Art Gallery of Ontario Facelift And Addition By Frank Gehry

Engagement with Art and Ideas. Bringing Community to the Building.

One of the new wings of the Art Gallery of Ontario designed by Frank Gehry, publicly opened on November 14, 2008 is a significant architectural addition that reflects the sensitivity to Canadian Culture. Despite being from Toronto, this is Gehry's first building in Canada. He felt it was crucial to keep some of the existing language by previous architects and have chosen to preserve certain parts of the building. The idea of the layout engages the community to the art and ideas, creating sensitive spaces specifically for the Collections and the important historic Thompson's collection to Canadian Art. The flow of space from art to light engages the community from the experience of culture, the art, the making of the art, then to how the rooms reconnect to the sky to reveal the relatiohsip of architecture, light and space, and the art collection.  For the community in the Centre of the City, it is a real symbol as home of the arts and anchor point for a city moving forward.