"MASSIVE CHANGE"- The AGO Thread

He He... the place is certainly going to get a massive change, but actually, that is the name of the current installation by Bruce Mau.






KGB

Transformation AGO Preparations Hit the Street

Date Posted: March, 8, 2005

The Art Galley of Ontario’s expansion project, Transformation AGO, will get underway within the next two months with a number of visible preconstruction preparations, the AGO Board of Trustees heard at its meeting yesterday.

In May, the signature Henry Moore sculpture Large Two Forms will be repositioned 12 feet south of its current position and covered with a protective shell for the duration of construction. Initial installation of project hoarding is expected to begin in mid-May and be completed by mid-June shortly before actual construction is scheduled to start. The main entrance to the Gallery will shift from Dundas Street to McCaul Street on June 1.

The trustees unanimously approved a six per cent increase in the building project budget, for a new budget of $207 million. The increase is within normal range for a major project at this stage, and largely reflects higher market prices for steel, a factor impacting many construction projects at this time.

The increase also reflects the AGO’s commitment to excellence in design. It accommodates a previously approved design change on the building’s front facade that replaces steel with wood timbers. One of many design refinements initiated by architect Frank Gehry and reflecting extensive public input, the use of wood timbers lends a more human scale and warmth to the façade and the 425-foot sculpture promenade it encloses.

At the meeting, trustees also heard that Bruce Mau Design has begun working on the full signage program for the transformed AGO: street signage, wayfinding and donor recognition. Mau, whose exhibition Massive Change: The Future of Global Design is now underway through May 29 at the AGO, has extensive experience with Gehry projects, and designed the signage for the Walt Disney Concert Hall and MIT’s Stata Center. He also was responsible for signage at the recently expanded Museum of Modern Art in New York.

"The trustees have again demonstrated their confidence in our ambitions for Transformation AGO," said AGO Director and CEO Matthew Teitelbaum. "With the benefit of excellent governance and a commitment to accountability, we will soon begin construction on an extraordinary building and a remarkable transformation for our city and our province."

Some Key Dates

New Hours and Admissions Pricing
April 2005

Closure of The Grange
April 2005

Relocation of Moore’s Large Two Forms
May 2005

Installation of Construction Hoarding
May 2005

Shape of Colour Exhibition
June 2005

New McCaul Street Entrance
June 2005

Catherine the Great Exhibition
October 2005

The Transformation AGO project builds on the generous gift of Kenneth Thomson’s private art collection, the commitment of other donors, the vital support of the provincial and federal governments and an innovative architectural expansion by world-renowned architect Frank Gehry. As one of the most distinguished art museums in North America, the transformed AGO will set the highest standards for accessibility to all facets of the artistic experience by providing unparalleled access to art display, conservation, custodial storage, creation and research. Visible walkways, extensive use of glass and views of the city and Grange Park will connect the city to the activity of the gallery.

Transformation AGO is generously supported by the Government of Canada and the Province of Ontario through the Canada Ontario Infrastructure Program.