Ross, Alistair Menzies, 1930- : Alistair Ross, born in Glasgow, Scotland, had special interests in both music and architecture from a very early age. After graduation from high school, he entered the Glasgow School of Architecture (now University of Strathclyde). He left the school in 1953 without graduating and it was not until 1959, that he received his diploma and became a member of the Royal Institute of British Architects. At the end of 1953, on the invitation of a friend, Ross travelled to Ottawa. During his stay, he played in many orchestras and began working for the Department of Public Works, where he designed many post offices throughout Canada.
In 1955, Ross left the Department of Public Works to join the architectural firm of Gilleland and Strutt, where he worked on the Ottawa International Airport and the Civic Hospital extension. After working with Gilleland and Strutt for a year, he returned to Scotland to complete the first stage of his qualifying exams. He returned to Ottawa in 1956 and joined the firm of Balharrie Helmer Architects. After working with the firm for six months, Ross returned to the Department of Public Works and worked for a short time in Edmonton.
In 1958, he was transferred back to Ottawa and was one of the individuals to develop the design for an entirely new town at Frobisher Bay, N.W.T. The government later decided to hire the firm of Peter Dickson and Associates to continue the project; however, the government later decided to drop the entire project. After the death of Peter Dickson in 1961, Ross entered practice with Peter Douglass. Their practice was prosperous throughout the 1960's; however, in 1970, the firm was hit by a recession in the construction industry and they found themselves without work.
In 1971, Ross joined the architectural firm of Eriksson and Padolsky. During his two years with the firm, they designed two schools and clinic for the mentally disabled. In 1972, he began his own practice which remained active until his retirement in 1992. During his career, Alistair Ross designed many buildings located in the Ottawa-Carleton Region and eastern Ontario. They include schools, high-rise apartment buildings, office towers, laboratories, hotels and commercial buildings.
He was also responsible for many projects involving the Government of Canada such as post offices, the Government Conference Centre and the Prime Minister's residence. He was the architect for branches of the Royal Bank of Canada throughout eastern Ontario.
