Kootenay Gallery of Art hires architect for downtown building renovation
Published 2:51 pm Thursday, July 9, 2026
The Kootenay Gallery of Art, History, and Science Society is one step closer to fulfilling its dream of moving to downtown Castlegar.
The gallery has hired The Marc Boutin Architectural Collaborative Inc. (MBAC), with Patkau Architects Inc., as the architectural design collaboration team, for the highly-anticipated gallery relocation and renovation project.
The gallery purchased the former Element/Woods Nightclub building in downtown Castlegar about a year ago and has been working on plans for the space ever since.
According to the gallery, a rigorous Request for Proposals (RFP) process drew submissions from top-tier firms across Canada.
The gallery says MBAC is internationally recognized for creating innovative cultural and civic spaces and brings invaluable regional expertise to the project through their local Kootenay office based in Nelson, BC.
The goal of the relocation is to create a modern, accessible, and vibrant cultural hub designed to better serve local artists, residents, and visitors while anchoring the continued revitalization of downtown Castlegar.
“We are incredibly excited to partner with MBAC,” said Joleen Kinakin, CEO of the Kootenay Gallery of Art. “Their expertise in creating deeply contextual cultural spaces perfectly aligns with our mission. Beyond expanding our capacity to showcase incredible art, establishing this permanent home downtown will act as a major economic driver for our region, bringing new vibrancy, foot traffic, and cultural tourism directly into our community.”
The design phase is scheduled to take place this summer.
The gallery says it will incorporate input from the art gallery team, local artists and community stakeholders to deliver a facility that “prioritizes sustainability, community engagement, and excellence in the arts.”