Drawings for Mount Allison University’s Centre for the Arts have been publicly unveiled. With a slim profile and clad in the University’s traditional rose-coloured sandstone, the $30-million Centre has been designed to create a stunning new presence at the north-west edge of campus. The plans, developed by Toronto firm Zeidler Partnership Architects, call for more than 50,000 square feet of new construction with specialized facilities for teaching, performance, and creative pursuits. [See virtual tour]
The main entrance facing Main Street. On the right is the 100-seat theatre; on the left is the Fine Arts facility.
"The new Centre provides striking visual impact as you approach the campus along Main Street and will energize the Fine Arts and Drama programs at Mount Allison,” says Robert Campbell, President and Vice-Chancellor.
"The Arts occupy a very important place at Mount Allison," says Campbell. "Each year hundreds of students in other disciplines take a course in Fine Arts or Drama. In doing so, they explore and discover new dimensions of themselves. This design represents an exciting new dimension to the Mount A experience because it creates a nexus for the next generation of creative integration.”
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| Exterior Courtyard |
The building’s design is based on the recommendations of a team of University members who worked with the architecture firm to develop a program-study detailing the needs and space requirements for the departments. With mostly sandstone and glass exterior, the result is a unique design featuring a set of three interconnected buildings that meet a range of academic needs that include specialized studios and classrooms and a 100-seat theatre, along with office and seminar spaces.
 Studios |
"We are very pleased with the result,” says Thaddeus Holownia, Fine Arts department head. “The Centre for the Arts is functional and progressive so as to meet contemporary student needs, but its architecture also fits well aesthetically with Mount Allison’s campus."
With extensive experience in evaluations and renovations involving older properties and having done work for a number of universities including Ryerson, McMaster, and Guelph, as well as numerous performing arts centres and venues, Zeidler was the perfect fit for the project. Respecting the past while addressing the needs of a contemporary university was something the artchitects considered throughout the project.
"It is critical that we provide space that meets the needs of users," says Zeidler Senior Partner Tarek El-Khatib, the project’s principal architect. “Providing for modern facilities that will serve the University community well for years while being respectful of the past and campus look was no easy task – but we were determined to bring the two together."
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| The new intimate 100-seat theatre with state-of-the-art sound and lighting will provide an exceptional space for teaching, rehearsals, and productions. |
Due to its location, The Centre for the Arts will be the first University building visitors see when they arrive in town. The design takes full advantage of this fact with a dramatic façade facing Main Street.
The Centre’s opening date is tentatively scheduled for fall 2014.
Fund raising has begun for the new Centre and donors are excited by and supportive of the vision and plan for the new building. The University continues to seek additional donors to support key components of the project. If you would like more information on how to make a gift, contact Michael Cantwell, Executive Director of Campaign at 506-364-2259.
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| Second Floor Atrium |