{"id":596254,"date":"2023-10-31T21:54:17","date_gmt":"2023-10-31T18:54:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/the-building-a-cozy-communal-gallery-for-frederictons-art-lovers\/"},"modified":"2023-10-31T21:54:17","modified_gmt":"2023-10-31T18:54:17","slug":"the-building-a-cozy-communal-gallery-for-frederictons-art-lovers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/the-building-a-cozy-communal-gallery-for-frederictons-art-lovers\/","title":{"rendered":"#The Building: A cozy, communal gallery for Fredericton’s art lovers"},"content":{"rendered":"
\nDon\u2019t let the imposing columns outside Fredericton\u2019s Beaverbrook Art Gallery fool you\u2014its new expansion is a warm, inviting space for art buffs (and an ideal party spot)\n<\/div>\n
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(Photography by Doublespace Photography)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The Beaverbrook Art Gallery in Fredericton houses its share of intimidatingly beautiful works (roughly 6,000) by artists like Cornelius Krieghoff, Emily Carr and Salvador Dal\u00ed. But in August of 2019, when the Beaverbrook\u2019s board tapp<\/a>ed Toronto\u2019s KPMB Architects to design its new expansion\u2014 a reception area and social<\/a> hub\u2014the goal was to create a warm and inviting space. A living room for the city.<\/p>\n

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The pavilion houses several sculptures, including one by Acadian sculptor Marie H\u00e9l\u00e8ne Allain. Local artists have also been invited to pitch the space\u2019s next mural. (They\u2019ll rotate every year.)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Late in 2020, the team broke ground on the Harrison McCain Pavilion (as it\u2019s now named), a 9,000-square-foot extension off of the mid-century modern main gallery. The exterior was meant to fit in with the linear architectural vibe of Fredericton, which includes plenty of clapboard-covered homes formerly occupied by United Empire Loyalists. (The team at KPMB also took some international inspiration from the neoclassical colonnade of Berlin\u2019s Altes Museum.) A precast company in Saint John crafted the 44 towering columns that surround the pavilion, which act as a brise soleil to stop sunlight from scorching the lobby. The entrance itself is gently rounded to mirror the curve of nearby Queen Street (which, in turn, mirrors the curve of the Saint John River).<\/p>\n

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\u201cDaily Espresso,\u201d the name of the expansion\u2019s caf\u00e9, is a nod to Lord Beaverbrook, former owner of London\u2019s Daily Express<\/em> news<\/a>paper.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Inside, the pavilion features a caf\u00e9 (relocated from the gallery\u2019s lower level), gift shop, fireplace, seating area and, importantly, lots of event space\u2014for book launches, art shows, and even weddings. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlook the city\u2019s greenery and the neighbouring legislature and give the building a welcoming glow in the evening. A quiet palette of white concrete and strategically placed Venetian plaster allows visitors to focus on the art. One of those works\u2014a permanent mural by Indigenous artist Jordan Bennett\u2014sits in the lobby, intended to be the museum\u2019s land acknowledgement to the Wolastoqey First Nation.<\/p>\n

READ:\u00a0A look inside the new Chinese Canadian Museum in Vancouver\u2019s Chinatown<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

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On both sides of the pavilion\u2019s front steps, the architects added a concrete ramp. It provides an accessible entrance into the gallery, which is already raised above the floodplain next to the Saint John River to protect the art collections inside.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

So far, the pavilion has welcomed, and been welcomed by, the public. Just prior to its grand opening in September of 2022, it hosted a 400-person private event where museum members marvelled at the pavilion\u2019s acoustics (courtesy of a new ceiling of felt slats, designed to mimic the vertical columns outside). This year, the Beaverbrook hit its annual attendance goal by summer. And for those who can\u2019t see the gallery\u2019s contents up close, the Beaverbrook has posted photos of its 6,000-plus masterworks online\u2014a pandemic project that ensures art for all.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n