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DECEMBER 2017 | 59 Remai Modern PHOTOGRAPHY BY ADRIEN WILLIAMS/COURTESY KPMB ARCHITECTS Remai Modern by ROBIN BRUNET I t has almost become a tradition for new museum or art gallery projects to be viewed as an opportunity for architects to flex their gymnastic muscles and create eye-popping, almost fantasy-like structures. But Michael Lundholm, principal of the museum planning consultancy Lundholm Associates who wrote the functional program for the new Remai Modern gallery in Saskatoon, points out that "too many times the gymnastics come at the expense of the museum/gallery's intent, and its ability to fulfill its mandate." This approach was avoided in the development of the $84.6-million Remai Modern, which was intended to build on the modernist legacy of Saskatoon's Mendel Art Gallery and set a new direction for art in Saskatchewan. And while its location in the city's Rivers Landing mixed-use neighbourhood prompted the owners (City of Saskatoon) to develop the facility to contain a community gathering component, careful planning resulted in a community hub integrated with the Gallery's program. "The last thing we wanted was a building divided between 'public' and 'art gallery' functions," says Lundholm. "The Gallery was able to convince the City that contemporary museums around the world were actively becoming community spaces and that at River Landing it could take on this role." And despite KPMB Architects and Architecture49 avoiding undue design excesses, Remai Modern is still a bold – but not gaudy – architectural statement. The facility resembles a series of dramatic rectangular blocks stacked on top and offset of each other, with the outward cantilever of one box (the third storey) especially exaggerated and almost appearing to defy gravity. KPMB points out that Remai Modern's form and massing "respond LOCATION 102 Spadina Crescent East, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan OWNER/DEVELOPER The City of Saskatoon ARCHITECTS Architecture49 Inc. (Architect of Record) KPMB Architects (design) GENERAL CONTRACTOR EllisDon Corporation STRUCTURAL CONSULTANT Entuitive MECHANICAL CONSULTANT Crossey Engineering Ltd. ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT Mulvey & Banani International Inc. LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT PFS Studio MUSEUM PLANNING CONSULTANT Lundholm Associates TOTAL SIZE 205,000 square feet TOTAL COST $84.6 million to the low, flat topography of Saskatchewan's prairie landscape and evoke regional agrarian traditions of low-rise, rectilinear sheds and barns." The four cantilevered boxes engage the Saskatchewan River edge to the south and 2nd Avenue to the east. The south elevation spans the length of the site, and the ground floor is fully glazed to provide continuous day lit public spaces with access to the river. Public spaces on every level are organized to maximize the connection to the river. A central atrium organizes the plan and acts as a community gathering space, while a grand switchback stair initiates a continuous path through all the upper levels where the gallery portions of the facility are located. Remai Modern's design also respects tradition. The exterior is clad in a copper- coloured metal screen and was inspired by Saskatoon's historic architectural landmark, the Delta Bessborough hotel. While planned for years, the project kicked off in earnest in 2011 with a $31-million donation ($16 million for construction and $15 million to support international exhibitions) from Saskatoon entrepreneur and philanthropist Ellen Remai. Grant Van Iderstine, practice leader for Architecture49 Inc., reveals that Remai Modern's provocative form was inspired by the L-shaped site it inhabits. "It's a very constricted site flanked by two streets, wrapping around an existing performing arts theatre and an experimental theatre," he says. "The intent was to dig partially underneath the theatre to build two subterranean levels of parking, so right off the bat KPMB and our firm were faced with difficult geometry." Van Iderstine adds, "While observers may think the cantilevers of the gallery might be only an architectural expression, they were partly chosen to expand the narrow width of the L-shaped site, providing more room for program spaces and for EllisDon to fulfill their construction requirements." Although eye-catching, the metal screens of the exterior also served a functional purpose. "In winter they protect the building from the salt spray coming off a nearby bridge," says Van Iderstine, "and they also help mitigate heat gain and create a stable environment for the facility where the valuable art collections are displayed and stored." The collection includes 405 linocuts by Pablo Picasso – the most comprehensive such collection in the world. The architects required EllisDon to use cast-in-place concrete for the art gallery portion of the facility – because the concrete mass holds temperature more evenly and would cause the gallery to be less prone to vibration – and used structural steel cantilevers for the more expressive front public spaces. "Very heavy girders and connections were required for the cantilevers," says Edward Lacroix, VP projects, Walters Group, the steel fabricator/installer on the project. Given the tight site constraints, EllisDon, structural consultant Entuitive and Walters collaborated on a procedure involving shop trial fitting to ensure the required geometry would be maintained. Temporary shoring was also required on site to support some of the more extensive cantilevers. "Everything was just in time delivery, because there was no room for laydown areas," says Lacroix. "And yet, EllisDon did an amazing job meeting all the construction deadlines." The Remai Modern gallery opened to the public in October of this year and by all counts is a success. "This is a good art gallery, and it will be regarded as a model for Canadian museum buildings for many years," says Lundholm. Iderstine concludes: "This was a complex project that required a delicate balance and a lot of consultation with diverse user groups. Yes, it's a building whose design allows the public to flow right through on their way to other destinations, or to have lunch at the main level restaurant. But the design with its grand staircase also encourages a flow to the upper levels and a truly world-class art collection. "We're very excited by the gallery's potential. It will undoubtedly become a major destination for the City of Saskatoon." A 11:13 AM 2:33 PM 2:43 PM 8:32 AM

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