October 7, 2020
The new Art Gallery of Nova Scotia (AGNS) will be a place where all Nova Scotians can come to see their stories told and to learn about the long, rich and multi-faceted culture that makes this place unique.
Architecture49 in Halifax have been following this project for nearly a decade and were part of the successful proponent team for the feasibility study in 2012 and led the facility program and visioning study in 2018. This year, the team responded to a two-stage proposal which culminated in an international design competition, in which the team was one of three invited to participate in the design competition.
Over the summer, representatives from A49 Halifax and Winnipeg worked with various WSP departments (Building Envelope, Civil, Sustainability, Marine Engineering, and Technology) along with design partners Diller Scofidio + Renfro, landscape architects Hargreaves Jones, and numerous other engineers and specialists to develop a conceptual design for the new gallery and site. The competition wrapped up at the end of September with public presentations live-streamed to thousands of Nova Scotians who are anxiously waiting for this great project to come to life. We anticipate the results of the design competition to be announced in October 2020.
Our concept for the new AGNS proposes an anti-institution: an open-source and hyper-democratic hub catalyzing new cultural dialogue along the Halifax waterfront; a radically flexible and inclusive space where creative engagement across multiple media engenders fresh perspectives; and a multilayered setting that challenges visitors to confront contemporary issues through art.
The site offers an extraordinary opportunity to create a new public space reflecting the mission of the AGNS. A continuous cultural fabric will weave through the city, the boardwalk and the AGNS foyer—inviting locals and visitors to freely traverse, linger, mix, and engage art. At the same, the life of the Gallery will spill into public spaces with food, education, creation, exhibition, and performance.
