RULE, John Ulric (1904-1978), a partner in the leading Alberta firm of architects known as Rule, Wynn & Rule. Formed in Edmonton in 1938, the partnership consisted of John U. Rule and Gordon K. Wynn (1910-1994), and they were joined in 1940 by Peter L. Rule (1913-1964) (R.A.I.C. Journal, xvii, July 1940, 120). They were among the very first architectural firms in that province to introduce a distinctive modernist style to western Canadian architecture, and, after WWII, they were remarkably prolific in designing major commercial, institutional and industrial buildings throughout Alberta.
Born in Sunderland, England in 1904, John U. was brought to Canada by his parents at the age of 6 years, and graduated with a degree in architecture from the newly formed School of Architecture at the Univ. of Alberta in Edmonton. He then moved to Chicago and obtained a Master of Arts degree from the Univ. of Chicago. He may have received his architectural training there, but by 1936 he had returned to Edmonton, and he registered with the Alberta Assoc. of Architects on 20 June 1938. The partnership of Rule & Wynn (formed in 1938) was later joined by Peter Rule, the younger brother of John U. Rule, and during the next 30 years their firm made a substantial impact with dozens of commissions in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.
John U. Rule retired in 1967 and died in Edmonton on 4 December 1978 (death notice Edmonton Journal, 6 Dec. 1978, page E2; obit. Edmonton Journal, 11 Dec. 1978, D4). A biography and photographic portrait of Rule was published in the R.A.I.C. Journal, xxiii, March 1946, 71. The Canadian Architectural Archives at the Univ. of Calgary holds an extensive collection of nearly 6,000 original architectural drawings prepared by the firm of Rule, Wynn & Rule from 1938 onward. A complete Finding Aid and Guide to the collection was published by the University of Calgary Press in 1997. Virtually all projects listed below are documented with original drawings now held in the Rule, Wynn & Rule Collection at the Univ. of Calgary.
RULE & WYNN (works in Edmonton)
(with Green, Blankstein, Ham, Russell, Winnipeg) DREAMLAND MOVIE THEATRE, Jasper Avenue, 1938 (R.A.I.C. Journal, xv, Sept. 1938, 211)
GLENORA PUBLIC SCHOOL, 102nd Avenue at 135th Street, 1939 (C.R., lii, 26 July 1939, 106; R.A.I.C. Journal, xvi, Sept. 1939, 214; xvii, Aug. 1940, 150; Building in Canada [Toronto], Spring 1941, 70, illus.)
MISERICORDIA HOSPITAL, 111th Street, major addition, 1939-40; with addition of a Nurses Home, 1946; addition to the hospital, 1950 (R.A.I.C. Journal, xvi, Aug. 1939, 194; C.R., lix, Nov. 1946, 102; lxiii, July 1950, 117, t.c.)
WOODWARD’S DEPARTMENT STORE, 101st Street at 100A Street, major addition, 1940 (C.R., liii, 17 Jan. 1940, 22; R.A.I.C. Journal, xvii, Feb. 1940, 28; May 1940, 86)
VARSCONA MOVIE THEATRE, Whyte Avenue at 109th Street, 1940 (R.A.I.C. Journal, xvii, May 1940, 86; Canadian Moving Picture Digest [Toronto], 13 July 1940, 5, descrip.; Hal Kalman, A History of Canadian Architecture, 1994, 773-74, illus. & descrip.; Tim Morawetz, Art Deco Architecture Across Canada, 2017, 258, illus. & descrip.)
PALACE THEATRE, 111th Avenue at 95th Street, 1940 (R.A.I.C. Journal, xvii, May 1940, 86)
RULE & WYNN (works elsewhere)
BONNYVILLE, ALTA., Roman Catholic Convent, 1940 (R.A.I.C. Journal, xvii, Aug. 1940, 150)
ST. PAUL, ALTA., Roman Catholic Hospital for the Sisters of the Assumption, 1939-40 (R.A.I.C. Journal, xvi, Dec. 1939, 262)
VERMILION, ALTA., High School, 1940 (R.A.I.C. Journal, xvii, June 1940, 107)
RULE, WYNN & RULE (works in Edmonton)
WESTGLEN HIGH SCHOOL, 127 Street at 109 Avenue, 1940 (R.A.I.C. Journal, xvii, July 1940, 120; Building in Canada [Toronto], Spring 1941, 70, illus.; Capital Modern - Guide to Edmonton Architecture & Urban Design 1940-1969, 2007, 101-02, illus. & descrip.; Tim Morawetz, Art Deco Architecture Across Canada, 2017, 103, illus. & descrip.)
GREAT WESTERN GARMENT CO., 97th Street, factory, 1941 (C.R., liv, 22 Oct. 1941, 28)
CANADA PACKERS CO. LTD., 70th Street at Fort Road, major addition, 1941-42 (R.A.I.C. Journal, xviii, Nov. 1941, 193)
MERRICK DRUG STORE, Jasper Avenue, 1941-42 (R.A.I.C. Journal, xviii, Nov. 1941, 193)
WARTIME HOUSING TRACT, a group of 250 houses to built in the Norwood and Westwood districts, 1943 (R.A.I.C. Journal, xx, July 1943, 115)
CONSOLIDATED FRUIT CO., 102nd Street at 103 Avenue, warehouse, 1946 (C.R., lix, May 1946, 122)
UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA, major addition to Medical Faculty building, 1946 (C.R., lix, July 1946, 106)
WATERLOO MOTORS LTD., Jasper Avenue at 107 Street, garage and showroom, 1946 (C.R., lix, Aug. 1946, 158)
TUBERCULOSIS HOSPITAL, for the Provincial Dept. of Public Works, 1948 (C.R., lxi, Feb. 1948, 167)
(with Mathers & Haldenby, Toronto) UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA RUTHERFORD LIBRARY, 1948-51 (C.R., lxi, March 1948, 171, t.c.; The Gateway [Edmonton], 17 Oct. 1950, 3, illus.)
