Hariri Pontarini Architects to Lead Historic Redevelopment of The McMichael Canadian Art Collection<\/h1><\/div><\/div><\/div>![\"People](\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%272560%27%20height%3D%27645%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%202560%20645%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%272560%27%20height%3D%27645%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" "\\"01-MCAC_Front-View-WEB\\"")
<\/span> <\/div>Conceptual Rendering of McMichael exterior designed by Hariri Pontarini Architects<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
KLEINBURG, ON<\/strong> \u2013 The McMichael Canadian Art Collection, home to one of the world\u2019s foremost collections of Canadian and Indigenous art, announces a transformative redevelopment led by the award-winning Toronto-based firm Hariri Pontarini Architects (HPA).<\/p>\nThis once-in-a-generation renewal, supported by major investments from the Government of Ontario, the Government of Canada, and philanthropic partners, will remake the McMichael into a world-class museum for the 21st century\u2014a beacon of accessibility, environmental sustainability and artistic excellence.<\/p>\n
The revitalization marks the first major investment in the McMichael\u2019s site in more than forty years. With commitments of up to $50 million from the Government of Ontario and currently $25 million from the Government of Canada through the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program, this ambitious project will ensure that the McMichael continues to inspire Canadians\u2014and visitors from around the world\u2014for generations to come.<\/p>\n
Originally built in the 1950s as the private home of founders Robert and Signe McMichael, the site has grown into a nationally significant institution\u2014welcoming hundreds of thousands of visitors to experience the spirit and stories of Canada through the eyes of its greatest artists. Nestled in the Humber River Valley, the building\u2019s modernist timber-and-stone architecture, with its low rooflines and integration into the landscape, has come to embody a deep sense of place and connection for many Canadians.<\/p>\n
The new design, led by award-winning Canadian firm Hariri Pontarini Architects, will honour this legacy while expanding and modernizing the facility to meet the needs of diverse 21st<\/sup>-century audiences. The redevelopment will include:<\/p>\n\n- More space<\/strong> dedicated to exhibitions, education, conservation, and public programming;<\/li>\n
- State-of-the-art classrooms and studios<\/strong>\u00a0to nurture the next generation of Canadian artists;<\/li>\n
- Purpose-built spaces<\/strong> for events, concerts, lectures, conferences and banqueting\u2014including a new indoor theatre;<\/li>\n
- Built to CAGBC Zero Carbon Design Standards<\/strong>, reinforcing the McMichael\u2019s commitment to environmental stewardship.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
The resulting building will be a powerful reflection of our nation\u2019s values: creativity, inclusion, sustainability, and deep respect for the land and its many stories.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
Quotes<\/h3><\/div>\u201cThe iconic McMichael Canadian Art Collection is a cornerstone of Ontario\u2019s cultural identity, celebrating Canadian and Indigenous history and heritage through artistic expression. The Ontario government is proud to protect McMichael\u2019s legacy and invest in projects that strengthen the province\u2019s cultural sector. With this redevelopment, the McMichael will reach its potential as a world-class cultural institution and the beating heart of the Canadian and Indigenous art communities.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n– Stan Cho, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\u201cThis project is more than a renovation\u2014 it\u2019s about building a home worthy of the art, artists, and landscapes that define our nation. Hariri 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. We are immensely grateful to the Government of Ontario, the Government of Canada, and our generous donors for recognizing the power of cultural spaces to shape our national identity and investing in a future that all Canadians can be proud of.\u201d <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n– Andy Pringle, Chair, McMichael Board of Trustees<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\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. This project\u2014brilliantly envisioned by HPA\u2014delivers on that promise: it honours the natural materials of the Canadian landscape, addresses the needs of 21st-century audiences, and creates spaces for discovery and delight for future generations. The McMichael is the place where it all comes together\u2014a catalytic force that is changing the story of art in Canada.\u201d <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n– Sarah Milroy, Frances and Tim Price Executive Director and Chief Curator<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\u00a0\u201cWe have fallen in love with the vision set before us by the McMichael, as home to the art of Canada. The 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<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n– Siamak Hariri, Founding Partner, Hariri Pontarini Architects<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Quick Facts<\/h3><\/div>\n- On April 8, 2025, the Province of Ontario announced up to $50 million in funding, contingent on matching support from the federal government and private donors.<\/li>\n
