Taché Hall Redevelopment garners Heritage Preservation Award

April 17, 2025 | Featured Post, Projects

April 17, 2025
Featured Post, Projects

Tache Hall Exterior Perspective from above.

The major transformation of the 100+ year-old Taché Hall Student Residence on the University of Manitoba campus into a modern-day Arts, Music and Theatre complex earned a special recognition at the 2025 Heritage Winnipeg Preservation Awards.

On April 10, the 39th annual Heritage Winnipeg Preservation Awards took place inside one of the award-winning projects – the Gregg Building at 52 Albert Street. The Awards recognize “people, organizations and building projects that have gone above and beyond in the conservation and advancement of Winnipeg’s built heritage.” At the ceremony, the University of Manitoba Taché Hall Redevelopment was awarded the 2025 Institutional Conservation Award. LM-ESP served as Design Team Lead on the project, in collaboration with Patkau Architects. David Kressock, LM-ESP Project Lead, accepted the award, recognizing the University of Manitoba (the Client) for undertaking this major conservation endeavour, and the project team involved.

Taché Hall, completed in 1912, is one of the original Fort Garry campus buildings. It operated as a student residence over the past century and was initially designed for the Manitoba Agricultural College. The building provides a glimpse into another era of education in Manitoba, dating back to the early 1900s – a testament to the campus’ early beginnings and evolution. Taché Hall is designed in a Georgian style, consistent with the original campus vernacular of red brick, Tyndall stone accents, Tuscan columns, cornices, and red tile roofs, with a cupola above. Preserving its historic architectural character was an integral component of the design process, along with introducing a new function for the building.

Reinventing Taché Hall for the 21st Century

The project’s mission was to convert the former student residence into state-of-the-art academic and faculty spaces, uniting the Faculty of Music, School of Art and theatre program under one roof. The four-storey, 200,000 sf renovation involved many multi-disciplinary professionals working together in collaboration with the University.

The original cellular floorplan of the existing building was preserved. Smaller, former dormitory rooms became student art studios, workshop spaces, one-and-two-person rehearsal rooms, offices and lounges. The high-volume, two-storey centre block, once housing the auditorium and Taché Oak Room (communal dining hall), became the Eckhardt-Gramatté Music Library, the 150-seat John J. Conklin Theatre and the new home of the Black Hole Theatre Company.

While preserving the layout, the building was reverted back to its base structure to reinsulate the facility, add ventilation and introduce all new electrical, mechanical, power and data systems to outfit the building for the digital era. Envelope upgrades included replacing the roof to match its original character and adding new windows to improve energy efficiency. Other key updates included enhancing accessibility, acoustic control strategies and addressing varied components to meet today’s building standards.

Preserving the Building’s Historic Character

While reimaging the facility, a leading priority was conserving Taché Hall’s rich heritage. The façade was carefully restored. All masonry was cleaned and pointed, the cupola and cornice elements were treated and its original architectural expression endures today. Inside, Victorian-inspired wall paneling and coffered ceilings were refreshed, railings, marble treads and stairwells restored, and the open concept stairwells continue to deliver a sense of grandeur true to the original facility.

Completed in 2017, the project was promptly followed by a major building addition on the south side to house the Desautels Faculty of Music large assembly rehearsal spaces. Today, Taché Hall users can enjoy seamless access between both buildings. The successful preservation of this early 20th century landmark ultimately positioned it for achieving the 2025 Heritage Preservation Award. A big congratulations to the Client, University of Manitoba, and all involved with the project. An extended acknowledgement to all the Heritage Winnipeg Preservation Award recipients this year. It was an incredible event to be a part of, celebrating the importance of preserving history for a next era of inspired use.

For more insights, visit our project profile.