IBI Group Leads Design Team for Toronto’s Newest Entertainment Venue, History
Date
December 7, 2021
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— Prominent Canadian design firm brings Live Nation/Drake collaboration to life —
TORONTO, ON (December 7, 2021) – IBI Group (TSX:IBG) is leading the design team for History, working with Live Nation Canada on the new entertainment venue in Toronto’s Beaches neighbourhood. The exciting project includes a collaboration between Live Nation and Canadian and global icon Drake to curate a premiere entertainment experience. With a capacity of 2,500 seats, and a plan to host 200 concerts and events annually, History will provide artists with a versatile and intimate destination to perform and connect with fans.
Live Nation took over 2,270 sq. m. of space from a previously underutilized off-track horse racing facility for this adaptive reuse project that is set to add vibrancy to the east-end Toronto area post-COVID. IBI Group worked closely with acoustical engineers at Thornton Tomasetti to design a heavy duty, floor-to-ceiling wall to act as a sound damper, minimizing any disturbance to the remaining space which is still in operation. The venue, which opened in November 2021, is expected to drive economic activity, create employment opportunities for the community, and re-activate the Beaches neighbourhood.
“The design of History focuses on allowing visitors to get the most out of their experience. The venue is flexible, offering a mosh pit-style space on the ground floor, opera-style seating on the first floor, and VIP areas adjacent to the stage. Creating this diversity of space will offer a versatile customer base better enjoyment of the venue,” said Neil Munro, IBI Group Architecture Practice Lead and Project Director.
Design principles for the new venue are focused on enhancing the visitor experience. IBI’s design team created heat maps to identify the venue’s most favoured areas, with views of the stage and access to the washrooms and bars in mind. Amendments to the original design were made during the pandemic, including reconfiguring high-traffic areas, amending touch surfaces to be sensor activated, and changing the mechanical system to incorporate more air purification and inter-air quality. The venue is oversized, with redundancy built in to make visitors feel more comfortable.
IBI Group has a rich history designing entertainment venues and related facilities, including Toronto’s Maple Leaf Square, featuring the Scotiabank Arena entrance and Jumbotron (the centrepiece of the Toronto Raptors’ Jurassic Park), and more recently the Boca Raton Center for the Arts and Innovation in Florida, which is set to become the permanent home for Boca Raton’s professional cultural institutions.
For more information and/or to connect with IBI Group, please contact Julia Harper at Julia.harper@hzpshiyong.com or 1-647-330-4706.
Image courtesy of Alec Donell Luna.
