The Tom Patterson Theatre is a landmark performing arts venue located along the banks of the Avon River in Stratford, Ontario, and serves as the centerpiece of the internationally acclaimed Stratford Festival. Designed by Hariri Pontarini Architects, the new 77,000 sf facility replaces an aging venue and meets the evolving needs of modern productions, community programs, and educational initiatives. The design reflects the festival’s continued evolution as a premier classical repertory company.
RDH was engaged early in the design process to support the project’s sustainability and energy performance goals. Our team provided building enclosure consulting, facade engineering, energy modeling, and LEED certification support throughout design and construction. We also conducted detailed reviews of the enclosure, mechanical, and energy systems, along with construction field testing and post-construction verification to confirm that the building was performing as intended.
In the field, RDH performed air and water infiltration testing on the custom curtain wall system to verify its airtightness and weather resistance—critical to long-term durability, occupant comfort, and building performance.
Energy modeling played a key role in informing early design decisions and optimizing building performance, ultimately supporting the project’s achievement of LEED Gold certification.
The theatre’s design has received widespread acclaim, including the 2022 Governor General’s Medal in Architecture, a Civic Trust Award, and a RAIC National Urban Design Award. These accolades reflect both the architectural excellence and the project team’s commitment to high-performance design.
