Toronto 
The Art Gallery of Ontario is set to expand its modern and contemporary art offerings with the addition of the Dani Reiss Modern and Contemporary Gallery.
Aerial view of the Dani Reiss Modern and Contemporary Gallery looking northwest. Rendering by Play-Time, courtesy of Art Gallery of Ontario, Diamond Schmitt, Selldorf Architects and Two Row Architect.
The new space will increase the gallery’s size by 40,000 square feet and add at least 13 new galleries across five floors.
The expansion is made possible by a $35 million gift from Dani Reiss, Chairman and CEO of Canada Goose, and an art collector.
The Dani Reiss Modern and Contemporary Gallery designed by Diamond Schmitt, Selldorf Architects and Two Row Architects, will be connected to the AGO’s existing galleries through four access points and seamlessly integrated with the surrounding neighbourhood.
According to the news release, the Dani Reiss Modern and Contemporary Gallery will feature flexible, column-free galleries that can be easily reconfigured to suit the needs of today’s and future artists.
The galleries will be designed with adaptability, accessibility, relevancy, zero carbon operating, and inclusivity as guiding principles, and the building will seek CAGBC Zero Carbon Operating Building certification.
AGO says the Dani Reiss Modern and Contemporary Gallery will operate with an all-electric mechanical plant that creates no emissions, and the building will be constructed to Passive House standards for maximum heating and cooling efficiency.
Construction is expected to begin in 2024, and the project is estimated to cost approximately $100 million.
This marks the seventh expansion undertaken by the AGO since its founding in 1900.
