Three competing conceptual designs for the new Art Gallery of Nova Scotia and waterfront arts district in Halifax have been unveiled, and will be publicly presented in an online forum this Thursday. The Art Gallery is inviting public feedback on the submissions.
In April 2019, the Government of Canada announced an investment of $30 million in the new Art Gallery of Nova Scotia project through the New Building Canada Fund-Provincial-Territorial Infrastructure Component, National and Regional Projects. The Province of Nova Scotia has additionally committed $70 million towards this project.
The three teams participating in stage two of the design competition are : Architecture49 with Diller Scofidio + Renfro and Hargreaves Jones; DIALOG, Acre Architects, Brackish Design Studio and Shannon Webb-Campbell; and KPMB Architects with Omar Gandhi Architect, Jordan Bennett Studio, Elder Lorraine Whitman (NWAC), Public Work and Transsolar.
As part of the public engagement process, Canadians will have an opportunity to share their feedback on each of the design approaches and concepts. Public feedback gathered during the online design exhibition will be considered in the development of the project. Following the selection of the winning team, further community engagement will take place across the province of Nova Scotia.
“A new gallery and waterfront arts district reflects the importance of art and culture to our communities and our lives,” said Leo Glavine, Minister of Communities, Culture and Heritage. “This gallery belongs to all Nova Scotians, and I encourage everyone to visit the exhibit in person or online and share their feedback.”
The three finalist designs are the result of a six-month, international design competition—the first of its magnitude in Nova Scotia. A jury of architects, a landscape architect, artists and museum professionals will choose the winning submission in October.
The public can view and comment on the submissions online at https://artgalleryofnovascotia.ca/artsdistrict. On Sept. 24 at 6 p.m., the three finalist teams will present their designs through a livestream on the gallery’s YouTube Channel and on their website.