National Arts Centre (building)
national art centre nac french centre national de art canadian centre performing art located ottawa ontario along rideau canal operated eponymous performing art organisation national art centre national art centre designated national historic site canada national capital commission expropriated demolished russell theatre make way confederation square leaving ottawa without major performing art venue performer orchestra visiting capital required use stage capitol cinema designed vaudeville film g hamilton southam levi pettler founded national capital art alliance goal creating suitable venue successfully convinced city government build new centre downtown elgin street rideau canal nac one number project launched government lester b pearson commemorate canada centenary opened door public first time may cost c million site one time home ottawa city hall city donated land federal government june queen elizabeth ii unveiled lifesize bronze statue canadian jazz pianist oscar peterson outside nac royal tour canada building designed fred lebensold brutalist style based shape triangle hexagon building constructed reinforced concrete exterior many interior wall faced precast concrete panel containing exposed aggregate crushed brown laurentian granite centre rise base sits space underground parking garage base house office lobby dressing room workshop restaurant site slope elgin street rideau canal allowing second underground level overlooking canal roof base form multilevel terrace containing garden open public connects mackenzie king bridge three main performance space rise base series hexagonal structure also faced brown precast panel variety texture window tall narrow slit framed vertical rib hexagonal theme flow interior appears ceiling light fixture flooring lobby stairwell house several major piece visual art plan centre included organ southam hall however funding permit march th anniversary liberation netherlands dutchcanadian committee presented two organ purchased result operation thankyou canada stop concert organ positiv organ constructed flentrop orgelbouw zaandam given gratitude role played canadian troop liberation netherlands concert organ premiered recital october albert de klerk nac named royal architectural institute canada one top building produced canada last millennium heritage minister shelly glover foreign affair minister john baird announced million facelift nac construction centre oriented toward planned lagoon east never constructed work would expand meeting event facility install entrance window reorient focus toward parliament hill upgrade washroom facility renovated centre opened july canada th anniversary nac four concert venue southam hall seat largest stage home national art centre orchestra ottawa symphony orchestra well ballet major visiting show production babs asper theatre seat mostly used theatre dance event plus concert home englishlanguage frenchlanguage theatre company azrieli studio seat theatre venue musical concert space suited performance requiring intimate space fourth stage chair opened completely rebuilt reopening october home nac present concert wide variety community programming list concert hall jennings sarah art politics history national art centre dundurn isbn official website ottawa chamber music society construction nac youtube national art centre corporation fonds r library archive canada sarah jennings fonds r library archive canada fonds document essentially history national art centre record primary source jenningss book art politics history national art centre