National Ballet School (Jarvis site)

In 1994 Canada's National Ballet School set out on a path to renew its facilities. Established in 1959, it had grown to exceed its facilities despite additions to property and buildings that had occurred 1959-79. Phil Goldsmith helped to develop a new master plan for the school and a strategy for expansion that lead to the acquisition of the former CBC site on Jarvis Street. Private partners joined with the NBS to acquire the full CBC site. Radio City Condominiums were developed on the western half and the Ballet School on the eastern.

The site was the former home of the CBC and Havergal School for Girls. It contains two significant heritage structures that were adapted for reuse as part of the overall project. The new work (primarily dance studios and offices) wrap around Northfield House (1854), home of Ontario's first and longest serving Premier. The historic Havergal building (1898) is reused as the Academic Programme for the school.

The historic building exteriors have been restored to preserve their original design while the new structures are in a distinctively contemporary style. The striking composition has been described as the best piece of Urban Design in Toronto. The Plan is organized around a central court, the Town Square. This central organizing feature and social space links to all programme areas which include: the academic school; dance training studios; resource centre; administrative and teachers offices and supporting back of house change rooms; physio and wardrobe. The Town square showcases the interface between old and new in a three storey artrium.

Connecting and open to the atrium, is the central dining cafeteria of the school, which extends under the studios to look into a shared exterior court adjacent to the condominium project. An entirely new interior and significant contemporary additions to the rear prepared the old Havergal building for its new use as the Margaret McCain Academic Centre

Implementation of the Jarvis Street project of NBS was a Joint Venture of GBCA and KPMB Architects. The NBS project required a second phase by GBCA to restore and renovate for reuse the Maitland Street site, the prior home of the school, as the new NBS Residence.