Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, Ontario, Frank Gehry

Architects: Frank Gehry
Under development

The Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) has unveiled the schematic design for its new building by world-renowned architect Frank Gehry. The redesign and expansion is the centrepiece of Transformation AGO, the museum's $500 million project that also includes the previously announced donation of art and funding by Kenneth Thomson. Groundbreaking is set for early 2005, and the project will be completed in late 2007.

"This is a transformative moment for the AGO," said AGO Director and CEO Matthew Teitelbaum. "Frank Gehry has designed a building that at once embraces our past and articulates our vision for the future. Our curatorial and programming teams have worked closely with Gehry to integrate his architectural design with the AGO's vision for a new kind of art museum - a place that creates powerful experiences by bringing art and people together in new and exciting ways. "

A. Charles Baillie, AGO President, commented, "Today is a landmark on our path toward realizing a vision that the AGO first articulated several years ago. In late 2002, we announced the unprecedented donation of 2,000 works of art and funding from Kenneth Thomson and our plans to work with Frank Gehry. Now, with the design unveiled, we move into the next phase of the project. We look forward to the opening of our transformed AGO and all the excitement it will bring."

"Frank Gehry has placed art and the art experience at the heart of his design for the AGO," said Kenneth Thomson. "I'm thrilled with what he's done, and look forward to seeing the AGO's vision realized in the years to come."

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Design highlights include:

A new Dundas Street entrance aligned with Walker Court, the historic heart of the AGO, and The Grange, the Gallery's first home.

An elegantly-designed glass and titanium façade that spans 600 feet along Dundas Street from McCaul Street to Beverley Street, and rises 70 feet above street level. This façade is scaled to respect the neighbouring houses on Beverley and Dundas Streets and reconfigures the AGO's streetscape.

A sculpture gallery that extends 450 feet along the north side of the building, enabling visitors to see out onto Dundas Street, and passers-by to see into the Gallery.

A new social gathering place situated at the McCaul-Dundas corner will have direct access from the street, allowing it to be open independently from the Gallery. This space will include a two-level gift and book shop, a fine dining restaurant, a casual café, the Jackman Hall lecture theatre, the members' lounge and a free contemporary art space for new projects.

A new tinted titanium and glass-faced four-story south wing overlooking Grange Park, which will house a centre for contemporary art and will offer one of the most beautiful event spaces in the city, featuring the inventive cuisine for which the AGO is already acclaimed.

Extensive glazing on both the north and south façades, which will allow visitors to experience the surrounding cityscape from the Gallery interior.

A sculptural staircase that soars from the second floor, linking Walker Court to the new centre for contemporary art and the new event space.

The integration of natural light throughout the building, including a new glass roof over Walker Court and a light-filled walkway around its upper perimeter, bringing light into the core of the building.

A south façade that complements the new Ontario College of Art and Design building to the south-east, with both buildings framing Grange Park in a new and exciting way.

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The overall size of the AGO will be increased by 20%. Space for viewing art will increase by 40% to 123,500 square feet. Specifically, the Canadian galleries will increase by 121%; the Contemporary galleries by 36%; the European galleries by 65%; and the Photography galleries by 240%.

The estimated capital cost of the project is $195 million. "One of the most exciting aspects of this transformation is that our ideas have evolved along with the models in Frank Gehry's studio," said Matthew Teitelbaum. "His early concepts opened up new worlds of possibility for us from an architectural and programming perspective, and this is reflected in the design unveiled today."

The AGO has already announced $98 million in funding for the Transformation AGO capital project, including the donation of $50 million from Kenneth Thomson and a combined contribution from the federal and provincial governments totaling $48 million, through the Canada-Ontario Infrastructure Fund.

"Mr. Gehry has given the people of Ontario a revitalized art museum that will enhance its international reputation," said the Honourable Madeleine Meilleur, Ontario Minister of Culture. "It will draw local and international visitors to its doors with a clear declaration that arts and culture are essential to our quality of life in Ontario."

Model of the Art Gallery of Ontario Extension, designed by Frank Gehry. Photographs courtesy of AGO. © Gehry International, Architects, Inc.