Place des Arts (Sudbury)

Summary

Place des Arts opened its doors as the first multidisciplinary arts centre in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, in 2022.[1] The architecture firms Moriyama & Teshima and Bélanger Salach were tasked with designing a building to house seven prominent francophone arts and culture organizations united under the Le Regroupement des organismes culturels de Sudbury (ROCS):[2] Carrefour Francophone, La Galerie du Nouvel-Ontario, Centre Franco-Ontarien de Folklore, Concerts La Nuit sur l'étang, Èditions Prise de parole, Théâtre du Nouvel-Ontario (TNO) and the Salon du livre du Grand-Sudbury.[3]

Place des Arts
Place des Arts from Elgin street
General information
TypeMultidisciplinary Arts Centre
LocationSudbury, Ontario
Address27 Larch St, Greater Sudbury, ON P3E 1B7
CountryCanada
InauguratedApril 29, 2022
Cost30 million
Technical details
Floor area40,000 sqft
Design and construction
Architecture firmMoriyama & Teshima Architects and Bélanger Salach Architecture
Place des Arts, April 2022

Place des Arts is situated on the corner of Larch and Elgin Street in Downtown Sudbury and is in close proximity to many local businesses and community organizations such as the YMCA, Sudbury Community Arena and the McEwen School of Architecture.[4] The 40,000 square-foot building contains a 300-seat theater, a multi-use performance space, a contemporary art gallery, a library with a national publishing house, a boutique, offices, a daycare and a bistro with a seasonal terrace.[5] The building’s facilities can be rented by the community, thus it hosts a variety of public and private events including theater productions, jazz nights and work events.

Architecture edit

 
Entrance to Place des Arts, Sudbury, Ontario

The architecture teams at Moriyama & Teshima and Bélanger Salach worked collaboratively with the leaders of the Francophone Canadian community within Sudbury to ensure their design needs were met. The exterior elements of the building incorporated historical reference of Sudbury's rail history through the Corten steel panels. The natural weathering of these panels is representative of the different layers of rock formations found within the Sudbury Basin: Canadian Shield sandstones, igneous rocks and pebble-rich sandstones.[6] Large windows dominate the building facade facing Elgin street.[7]

 
Tin ceiling tiles repurposed from École Saint-Louis-de-Gonzague, Sudbury, Ontario

The building’s facilities were organized to serve the community on the main level. This is where the amphitheater, bistro, art gallery and bookstore can be located. The private quarters are located on the second and third floors of the building which include the children's daycare, office spaces, and a multi-use space. Within these upper levels, individuals have access to two terraces overlooking the city; one for the office spaces, and the other for the daycare.[8]

 
Bread Pans repurposed from an old Canada Bread Bakery, Sudbury, Ontario

Through the request of the client, 12 historical artifacts from Sudbury were incorporated throughout the building. These adaptive re-use elements were able to showcase artifacts of the Sudbury Francophone community. Artifacts include: Bread pans from a Canada Bread Bakery built in the 1940s; tin ceiling tiles re-used from École Saint-Louis-de-Gonzague; theater lights from Sheridan Auditorium (presently known as Sudbury Secondary School); boards used for tables were produced from L’ île aux Chênes; white pine beams from Chicago; re-used bricks from a number of significant buildings around Sudbury; stage decor resembling slag from Sudburys mining; Lockers repurposed from a local Sudbury highschool, École Secondaire Macdonald-Cartier; stained glass from Collège du Sacré-Coeur and copyright certificates for Lignes-Signes.[9]

The design team consisted of 12 individuals: Brian Rudy, Cathy McMahon, Emmanuel Awuah, Jason Phillipe, Louis Lortie, Maria Pavlou, Nick Gonsalves, Sean Robbins, Sarah Ni, Jason Corbin, Louis Bélanger, Amber Salach.[10]

Construction edit

During the beginning stages, Bélanger Construction uncovered the foundations of The King Edward Hotel, a historic building erected in 1905. This discovery prompted the architects to build Place des Arts atop the foundations of the hotel to commemorate the historic monument.[11] The main materials used in the construction of Place des Arts were structural steel for the framing, poured concrete for the floors, wood finished interiors and glass panels for the building envelope.[12]

