{"id":106871,"date":"2024-08-15T10:35:08","date_gmt":"2024-08-15T14:35:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=106871"},"modified":"2024-08-22T09:29:20","modified_gmt":"2024-08-22T13:29:20","slug":"interview-architect-siamak-hariri-takes-us-behind-st-lawrence-centre-revitalization","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2024\/08\/15\/interview-architect-siamak-hariri-takes-us-behind-st-lawrence-centre-revitalization\/","title":{"rendered":"INTERVIEW | Architect Siamak Hariri Takes Us Behind The St. Lawrence Centre Revitalization"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Rendering
Rendering of the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, exterior (Image courtesy of Hariri Pontarini Architects)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts has been a fixture on Front Street East for more than a half a century. It has been home to both the Bluma Appel Theatre (868 seats), and the Jane Mallett Theatre (499 seats).<\/p>\n

The structure represented the City of Toronto’s official centennial project, with planning that began during the 1967 centennial year. The Centre itself didn\u2019t officially open until February 2, 1970, with a design by Gordon S. Adamson and Associates.<\/p>\n

We talked to architect Siamak Hariri about the St. Lawrence Centre revitalization project, which looks to modernize and revitalize the venerable institution.<\/p>\n

\"Rendering
Rendering of the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, Main Hall theatre (Image courtesy of Hariri Pontarini Architects)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Siamak Hariri, OAA, AAA, AIBC, FRAIC, RCA, Intl. Assoc. AIA<\/h3>\n

Canadian architect Siamak Hariri was born in Bonn, Germany. He got his education at the University of Waterloo, followed by graduate studies at Yale University. He co-founded Hariri Pontarini Architects with David Pontarini after gaining work experience in Toronto and New York City.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s won numerous awards for his work, including five Governor General\u2019s Medals in Architecture, and his portfolio includes prominent projects such as Princess Margaret Cancer Centre Space Transformation Project, along with many cultural institutions like the Art Gallery of Ontario Weston Family Learning Centre and South Entrance\/ Grange Park Pavilions, the Tom Patterson Theatre in Stratford, Ontario, and the currently under construction OpenROM transformation of the Royal Ontario Museum.<\/p>\n

Hariri Pontarini Architects is a full-service architectural and interior design practice. But, the fact that they\u2019re located in Toronto was a happy coincidence.<\/p>\n

Hariri Pontarini Architects (HPA) won the contract through an international design competition, a win that was announced in March 2023.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe may have been one of two Canadians that made the short list,\u201d Hariri relates. Even the process itself is onerous \u2014 he describes a brief that is about 800 pages deep. TO Live, the organization that runs the facility, was one of many jury members.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s interesting that we did not actually present to the TO Live people, but to the jury,\u201d he says. \u201cI\u2019m just really thrilled that a Canadian firm was able to win.\u201d<\/p>\n

The jury wanted a good story behind the design, along with a very credible proposal from all practical aspects. When it comes to cultural institutions, Hariri describes finding the right story for the project. \u201cWe had really searched for the essence, the soul of the story,\u201d he says. In this case, the story was really so incredibly self evident.\u201d<\/p>\n

The brief describes a concept: creating a cultural district in the heart of Toronto\u2019s downtown, taking inspiration from NYC\u2019s Lincoln Center, with its outdoor plaza as well as indoor spaces \u2014 a facility that reached out, in effect, to the city that surrounded it.<\/p>\n

Their winning design is called Transparence<\/strong>, and it describes much more than the quality of the outer wall covering.<\/p>\n

Design Details<\/h3>\n

The original design is an example of the brutalist design aesthetic common to the era, with simple lines. The concert spaces were welcoming, but the outer face on Front Street doesn\u2019t do much to engage passersby.<\/p>\n

The new concept is to create a hub that will join the St. Lawrence with its neighbour on Front Street, Meridian Hall, another TO Live property, via an outdoor park with seating, and an overhang that will allow for outdoor events. People can simply come to the park, and then decide which venue or event to choose from.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a […] kind of coming of age in Toronto,\u201d he says. \u201cThis was the first closing of an entire street that I knew of, in Toronto, to patch together two sites as one system, and then have that bridge across to another major park.\u201d<\/p>\n

Berczy Park will be part of the communal area.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnother element that was strong in the brief, was that the design had to be self evident \u2014 it had to take the sidewalk right into the building,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

