Building Culture: Restoration & Additions to Massey Hall and Koerner Hall

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Marianne McKenna, founding partner of KPMB Architects, reflects on her career creating cultural spaces, including The Royal Conservatory’s Koerner Hall, Massey Hall, the Jenny Belzberg Theatre, and the Yale Repertory Theatre.

BIOGRAPHY
Marianne McKenna, the 2025 RAIC Gold Medalist, is a founding partner of KPMB Architects and an Officer of the Order of Canada. She is internationally known for her leadership on major cultural landmarks, including the Royal Conservatory of Music’s TELUS Centre for Performance and Learning and Koerner Hall, the revitalization of Toronto’s historic Massey Hall, the renewal of Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis, and the Jenny Belzberg Theatre at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. Her approach balances deep respect for architectural legacy with contemporary interventions that support new uses, improved performance, and broader public access. She is a passionate advocate for design excellence, sustainability, and community‑building through architecture.