The construction of this $30 million project was entirely publicly funded which can be broken down as such:[13]

The construction process began in 2018 and took approximately 4 years to complete.[14] During the construction phase, there were 180 jobs were created and 29 jobs when the facility opened. [15] The multidisciplinary arts centre was projected to host 850 cultural activities a year that would attract locals and tourists to downtown Sudbury.[16]

It was originally planned for completion in 2020, but faced delays relating to the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada.[1] There were a number of material shipment delays as well as labour shortages.[17] In order to meet construction deadlines, workers were exempt from the mandate to stay at home from the Ontario Government, with the requirement that they wear masks at all times.[18] The centre's official opening date was April 29, 2022.[19]

Awards edit

  • 2022 Architecture, Construction & Design Award, Culture (built) Category[20]
  • 2023 Urban Design and Architecture Award, Gold Winner[21]
  • 2023 Grand Prix du Design, Platinum Winner for Special Prizes in Collaboration[22]

See also edit

List of historic places in Greater Sudbury

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Sudbury's Place des Arts on track for a 2022 opening". CBC Northern Ontario, October 5, 2021.
  2. ^ "Le Regroupement d’organismes culturels et d’artistes lavallois". ROCAL.
  3. ^ "Bustling year ahead for the GNO". Sudbury Star, January 15, 2020.
  4. ^ "Design Unveiled for Sudbury Place des Arts".Canadian Architect, April 16, 2019.
  5. ^ "Gold Winner- Place Des Arts by Moriyama & Teshima Architects". Architecture Press Release, March 1, 2023.
  6. ^ "Place des Arts | Moriyama & Teshima Architects and Bélanger Salach Architecture". ACDA 2022 Winners
  7. ^ "Under One Roof: Place des Arts, Greater Sudbury, Ontario". Terrance Galvin, November 1, 2022.
  8. ^ "In Sudbury , a Civic Beacon for Northern Ontario". Sean Maciel, September 7, 2022.
  9. ^ "Under One Roof: Place des Arts, Greater Sudbury, Ontario". Terrance Galvin, November 1, 2022.
  10. ^ "Gold Winner- Place Des Arts by Moriyama & Teshima Architects". Architecture Press Release, March 1, 2023.
  11. ^ "Under One Roof: Place des Arts, Greater Sudbury, Ontario". Terrance Galvin, November 1, 2022.
  12. ^ Mary Katherine Keown,"Sudbury's Place des Arts nearing completion". The Sudbury Star, February 24, 2022.
  13. ^ Ontario Construction News,"Place des Arts construction continues in Sudbury with new steel and old pine". Ontario Construction News July 22,2020.
  14. ^ "Design unveiled for Sudbury Place des Arts". Canadian Architect, April 16,2019.
  15. ^ Ontario Construction News,"Place des Arts construction continues in Sudbury with new steel and old pine". Ontario Construction News July 22,2020.
  16. ^ Ontario Construction News,"Place des Arts construction continues in Sudbury with new steel and old pine". Ontario Construction News July 22,2020.
  17. ^ Molly Frommer, "Sudbury's Place des Arts set to open its doors soon". January 18, 2022.
  18. ^ Alana Everson, "Despite lockdown construction of new arts facility in Sudbury continues". January 14, 2021.
  19. ^ Darren MacDonald, "Place des Arts to open at the end of April in Sudbury". CTV Northern Ontario, February 24, 2022.
  20. ^ "Gold Winner- Place Des Arts by Moriyama & Teshima Architects". Architecture Press Release, March 1, 2023.
  21. ^ "Gold Winner- Place Des Arts by Moriyama & Teshima Architects". Architecture Press Release, March 1, 2023.
  22. ^ "Sudbury arts facility celebrated by global design contest". Northern Ontario Business, October 6, 2023.

External links edit

  • Official website

46°29′28″N 80°59′45″W / 46.4912°N 80.9959°W / 46.4912; -80.9959