfront views, the 109-room Muir is an aptly named luxe hotel. (The word “muir” comes from the Scottish Gaelic for “sea.”) And, like with the other aspects of the Queen’s Marque District, you’ll find abundant references to Nova Scotia and its nautical heritage, beyond the Muntz metal cladding the facade. Arriving by car, you’ll drive into a grand porte-cochere that’s framed by brilliant Fresnel-like light boxes referred to as “light chocks.” Every pane is an abstraction of the traditional Fresnel lenses used in lighthouses all over Nova Scotia. But they also take the name “chocks” for the supports that maintain a ship’s hull.

The “Light Chocks” are an abstract interpretation of Fresnel lenses, historically used in lighthouses in Nova Scotia.

Many of the materials used in this hotel and all over the district reflect those having a tradition in the region, thereby embracing cultural sustainability. For example, sandstone for Muir’s facade was sourced from a quarry a couple of hours from Halifax. Granite was also used in Muir as well as elsewhere in Queen’s Marque. This stone is the bedrock of much of Nova Scotia. (The renowned Nova Scotian MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects were responsible for the architecture of Muir and the entire Queen’s Marque District, while Muir’s interior was created by the Canadian designer Alessandro Munge of Studio Munge .)

Art Galore

Outdoor Public Art

Throughout the district, art is integral to telling the stories rooted in history of the region. And the art also beckons the public to stop and stay a while.

Inspired by the mythological Sirens, "The Siren's Calling" explores movement and stillness through four Greek figures symbolizing direction.

In Rise Again Square, you’ll find “Siren’s Calling” by John Green. Created from stainless steel, each of the four figures faces one of the four cardinal points, reflecting and merging with their surroundings. The Sirens that harken to Greek mythology have features only on one side—the other is a mirror. This is a nod to the idea of the harbor serving two functions: as a place where ships launch as well as a place where they find refuge.

As the ocean ebbs and flows, light rises and falls within Tidal Beacon.

At the top of the Rise Again structure soars Ned Kayn’s kinetic work, “Tidal Beacon.” It’s a nod to a lighthouse, but this one is an ultra contemporary one, consisting of a steel cage with leaf-like polycarbonate pieces that flutter in the wind. LED lights blink with changes in the tide, with high tide leading to a shining beacon of light.

Just outside the plaza on the edge of the boardwalk stands “Sail” by Edoardo Tresoldi. This 21-feet-high wire mesh art installation has an eerie vibe, reflecting the hundreds-year-old legend of a ghost schooner that’s supposedly been seen floating in the strait separating Nova Scotia from Prince Edward Island.

Art Within Muir

Art is abundant in the hotel, beginning with the entry into the reception area where you’re greeted by the stunning, six-foot, handwoven “Muir Tapestry” by Allison Pinsent-Baker. This contemporary hooked wool tapestry relies on an array of naturally dyed fibers that combine to show off ocean waves tumbling on the rocky coast.

Also in the reception area stands seven-foot-tall “Convergence” by Peter Powning, a dramatic mixed media sculpture of glass and cast bronze that’s embedded with old skeleton keys. It’s meant to represent the debris left on the beach by high tide.

Each of the guest rooms is hung with art unique to that room by an array of different Nova Scotian artists.

Award-winning artist Tim Forbes created the Sentinel series that can be found outside the guest suites and in the lobbies of the guest elevators.

Tim Forbes’ portraits of these grand boulders beckon viewers to stop and meditate on their stately structures.

In Tim Forbes’ Sentinel series, each boulder has a unique visage but each stands as a protective guardian along the rugged coast.

One of most impressive artistic creations found in Muir are the “Sentinels” by Nova Scotian multi-media artist Tim Forbes. (They bedeck the entrance to the Muir suites and the guest elevator lobbies.) This photo series focuses on the clusters of granite boulders that seem to act as coastal guardians along the Nova Scotia waterfront. You could almost meditate on their ruggedness. And, while they are instilled with a sense of stillness, their presence is powerful. They are at once ordinary and captivating.

On the second floor of Muir, guests are treated to a private art gallery, True Colours, an intimate space that showcases works with a connection to Nova Scotia and Canada. The gallery has a rotating collection of exhibits that change every six months as well as talks with the artists. (All the art that’s curated by Carver Hain Art + Design is available for purchase.)

A duo of artists, Ned Pratt and Brad Copping, are showing their work in this gallery through March 2025.

Ned Pratt’s image titled Yellow Store at Red Cliff, and two handblown and carved glass bowls by Brad Copping sit on either side of a window alcove.

Photographer Ned Pratt is noted for his minimalist images of both traditional and more contemporary architecture as well as landscape features that one may consider mundane in Newfoundland.

Ned Pratt’s image “Bay l’Argent” 2021 is installed beside blown and carved glass pieces by Brad Copping.

Brad Copper melds glass blowing with sculpting, creating organic carved forms bearing brilliant colors.