The National Arts Center in Ottawa (Centre National des Arts) was launched to commemorate Canada's centenary in 1967. Designed by Montreal architect Fred Lebensold as a cluster of hexagons, the brutalist NAC was inaugurated on May 31, 1969. It then had 3 performing spaces: the opera with over 2000 seats, the theater with close to 900 seats and a 300-seat studio.
https://nac-cna.ca/
The building was renovated and expanded in 2016 and 2017 to plans by Diamond Schmitt architects. 50 years after its initial construction, and in time for Canada's 150 year celebrations, the project opened the building to the city with new glass instead of concrete facades. In 2020, it received the Merit Award by the United States Institute of Theatrical Technology.
National Arts Center - 1967 concrete facades
National Arts Center - 2017 new glass facades
The geometry of the new spaces is inspired by the original building.
National Arts Center - interior
National Arts Center - ceiling
The building also contains a beautiful hexagonal spiral staircase.
National Arts Center - staircase
National Arts Center - staircase
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