Steel Project Case Study Gallery: Renovation to ROM [page 9], Opening Night

Terri Meyer Boake BES BArch MArch LEED AP
Professor :: School of Architecture :: University of Waterloo

Renovation to the Royal Ontario Museum

Architectural Opening

Studio Daniel Libeskind

Toronto, Ontario

Project Information:

Design Architect: Studio Daniel Libeskind
Local Architects: Bregman and Hamann
Steel Fabrication: Walters Inc.
General Contractor: Vanbots Construction Corporation

The project's Architectural Opening happened on June 2, 2007. Thanks to Walter Koppelaar of Walters Inc., steel fabrication erection for the ROM, for the invite to the celebration! I had not sat for 3 hours on an extruded aluminum bleacher seat since a Jays game at the Ex so many years ago! Considering the state of the finished cladding in March 2007 (my last real visit), I could not believe the place was ready for this. It was a wonderful event - complete with fireworks.

Follow the links below to some video clips that I posted on YouTube.

link to Governor General Michaëlle Jean's address and fireworks accompanied opening of the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal

link to David Suzuki's address during the grand opening

Architectural Opening - June 2, 2007


The facade is used as a screen.	Thousands of the closest friends of the project gather in the aluminum bench bleacher seats.


The completed facade on the night of the opening.	The crowds gather. There are 3 stages to facilitate viewing of the performances.


Bloor Street is closed to make room for the seating and concert. The steel fabricators wish they had so much room during erection!!	The coloured lights on the facade vary during the evening.


The opening is part of Luminato, a new cultural festival for Toronto.	Stages for performers in front of the Crystal.


The ceiling of the main atrium.	A gallery on the second floor.


View down through the central circulation atrium to guest sitting on the $20,000 special Neinkamper Libeskind chairs over steel grating and into the lower level "pit" below.	Second floor gallery space.


Attendees at the grand opening preview take photos of each other in the purity of the space.	Second floor gallery - a bit of the old building peeking through.


Second floor gallery.	Top floor gallery.


View toward the ceiling on the top floor gallery.	Top floor gallery.


Part of Hiroshi Sugimoto's exhibit "History of History". Sugimoto create the shape of the exhibit in reaction to the triangulated space without vertical display surfaces provided by the Libeskind building.


View down through the central "Stair of Wonders".