Designed by leading architectural firm Kuwabara Payne
McKenna Blumberg Architects (KPMB), The 45,565 sq.ft.
Young Centre occupies Tankhouses 9 and 10 within the Distillery District
and includes five
flexible performances theatres with seating ranging from
80 to 400 seats, six large rehearsal and teaching studios, three classrooms,
a costume
shop, teaching and administrative offices, a spacious
lobby with ticketing facilities, a café and an outdoor garden.
The completion date for the project is December 2005.
Informing the
overall
design philosophy of the Young Centre was an ambitious
adaptive reuse initiative.
Prior to the project, Tankhouses 9 and 10 were single
storey brick warehouse structures with existing floors
at grade level. The new space is a result
of the renovation of the two Tank House buildings including
the addition of a link building between them that houses
the lobby space and the
100-seat Studio Theatre.
The concept operated on a strict
budget, and was driven by the historic context and
respect for the patina of the existing buildings. The spatial
additions were achieved
with minimal
structural intervention by spanning massive Douglas
fir beams across bearing walls to create enclosed
gathering spaces between
the existing
buildings. An extended, horizontal canopy defines
the entrance. Finishes are utilitarian, emphasizing concrete
floors and exposed masonry walls.
The majority of new construction consists of reclaimed
materials while dramatic effects were achieved with
the strategic use of lighting. The Young Centre for the Performing Arts will be a world class facility
that enables George Brown Theatre School to continue to offer its students
the highest level of theatre education. The centre has been designed
to allow for curriculum expansion and to showcase both the recognized
talent of professional actors as well as to inspire emerging new talent.
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