Awards.

The Garrison Stage

The Garrison Stage is a civic performance pavilion designed to celebrate Fredericton’s cultural identity while enhancing its’ historic context. The project’s primary objectives are to create a clear and iconic structure that supports the city’s vibrant festival culture, maintain visual and spatial harmony with its historic surroundings, and offer a flexible platform for adaptable performance.

In response to these objectives, the design embraces mutual accommodation—a respectful coexistence with its surrounding historic architecture. The stage’s form is deliberately simple yet striking, allowing it to stand out as a landmark without obstructing views or overwhelming its surroundings. The material palette—perforated corten steel, wood, and stone—reflects Fredericton’s landscape and heritage. As a material, corten is not only cost-effective and long-lasting, but also naturally evolves over time, developing a unique patina that reflects its surroundings. Perforations within the steel are carefully placed to form a sonic wave, creating a dynamic play of light and shadow that shifts throughout the day.

The lighting design is integral to achieving the stage’s goal of identifying as a clear and iconic structure for festival attraction. At night, the stage transforms into a glowing beacon, with integrated lighting illuminating the perforated sonic wave façade. This not only enhances safety and orientation within the park but also reinforces the stage’s role as a festival focal point. Its adaptability and side stage doors allow it to host a wide range of performances, from small community gatherings to large-scale cultural events.

The Garrison Stage has significantly enhanced the community by activating a previously underutilized urban space. It provides a platform for local artists, fosters cultural exchange, and strengthens civic identity. As a sustainable, low-maintenance structure, it contributes to long-term urban resilience while offering a daily reminder of Fredericton’s evolving story.