Sudbury, Ont., building that honours Franco-Ontario history a Queen's Park Pick

The rust-coloured Place des Arts in Sudbury, Ont., was one of nine buildings the Ontario Association of Architects has chosen as one of its Queen's Park Picks.

The building, which occupies a block in the city's downtown core, hosts seven francophone arts organizations, including the Théâtre du Nouvel-Ontario, Galerie du Nouvel-Ontario and the Carrefour francophone.

"I am so thrilled that year after year, our members of Provincial Parliament join us in recognizing the marvelous examples of Ontario architecture found in all parts of our province," said Ontario Association of Architects President Susan Speigel, in a press release. 

"We must continue to respect and revere these beautiful places that form a crucial part of our social fabric."

The exterior of Place des Arts, which was completed earlier this year, combines glass and weathered, or corten steel, that rusts when it comes into contact with air.

"It has rusted for a number of weeks and now it will be perfectly like this forever and ever," said Places des Arts executive director Jean-Gilles Pelletier. "It will last for another 50 to 60 years."

Pelletier described the building as a love letter to the region's Franco-Ontarian history. There are many details, he said, that draw a direct line to that history.

Bread pans cover the walls of the building's bistro, for example.

Pelletier said the bread pans are from the former Canada Bread Factory in Sudbury, which was built in 1949. Théâtre du Nouvel-Ontario bought the building in 1970, where it performed plays in French for a time.

The bistro's bar and benches also have pine boards from L'Île-aux-Chênes, which was an island that hosted francophone summer camps from 1945 to 2000.

And the bistro's light fixtures come from the Sheridan Auditorium at Sudbury Secondary School, which also hosted the Théâtre du Nouvel-Ontario for several years.

The building also has some modern design elements. Pelletier said it was designed to absorb vibrations from nearby train tracks so they don't disturb performances.

The outside glass also has a laser engraving of a forest, which is meant to represent the forests that surround Sudbury, and once covered the city itself.

"This building means business and it stands out in Sudbury to some extent," Pelletier said.

"It's well grounded in the history of Sudbury, but it stands out in that it's absolutely beautiful and it's open for everyone."

He added the building represents rejuvenation for Sudbury's downtown.

"We're not done yet," Pelletier said. "This is just the beginning."