BETH SHALOM SYNAGOGUE, 119th Street at Jasper Avenue, 1949 (C.R., lxii, April 1949, 152, t.c.)
GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER CO., 105th Street, office and warehouse, 1949 (C.R., lxii, April 1949, 157)
CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS, 133rd Street, 1949 (C.R., lxii, June 1949, 114)
BEATTY BROTHERS LTD., 107th Street, office and warehouse, 1949 (C.R., lxii, June 1949, 119)
CRANE LTD., The Kingsway, showroom and warehouse, 1949-50 (C.R., lxii, Oct. 1949, 145)
SINGER SEWING MACHINE CO., 101st Street, retail store, 1949-50 (C.R., lxii, Dec. 1949, 92)
WESTON BAKERIES LTD., 120th Street, bakery and warehouse, 1950 (C.R., lxiii, March 1950, 144, t.c.)
ALBERTA GOVERNMENT TELEPHONES BUILDING, a 12 storey office building, 107 Street, 1950-51 (C.R., lxiii, April 1950, 128; Capital Modern - Guide to Edmonton Architecture & Urban Design 1940-1969, 2007, 53-54, illus. & descrip.)
(with Col. A.J. Everett, Toronto) IMPERIAL BANK, Jasper Avenue, 1950-52 (C.R., lxiii, Sept. 1950, 129; City of Edmonton, Historical Walking Tours of Downtown Edmonton, 1988, illus.)
CANADIAN WESTINGHOUSE LTD., 104th Street, office and warehouse, 1950-51 (C.R., lxiii, July 1950, 124)
BARBER-ELLIS LTD., 112th Street, office and warehouse, 1950-51 (C.R., lxiii, Sept. 1950, 130)
EASTGLEN COMPOSITE HIGH SCHOOL, 68 Street, 1953 (Capital Modern - Guide to Edmonton Architecture & Urban Design 1940-1969, 2007, 141-42, illus. & descrip.)
ALBERTA MOTOR ASSOCIATION OFFICE, 109 Street, 1956 (Capital Modern - Guide to Edmonton Architecture & Urban Design 1940-1969, 2007, 121-22, illus. & descrip.)
NORTHWEST UTILITIES BUILDING, 104 Street, 1957 (Capital Modern - Guide to Edmonton Architecture & Urban Design 1940-1969, 2007, 57-58, illus. & descrip.)
RULE, WYNN & RULE (works elsewhere)
CALGARY, ALTA., Western Gypsum Ltd., 26th Avenue at 11th Street East, office and factory, 1945 (Lethbridge Herald, 11 Dec. 1945, 8, illus. & descrip.)
WINNIPEG, MAN., Western Canadian Greyhound Lines Ltd., a large storage garage for buses, Graham Avenue at Hargrave Street, 1947 (C.R., lx, Aug. 1947, 262)
RIMBEY, ALTA., a hospital, 1947 (C.R., lx, Aug. 1947, 258)
WAINWRIGHT, ALTA., municipal hospital, 1947 (C.R., lx, Sept. 1947, 174)
THREE HILLS, ALTA., municipal hospital, 1948 (Canadian Hospital [Toronto], xxvi, Jan. 1949, 40-41, illus. & descrip.)
LLOYDMINSTER, SASK., municipal hospital, 1949-50 (C.R., lxii, Jan. 1949, 186; Dec. 1949, 89)
CALGARY, ALTA., Consolidated Fruit Co., 10th Avenue West, warehouse, 1949 (C.R., lxii, March 1949, 140)
GRANDE PRAIRIE, ALTA., public school, 1949 (C.R., lxii, Aug. 1949, 222)
CALGARY, ALTA., Dominion Fruit Ltd., warehouse, 10th Avenue East, 1950 (C.R., lxiii, Jan. 1950, 150)
CALGARY, ALTA., Canada Wire & Cable Co., warehouse and offices, 3rd Street West, 1950 (C.R., lxiii, Feb. 1950, 130; Aug. 1950, 241)
LLOYDMINSTER, SASK., public school, 1950 (C.R., lxiii, June 1950, 126)
CALGARY, ALTA., Hobbs Glass Ltd., office and warehouse, 1950 (C.R., lxiii, Oct. 1950, 156)
ATHABASKA, ALTA., Civic Hospital, 1950-51 (C.R., lxiii, Oct. 1950, 153)
CALGARY, ALTA., Le Duc Apartments, 14th Avenue West, for L. Gibson & Assoc., 1950-51 (C.R., lxiii, Nov. 1950, 126)
CALGARY, ALTA., Royal Hotel, 2nd Street at 8th Avenue West, major addition, 1950-51 (C.R., lxiii, Nov. 1950, 122; Canadian Hotel Review, xxviii, 15 Nov. 1950, 72)
CALGARY, ALTA., Kensington Road Public School, 23rd Street N.W., 1951 (City of Calgary, Heritage Inventory records)