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YOUNG CENTRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

Soulpepper Theatre Company and George Brown College
Toronto, 2006

PROJECT DETAILS

LOCATION

The Distillery District
Tank Houses 9 and 10
Toronto, Ontario

SIZE

44,000 sf

CLIENT

George Brown College and Soulpepper Theatre Company

COST

$10.0 million

COMPLETION

2006

NEW PARADIGM

A major regional drama company intersects with the academy on a 19th century Toronto industrial heritage campus, resulting in a uniquely animated 24/7 place.

JUST STRUCTURE + AIR

First and foremost, the Young Centre is about art and artists. In a way, as a neutral ground for expression, the lobby, theatre rooms and studios are just “structure and air”.

NEOPRIMITIVE, ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN

As a result, the found object/neo-primitive architecture emotes a message: that in this rough and ready space, anything can happen.

ART + DIALOGUE

The project took shape through intensive dialogue with key visionaries of Soulpepper Theatre Company and George Brown College, including artists, management and teaching leaders. As a result, it is a wonderful model of cross disciplinary collaboration.

FOURTH STAGE

On opening night, the lobby stair becomes a stage for Soulpepper artistic director Albert Schultz’s post-performance remarks.

ECONOMY + VALUE

For a theatre project, it is remarkably economical, from both a capital and operating cost perspective.

CREDITS ↓

ARCHITECTS

KPMB architects: Thomas Payne (partner-in-charge), Chris Couse (senior associate), Mark Jaffar (project architect); Goran Milosevic, Kevin Thomas, Anne Lok, Andrea Macaroun, Thom Seto, Krista Clark, Ramon Janer, Clementine Chang, Stephen Kopp, Andrew Sinclair, Carolyn Lee, Virginia Dos Reis

CONSULTANTS

Read Jones Christoffersen Ltd. (structural), Crossey Engineering Ltd. (mechanical, electrical), Theatre Projects Consultants (theatre), Aercoustics Engineering Ltd. (acoustics), E.R.A. Architects Inc. (heritage), The Beggarstaff Sisters (signage), Engineering Harmonics (performance sound)

PHOTOGRAPHY

Tom Arban