BALHARRIE, James Watson (1910-1967), was born in Ottawa, Ont. on 6 June 1910. Educated at Glebe Collegiate, he did not receive a formal university education in architecture. Instead, he articled with Richards & Abra (in 1928-30) and later worked as a draftsman for W.E. Noffke (in 1938-42). After serving in the Royal Canadian Navy as designer of Works & Buildings in 1942-44 he was invited to join W.J. Abra in a partnership in 1946 (see list of works under Abra & Balharrie). In 1947 the firm became Abra, Balharrie & Shore, and the firm was later renamed Balharrie, Helmer & Morin in 1956. He was one of the few Canadian architects who was a member of C.I.A.M. [Congres International d'Architecture Moderne], a European organization of leading architects and architectural theorists founded in 1928. He was keenly aware of the new tendencies in modern design, and in 1946 he distinguished himself by winning Second Prize of $1,500 in the international competition for American Small House Designs (Ottawa Journal, 18 Feb. 1946, 7). His plans were selected from over 600 submissions, and were published in the American journal Progressive Architecture [New York], xxvii, April 1946, 63, 66-67, illus. & descrip. The first prize was awarded to the well-known Boston architect Hugh Stubbins.
In Canada, some of the major projects completed by Balharrie include the Rideau Carleton Raceway, Albion Road, OTTAWA, ONT. (1960-61) and the Dept. of Health & Welfare Tower in Tunney's Pasture, OTTAWA, ONT. Balharrie also held the position of assistant professor of architecture at McGill University from 1948. He died at Round Lake, Ont. on 22 October 1967 (obit. Ottawa Citizen, 24 Oct. 1967, 2; biog. R.A.I.C. Journal, xxvi, April 1949, 129; inf. Province of Quebec Assoc. of Architects). A biography and photographic portrait of Balharrie can be found in Progressive Architecture [New York], xxvii, April 1946, 20.