2.4K 
Today, it was announced that a landmark renewal is planned for the McMichael Canadian Art Collection in Kleinburg, where Hariri Pontarini Architects has been selected to lead the gallery’s first major revitalization in more than four decades. Backed by $75 million in combined federal and provincial funding, the project is what the gallery describes as a generational investment in one of Canada’s most significant cultural institutions.
The revitalization will expand and modernize the museum’s facilities, creating new spaces for exhibitions, learning, and performance while preserving the McMichael’s distinct timber-and-stone architecture that has long reflected its Humber River Valley landscape.
Originally constructed in the 1950s as the home of founders Robert and Signe McMichael, the site evolved from a private residence into a cornerstone of national art heritage after being gifted to the Province of Ontario in 1965. Its low-slung rooflines, timber beams, and stone walls were designed to settle naturally into the forested Humber River Valley, creating a connection between art, architecture, and landscape.
Over the decades, the McMichael has grown into the country’s only museum devoted exclusively to Canadian and Indigenous art, surrounded by 100 acres of forest and trails. Home to more than 7,000 works spanning the Group of Seven, Tom Thomson, Emily Carr, and creators from across Canada’s diverse communities, it draws hundreds of thousands of visitors annually.
Hariri Pontarini Architects’ design reinterprets the McMichael’s familiar warmth and intimacy through a contemporary lens, bringing together natural materials that make visual connections to the surrounding forest. The redevelopment will introduce new exhibition, education, and conservation spaces, along with purpose-built studios, flexible galleries, and a multi-use indoor theatre for performances and events. Built to CAGBC Zero Carbon Design Standards, the renewal aligns architectural heritage with sustainability.
Hariri Pontarini Architects’ portfolio includes major cultural landmarks such as the Bahá’í Temple of South America, the Tom Patterson Theatre at the Stratford Festival, and the Nicol Building at Carleton University’s Sprott School of Business.
“We have fallen in love with the vision set before us by the McMichael, as home to the art of Canada,” said Siamak Hariri, Founding Partner of Hariri Pontarini Architects. “The big, sturdy roof automatically says ‘home,’ 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.”
The redevelopment will increase the gallery’s exhibition capacity, allowing more of its permanent collection to be displayed while adding new areas for public programs, art handling, and conservation. Expanded classrooms and studios would support artists and students alike, while upgraded accessibility, circulation, and gathering spaces would prepare the museum for larger audiences and community events.
A new indoor theatre and flexible halls will host lectures, performances, and cultural programming. Alongside expanded exhibition and learning facilities, the plan includes state-of-the-art spaces for conferences, lectures, and banqueting.
“Canada 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,” noted Sarah Milroy, Executive Director and Chief Curator. “This project—brilliantly envisioned by HPA—delivers on that promise.”
The plans for the gallery follow a combined investment framework. Earlier this year, Ontario’s Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming announced up to $50 million over three years to upgrade the 70-year-old complex, marking the first provincial capital infusion in more than four decades.
In addition, the federal government pledged $25 million through the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program, supporting the McMichael’s transition to a low-carbon facility with expanded accessibility and energy efficiency. Ontario’s capital commitment is contingent on matching contributions from the federal government and private donors. The project is also supported by philanthropic partners through the McMichael Canadian Art Foundation.
“The iconic McMichael Canadian Art Collection is a cornerstone of Ontario’s cultural identity, celebrating Canadian and Indigenous history and heritage through artistic expression,” shared Stan Cho, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming. “The Ontario government is proud to protect McMichael’s legacy and invest in projects that strengthen the province’s cultural sector.”
For the McMichael’s leadership, the redevelopment represents a long-awaited opportunity to align the gallery’s facilities with its national stature. “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,” said Andy Pringle, Chair of the McMichael Board of Trustees.
UrbanToronto will continue to follow progress on this development, but in the meantime, you can learn more about it from our Database file, linked below. If you'd like, you can join in on the conversation in the associated Project Forum thread or leave a comment in the space provided on this page.
* * *
UrbanToronto's research and data service, UTPro, provides comprehensive data on construction projects in the Greater Golden Horseshoe—from proposal through to completion. Other services include Instant Reports, downloadable snapshots based on location, and a daily subscription newsletter, New Development Insider, that tracks projects from initial application.
| Related Companies: | Hariri Pontarini Architects |
