Today, it was announced that a landmark renewal is planned for the McMichael Canadian Art Collection in Kleinburg, where Hariri Pontarini Architects<\/a> has been selected to lead the gallery\u2019s first major revitalization<\/a> in more than four decades. Backed by $75 million in combined federal and provincial funding, the project is what the gallery describes as a generational investment in one of Canada\u2019s most significant cultural institutions.\u00a0<\/p>\n The revitalization will expand and modernize the museum\u2019s facilities, creating new spaces for exhibitions, learning, and performance while preserving the McMichael\u2019s distinct timber-and-stone architecture that has long reflected its Humber River Valley landscape.<\/p>\n Originally constructed in the 1950s as the home of founders Robert and Signe McMichael, the site evolved from a private residence into a cornerstone of national art heritage after being gifted to the Province of Ontario in 1965. Its low-slung rooflines, timber beams, and stone walls were designed to settle naturally into the forested Humber River Valley, creating a connection between art, architecture, and landscape.\u00a0<\/p>\n Over the decades, the McMichael has grown into the country\u2019s only museum devoted exclusively to Canadian and Indigenous art, surrounded by 100 acres of forest and trails. Home to more than 7,000 works spanning the Group of Seven, Tom Thomson, Emily Carr, and creators from across Canada\u2019s diverse communities, it draws hundreds of thousands of visitors annually.<\/p>\n Hariri Pontarini Architects\u2019 design reinterprets the McMichael\u2019s familiar warmth and intimacy through a contemporary lens, bringing together natural materials that make visual connections to the surrounding forest. The redevelopment will introduce new exhibition, education, and conservation spaces, along with purpose-built studios, flexible galleries, and a multi-use indoor theatre for performances and events. Built to CAGBC Zero Carbon Design Standards, the renewal aligns architectural heritage with sustainability.<\/p>\n Hariri Pontarini Architects\u2019 portfolio includes major cultural landmarks such as the Bah\u00e1\u2019\u00ed Temple of South America, the Tom Patterson Theatre at the Stratford Festival, and the Nicol Building at Carleton University\u2019s Sprott School of Business.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have fallen in love with the vision set before us by the McMichael, as home to the art of Canada,\u201d said Siamak Hariri, Founding Partner of Hariri Pontarini Architects. \u201cThe big, sturdy roof automatically says \u2018home,\u2019 but it also says longhouse, or cabin in the woods. From the approach, the roof hugs the ground making it welcoming, intimate, warm and inviting. But as you enter, the experience explodes, engaging the extraordinary setting in a number of surprising moments with a rare and uniquely Canadian combination of nature and art.\u201d<\/p>\n The redevelopment will increase the gallery\u2019s exhibition capacity, allowing more of its permanent collection to be displayed while adding new areas for public programs, art handling, and conservation. Expanded classrooms and studios would support artists and students alike, while upgraded accessibility, circulation, and gathering spaces would prepare the museum for larger audiences and community events.\u00a0<\/p>\n A new indoor theatre and flexible halls will host lectures, performances, and cultural programming. Alongside expanded exhibition and learning facilities, the plan includes state-of-the-art spaces for conferences, lectures, and banqueting.<\/p>\n \u201cCanada deserves a world-class museum that champions our past and present, showcases beloved artists in fresh new ways, draws out the deeper histories of Indigenous art and culture, elevates emerging talent, and brings attention to the many diverse voices that make up Canada today,\u201d noted Sarah Milroy, Executive Director and Chief Curator. \u201cThis project\u2014brilliantly envisioned by HPA\u2014delivers on that promise.\u201d<\/p>\n The plans for the gallery follow a combined investment framework. Earlier this year, Ontario\u2019s Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming announced up to $50 million over three years to upgrade the 70-year-old complex, marking the first provincial capital infusion in more than four decades.\u00a0<\/p>\n In addition, the federal government pledged $25 million through the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program, supporting the McMichael\u2019s transition to a low-carbon facility with expanded accessibility and energy efficiency. Ontario\u2019s capital commitment is contingent on matching contributions from the federal government and private donors. The project is also supported by philanthropic partners through the McMichael Canadian Art Foundation.<\/p>\n \u201cThe iconic McMichael Canadian Art Collection is a cornerstone of Ontario\u2019s cultural identity, celebrating Canadian and Indigenous history and heritage through artistic expression,\u201d shared Stan Cho, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming. \u201cThe Ontario government is proud to protect McMichael\u2019s legacy and invest in projects that strengthen the province\u2019s cultural sector.\u201d<\/p>\n For the McMichael\u2019s leadership, the redevelopment represents a long-awaited opportunity to align the gallery\u2019s facilities with its national stature. \u201cHariri Pontarini Architects has developed a visionary design that honours the spirit of the original site while reimagining what a Canadian museum can be: open, inclusive, sustainable, and deeply connected to the land,\u201d said Andy Pringle, Chair of the McMichael Board of Trustees.<\/p>\n UrbanToronto will continue to follow progress on this development, but in the meantime, you can learn more about it from our Database file, linked below. If you’d like, you can join in on the conversation in the associated Project Forum thread or leave a comment in the space provided on this page.<\/p>\n * * *<\/p>\n UrbanToronto’s research and data service,\u00a0UTPro<\/a>, provides comprehensive data on construction projects in the Greater Golden Horseshoe\u2014from proposal through to completion. Other services include\u00a0Instant Reports<\/a>, downloadable snapshots based on location, and a daily subscription newsletter,\u00a0New Development Insider<\/a>, that tracks projects from initial application.\u200b<\/p>\n <\/imgx><\/imgx><\/imgx><\/imgx><\/imgx><\/imgx><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n\n
\n Related Companies:\u00a0<\/td>\n \nHariri Pontarini Architects<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n \n<\/div>\n
October 24, 2025 by Anthony Teles<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0
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\u00a01K\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\nHariri Pontarini to Lead Expansion of the McMichael Canadian Art Collection<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n