- On March 3, 2025, the Government of Canada announced a $25 million investment through the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings (GICB) program to support the McMichael\u2019s redevelopment.<\/li>\n
- The McMichael\u2019s permanent collection includes more than 7,000 artworks by Tom Thomson, the Group of Seven and their contemporaries, Indigenous artists, and artists from the many diasporic communities that make up Canada.<\/li>\n
- In 1965, Robert and Signe McMichael offered to donate their collection \u2013 as well as their home and land \u2013 to the Province of Ontario. Eight months later, on July 8, 1966, the \u201cMcMichael Conservation Collection of Art\u201d officially opened to the public.<\/li>\n
- The Gallery is an agency of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming, with ongoing support from the Ministry and the McMichael Canadian Art Foundation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
![\"People](\"https:\/\/mcmichael.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/01-MCAC_Front-View-WEB-scaled.jpg\" "\\"01-MCAC_Front-View-WEB\\"")
<\/span>Conceptual Rendering of McMichael exterior designed by Hariri Pontarini Architects<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
KLEINBURG, ON<\/strong> \u2013 The McMichael Canadian Art Collection, home to one of the world\u2019s foremost collections of Canadian and Indigenous art, announces a transformative redevelopment led by the award-winning Toronto-based firm Hariri Pontarini Architects (HPA).<\/p>\n This once-in-a-generation renewal, supported by major investments from the Government of Ontario, the Government of Canada, and philanthropic partners, will remake the McMichael into a world-class museum for the 21st century\u2014a beacon of accessibility, environmental sustainability and artistic excellence.<\/p>\n The revitalization marks the first major investment in the McMichael\u2019s site in more than forty years. With commitments of up to $50 million from the Government of Ontario and currently $25 million from the Government of Canada through the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program, this ambitious project will ensure that the McMichael continues to inspire Canadians\u2014and visitors from around the world\u2014for generations to come.<\/p>\n Originally built in the 1950s as the private home of founders Robert and Signe McMichael, the site has grown into a nationally significant institution\u2014welcoming hundreds of thousands of visitors to experience the spirit and stories of Canada through the eyes of its greatest artists. Nestled in the Humber River Valley, the building\u2019s modernist timber-and-stone architecture, with its low rooflines and integration into the landscape, has come to embody a deep sense of place and connection for many Canadians.<\/p>\n The new design, led by award-winning Canadian firm Hariri Pontarini Architects, will honour this legacy while expanding and modernizing the facility to meet the needs of diverse 21st<\/sup>-century audiences. The redevelopment will include:<\/p>\n The resulting building will be a powerful reflection of our nation\u2019s values: creativity, inclusion, sustainability, and deep respect for the land and its many stories.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> \u201cThe iconic McMichael Canadian Art Collection is a cornerstone of Ontario\u2019s cultural identity, celebrating Canadian and Indigenous history and heritage through artistic expression. The Ontario government is proud to protect McMichael\u2019s legacy and invest in projects that strengthen the province\u2019s cultural sector. With this redevelopment, the McMichael will reach its potential as a world-class cultural institution and the beating heart of the Canadian and Indigenous art communities.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n – Stan Cho, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> \u201cThis project is more than a renovation\u2014 it\u2019s about building a home worthy of the art, artists, and landscapes that define our nation. Hariri 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. We are immensely grateful to the Government of Ontario, the Government of Canada, and our generous donors for recognizing the power of cultural spaces to shape our national identity and investing in a future that all Canadians can be proud of.\u201d <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n – Andy Pringle, Chair, McMichael Board of Trustees<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> \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. This project\u2014brilliantly envisioned by HPA\u2014delivers on that promise: it honours the natural materials of the Canadian landscape, addresses the needs of 21st-century audiences, and creates spaces for discovery and delight for future generations. The McMichael is the place where it all comes together\u2014a catalytic force that is changing the story of art in Canada.\u201d <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n – Sarah Milroy, Frances and Tim Price Executive Director and Chief Curator<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> \u00a0\u201cWe have fallen in love with the vision set before us by the McMichael, as home to the art of Canada. The 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<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n – Siamak Hariri, Founding Partner, Hariri Pontarini Architects<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n
Quotes<\/h3><\/div>
Quick Facts<\/h3><\/div>
\n