Job search
Job Search
Latest news
More news: (showing 1 - 20 of 13727)           
UK only International

Contemporary Calgary opens doors following CA$25m transformation

By Lauren Heath-Jones    30 Jan 2020
Luke Jerram's Museum of the Moon, a scale model of the moon suspended from the ceiling, will be on display until 15 March 2020
The building is weird and wacky and wonderful, it makes it all the more exciting to turn it into something else.
– David Leinster, CEO of Contemporary Calgary

Calgary's Centennial Planetarium has reopened as a contemporary art gallery following a major CA$25m (US$18.9m, €17.2m) renovation.

Called Contemporary Calgary, the planetarium – which is known for its brutalist architecture and imposing concrete dome – had been vacant since 2011, following the opening of Calgary's TELUS Spark Science Centre. It was put out for expression of interest by the city of Calgary in 2013 when private donations and grants from both local and federal governments made its transformation into an art gallery possible.

The renovation, carried out by Gibbs Gage Architects and KPMB Architects, includes a new 10,000sq ft (929sq m) gallery, another 3,000sq ft (278sq m) gallery, a rooftop sculpture garden and event space, as well as a new entrance pavilion, café-style restaurant and open community spaces.

"When the city put this building out for an expression of interest in 2013, three longstanding arts organisations in the city of Calgary came together with one shared vision which was 'Let's bring a major contemporary art experience to the city of Calgary'", said Contemporary Calgary CEO, David Leinster.

"Because the building is kind of weird and wacky and wonderful, makes it all the more exciting to turn it into something else."

Bruce Kuwabara, partner at KPMB and design-lead on the project, said: "The re-imagination of the Centennial Planetarium – an icon of optimism – into a dynamic, game-changing cultural hub, is an ideal project of architecture in our time."

The gallery, which opened to the public on 23 January 2020, will house a series of travelling exhibitions, including Yoko Ono's Growing Freedom: The instructions of Yoko Ono and The art of John and Yoko, in place of fixed collections, and is currently hosting Luke Jerram's Museum of the Moon exhibit – a scale model of the Moon suspended from the top of the dome.

The gallery will offer extended opening hours, - Tuesday to Sunday 11am - 6pm and 9pm on Thursdays - and has announced a new admissions policy, offering a CA$10 (US$7.62, £5.82) admission fee or an annual membership of CA$20 (US$15.24, £11.64), to make it one of the most accessible galleries in the region.

10,000sq ft (930sq ft) of gallery space was added to the building / Gibbs Gage Architects / KPMB Architects
The renovation included a new entrance pavilion and a cafe-style restaurant / Gibbs Gage Architects / KPMB Architects
Centennial Planetarium  Contemporary Calgary  art gallery  planetarium  Gibbs Gage Architect  KPMB Architects  David Leinster  Bruce Kuwabara 
Sign up for FREE ezines
Related news

Company profile

Company profile: Legend by Xplor
We help a wide range of public sector leisure operators (including Leisure Trusts, Leisure Management Companies, Local Authorities and Universities), as well as private operators, to streamline complex operations, achieve growth and drive retention.
View full profile >
More company profiles

Featured Supplier

Elevate registrations soar: a record-breaking start to Elevate 2024
Elevate, the premier event in the physical activity, fitness, sports therapy and performance sector, is thrilled to announce that registrations for its 2024 conference are now live – and the response has been nothing short of exceptional.
View full details >
More featured suppliers

Property & Tenders

Location: Loughton, IG10
Company: Knight Frank
Location: Grantham, Leicestershire
Company: Belvoir Castle
Location: Verwood, Dorset
Company: AVISON YOUNG
Location: Hall Place House, Bexley, DA5 1PQ
Company: London Borough of Bexley
Location: 15 Concessions across the nation's forests
Company: Forestry England
More properties & tenders

Diary dates

11-14 Apr 2024
Exhibition Centre , Cologne, Germany
22-24 Apr 2024
Galgorm Resort, York
10-12 May 2024
China Import & Export Fair Complex, Guangzhou, China
23-24 May 2024
Large Hall of the Chamber of Commerce (Erbprinzenpalais), Wiesbaden, Germany
More diary dates