MacKinnon Renovations
Overview
The MacKinnon Building was constructed in 1967 and is located in the heart of campus. It houses, among other facilities, the College of Arts and the International Institute for Critical Studies in Improvisation (IICSI).
Diamond Schmitt Architects (https://dsai.ca) have been engaged to support renovations to the MacKinnon Building. The project has obtained funding and approval to:
Construct improvements to the north wing of the MacKinnon Building
Renovations will take place across approximately 45,000 SF in the north wing of the MacKinnon Building, which currently houses performing arts. The improvements are expected to include an elevator, the addition of a new main entrance, the creation of student spaces, reconfiguring and returning the Luscombe Theatre to a black-box performance space, new practice spaces, and reworking existing spaces to address acoustical issues and provide aesthetic updates.
Build a CFI-Funded ImprovLab
IICSI is a central source for the collection and dissemination of research on improvised creative practices that is centered at the University of Guelph. The ImprovLab will be a publicly accessible multi-use research lab for the presentation, broadcast, archiving, and analysis of improvised performance, community workshops, and audience reception studies across a variety of media. The new facility will provide a space for researchers to collaborate with each other, the university population, and the broader community. It will provide a flexible research environment that can create a variety of arrangements for audience seating and research participation. The ImprovLab is supported by the Canada Foundation for Innovation.
Project Phases & Timelines
Project management is supported by Physical Resources at the University of Guelph. There are several phases of the project, as detailed below.
Schematic Design (February-May 2018)
The schematic design phase considers user requirements and goals. Schematics identify the scale of spaces and the relationships between those spaces. In this phase, users consider space usage and size, storage requirements, occupancy requirements, and other space needs to inform the development of the design schematics.
Schematics have been developed in consultation with stakeholders and have received approval from the University's Board of Governors.
Design Development (Updated: April-December 2018)
The design development phase draws on the schematic designs and drills down deeper into the requirements for the individual spaces identified. Individual room requirements will be identified, including room setup, A/V, acoustical needs, seating, and aesthetics. Identified stakeholders will be involved in determining specific room requirements.
Construction Documents (Updated: June-February 2019)
In the development of construction documents, an even greater level of detail will be identified. This phase produces tender documents. All drawings and specifications of the building will be finalized in this phase of the project.
Construction (Updated: Begins April/May 2019)
Construction will begin in April/May 2019 to create the foundations and enclosure of the new building. The construction phase also involves implementation of the plans for moving existing classes, performances, and users of the north wing to alternate locations. These arrangements may also be phased as contractors begin the renovation work. Planning is underway to determine when and where relocations will take place, and updates will be included on this webpage and disseminated to user groups as they become available.
Massey Hall will undergo renovations from January-August 2019 to provide physical accessibility to the building. This includes the addition of a elevator and accessible washrooms. In addition to other on-campus facilities, Massey Hall will be used as classroom and rehearsal space for the Theatre program during the MacKinnon renovations.
Open House February 2018
Diamond Schmitt Architects presented at an Open House on Tuesday, February 6th, 2018 from 1:00 – 2:00 pm in MacKinnon 107.
For individuals unable to attend in person, a link to the Open House presentation is provided below.
MacKinnon Renovation Open House PowerPoint Slides
Open House January 2019
Diamond Schmitt Architects will present at a second open house event on Friday, January 25th, 2019 at 2 pm to share updates on the project to date. We will share details on this website following the open house.
How do I provide input?
Consultations have been initiated with faculty, staff, and students and focus groups have been held to identify key space needs. Design development began in April and May 2018, and has identified specific room requirements in consultation with key users of the planned spaces. Individuals who are not taking part in focus group sessions are welcome to direct feedback to mcknreno@uoguelph.ca. Diamond Schmitt Architects will also provide updates through Open House sessions. The next Open House will take place in January 2019 and is open to all interested parties.
Contact Information
Please email mcknreno@uoguelph.ca with any questions or comments.
More details
The MacKinnon Building's architectural legacy
Josep Lluís Sert
Brutalism
-
Brutalism Is Back (NY Times)
-
The case for preserving - and improving - brutalist architecture (The Washington Post)
-
Brutalist Buildings: Yale Art and Architecture Building, Connecticut by Paul Rudoph (Dezeen)
-
The New Brutalism by Reyner Banham (The Architectural Review)
-
What Can Be Learnt From The Smithsons' "New Brutalism" In 2014? (ArchDaily)
-
Chandigarh Revealed, Le Corbusier's City Today (Princeton Architectural Press)
-
Brutalism, a survey or projects (Divisare)
The ImprovLab is supported by the Canada Foundation for Innovation