Last week marked an important milestone in the construction of the Hariri Pontarini Architects’ designed Tom Patterson Theatre for the Stratford Festival. Major Donors, Board Members, and government officials attended the topping-off ceremony, marking the placement of the final structural beam in the new theatre.
“With the placing of this beam today, the bones of the building are complete,” said Artistic Director Antoni Cimolino. “What is now a shell can begin turning into a room: a place for creative imagination.”
“The inspiration for the design of this new building came from the work that it will enable and the environment that surrounds it,” said Gaffney. “Architect Siamak Hariri brought us a stunning design that is taking shape before our eyes.”
The group gathered in the space that will become the new Tom Patterson theatre, a space every bit as intimate as its predecessor on which it is modelled, but newly cast to create what Cimolino and Hariri feel will be the best theatre room in North America.
Construction of the new theatre centre has made great strides and continues to progress, “on schedule and on budget,” as Hariri noted during his remarks. He spoke with great feeling about the experience of creating a building in such a tight-knit community, where his work can have such meaningful impact.
The theatre has been designed not simply to overlook the Avon River, but to mirror its beauty and to bring its essence into the building itself. Each of the centre’s main pods will be complemented by extensive gardens to further enhance the natural setting.
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