A small army of construction trades is working on a multi-year project that will substantially transform the various levels and Bloor Street entranceway of the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) in Toronto.
The $130-million venture, officially dubbed OpenROM, started in February 2024 and will take about three years to complete. It will renovate 86,000 square feet on the main floor and create more than 6,000 additional square feet of new gallery space on the second and third levels.
“The project has been going well so far,” says Stephanie Altman, executive project director for OpenROM. “There’s been great co-operation between the construction team and the museum to work together and keep the work moving as efficiently as possible.
“Major construction on an open museum doesn’t happen often…so while there is a lot to learn, the team has been great about adapting fast to any challenges that come up.”
The project is part of an extensive renewal plan that began with the reopening of the Weston Entrance on Queen’s Park in 2017, along with the unveiling of the Helga and Mike Schmidt Performance Terrace and Reed Family Plaza on Bloor Street in 2019. The idea is to make the structure a contemporary museum and more welcoming place, with improved sightlines into the building.
“OpenROM is the natural next phase of the museum’s ongoing transformation and part of ROM’s larger strategic vision,” notes Altman. “There is no better time than now as ROM has a role to play in city-building, creating community, contributing to the ongoing recovery of our city, province and country post-pandemic.”
The project will include a sweeping architectural transformation of the main floor and introduce a newly redesigned entrance to the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal to better connect with the neighbourhood.
Other notable exterior elements of the project include a new showcase water feature that will evolve with the seasons, changing from burbling water in the summer to cracked ice in the winter.
The foyer will lead into a soaring, four-storey atrium capped with a sweeping, high-performance diagrid glass ceiling. There, visitors will encounter a new 3,500-square-foot forum, where they can enjoy performances, programs and hands-on activities. Rising above the forum will be a three-level lily pad staircase, which will offer four accessible overlook platforms.
All interior and exterior demolition activities have been completed and structural infills have been finished on the galleries as well as construction of the pump room to support the water feature.
Currently, construction crews are focused on the finishing phase on the second and third levels of the museum.
“We have completed the HVAC installation and have started the column cladding and drywall framing in the space,” explains Altman. “On the exterior, we are preparing for the relocation of exterior services and the installation of support steel for the new glazing and canopy structure.
“Typically, we have mechanical and electrical trades, civil work, concrete, steel and drywall onsite. The numbers can range greatly depending on what activities are ongoing on a specific date.”
Over the summer, crews will continue outside work on the Bloor Street exterior and begin installation of the glazing and construction of an expansive canopy structure at the entranceway to the building. Inside, on the ground floor, a new raised floor system will be installed.
The landmark project is funded by private philanthropy, including a $50-million donation from the Hennick Family Foundation – the single largest cash gift in ROM’s history. Hariri Pontarini Architects of Toronto is leading the design.
“We’re going to re-introduce ROM to Toronto with a design that, in effect, turns the museum inside out,” says Siamak Hariri, a founding partner of the architectural firm. “We’re going to bring daylight and views deep inside and create new connections with Bloor Street, within the ground floor public spaces and the galleries themselves.”
The building is still operating while the work is underway, which poses special challenges.
“Working in any building open to the public can be challenging and on this project we have the added layer of ensuring we protect the valuable objects that are in proximity to the area of construction,” says Altman. “We are very careful with our selection of tools and machinery on the project to minimize vibration and have stringent operating procedures in place to ensure that we minimize any dust or noise that would interfere with museum operations.
“Museum staff have been instrumental in assisting, providing direct feedback from visitors to ensure we are able to adjust to any issues as quickly as possible.”
The museum dates back to March 1914.
Once construction is completed, the museum will introduce year-round free access to the main floor which includes unlimited access to special programming and live performances.
