Toronto, Canada
Led by KPMB Architects working in a collaborative partnership with GBCA Architects, Massey Hall Renovation and Expansion has been completed thanks to innovative architectural design and engineering, which facilitated necessary changes — including improved accessibility, enhanced acoustics, and the return of heritage elements such as the original Art-Nouveau-style stained-glass windows (almost 100 of them) and the Moorish arches on the ceiling of the hall.
The project has recently received an Honorable Mention in the 2023 International Architecture Awards by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.
KPMB examined all the fragments and minute details added over the hall’s history. They debated each and every design decision together with other experts to retain the magic that patrons have always felt each time they walked through those three red doors.
The goal was to bring the building into the 21st century by modernizing it and enhancing the ambiance while staying true to its legacy.
The project featured three new primary elements: an extensive renovation and restoration of the heritage architecture, a seven-story addition to the south that includes two new venues (and more), and new suspended exterior walkways – called passerelle – along the east and west sides of the venue.
A detailed conservation strategy by GBCA Architects served as a guiding document in preserving various character-defining heritage elements of the historic hall, including the Moorish-styled auditorium, the Art Deco lobby, and the Palladian exterior.
Upgraded stage acoustics throughout now enhance sound quality and the restored interiors harken back to the original grandeur of the venue.
Project: Massey Hall Renovation and Expansion
Architects: KPMB Architects
Heritage Architects: GBCA Architects
General Contractor: EllisDonCanada
Client: The Corporation of Massey Hall & Roy Thomson Hall
Photographers: Scott Norsworthy