The most immediately striking feature of the design is a high-performance transparent facade made of cutting edge materials that will wrap around the structure entirely. The transparence creates a luminous space inside, where the interiors are lined with wood, accentuating a feeling of warmth.<\/p>\n

\"Rendering
Rendering of the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, Acoustic Hall (Image courtesy of Hariri Pontarini Architects)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Story of Toronto\u2019s Vibrant Downtown<\/h3>\n

\u201cThe story of course has a metaphor, and the metaphor for us was that culture, essentially, has this invaluable role. It tells everyone (about) the soul of the city,\u201d Hariri says. He likens it to gathering around the campfire to hear stories and music. \u201cThere\u2019s a vulnerability, an openness, and a warmth.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a vibe that can help define a city, he feels. \u201cOne of the big mandates of the project [was] that it\u2019s not only a home, but a welcoming place for people of different backgrounds,\u201d he says. \u201cCulture isn\u2019t buying a ticket and finding a seat.\u201d<\/p>\n

The openness of the design encourages the eradication of any sense of exclusivity or elitism. \u201cTo create a model that\u2019s much more open and inviting.\u201d<\/p>\n

Elitism is the scourge of contemporary culture. \u201cWe wanted to radically challenge this idea,\u201d he says. \u201cWe are actually working with two Indigenous architects. I think it\u2019s really important that we walk the talk.\u201d<\/p>\n

The area\u2019s significance in Indigenous history has been acknowledged with the use of Wampum belts to signify agreements and collectives. Anishinaabekwe, Ojibwe architect Eladia Smoke<\/strong> of Smoke Architecture<\/strong>, a Master Lecturer at Laurentian\u2019s McEwen School of Architecture, and her associates, designed the Wampum elements together with Wanda Dalla Costa<\/strong>, principal, Tawaw Architecture Collective<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The Wampum element is featured as a luminous line that extends around the structure from end to end. There will also be a ceremonial fire circle at Front and Scott Streets.<\/p>\n

\"Rendering
Rendering of the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, Hive Space (public use space) (Image courtesy of Hariri Pontarini Architects)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Four Floors for Culture & Connections<\/h3>\n

Once completed, the facility will be one of the first certified net zero performing art centres in Canada, including efficient systems, and on-site energy generation. The two main performance spaces are designed with state of the art tech and are fully accessible. The Main Hall and Acoustic Hall<\/strong> will seat 600 to 1,000, with retractable seating and partitions for maximum adaptability.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what we presented \u2014 a theatre that was convertible at the push of a button to a bunch of different configurations.\u201d<\/p>\n

There will be four floors<\/strong> in total, with a welcoming lobby space, and Main Hall performing space on the main floor. The main axis of the Main Hall<\/strong> theatre has been rotated to create a new entrance on Scott Street.<\/p>\n

The second floor<\/strong> will house studios and three rehearsal halls equipped with high tech audio and digital capacity, along with more informal performing spaces. Studios will occupy part of the third floor, along with the KidZone that will feature a separate entrance.<\/p>\n

The newly reconfigured 400-seat hall<\/strong> will have a wall of glass that looks out from the fourth floor, stacked on top of the studios, with views of the CN Tower. \u201cIt\u2019s a perfectly fine tuned acoustic hall,\u201d Hariri promises. The Acoustic Hall will be designed for unamplified performance. With dramatic views of the Toronto skyline, the smaller hall will also have access to a garden terrace.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s entirely new will be both indoor and outdoor spaces designed for free use by the public, including a park\/plaza that adjoins Berczy Park. The public facilities will be located along the Front Street facade, facing Berczy Park.<\/p>\n

The facility can host a street party, a formal concert or other performance, with a glass facade that allows a streetview of everything from parties to dance rehearsals.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love this idea that, if this place really humming, […] it becomes transparent to the city,\u201d he says. \u201cIf you combine that with the Meridian, you have a heck of a good ecosystem.\u201d<\/p>\n

The project is expected to begin in earnest in 2026, with a new STLC opening in 2030.<\/p>\n

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We talked to architect Siamak Hariri about the St. Lawrence Centre revitalization project, which looks to modernize the venerable institution.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":64,"featured_media":106874,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[40967,41223,4967,27,29,40917,63],"tags":[34111,1691,5497],"yst_prominent_words":[9026,18463,34505,9027,9025],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/08\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-21.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9bakr-rNJ","amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/106871"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/64"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=106871"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/106871\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":107026,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/106871\/revisions\/107026"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/106874"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=106871"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=106871"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=106871"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=106871"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}