Nova Centre and Halifax Convention Centre

IBI Group provided integrated design services, including architecture, interior design, landscape and urban design to realize the $500M, mixed-use Nova Centre development, comprised of 1M sq. ft. of commercial, hotel and retail space on a 2.5 acre downtown sloped site, and featuring the centerpiece facilities for the Halifax Convention Centre (HCC). The facilities include a 3,000–person ballroom, a major convention kitchen, a 40,000 sq. ft. column-free exhibition hall with vertical services sized to transport vehicles connected to a five-bay service loading area, and two levels of below-grade parking. 

The Nova Centre is the largest structure of its kind east of Montreal, offering historic views of Halifax Harbour and Citadel Hill. The radial nature of the City’s view plane by-law uniquely shapes the project’s exterior envelope, which reflects the city’s proud sailing heritage as billowing sails or a ship’s prow. To complement the maritime feel, the project will feature a giant sculptural whale as a public art component designed at the entrance to the arcade, which runs through the building as a shared, covered street for cars, bikes and pedestrians alike.

The interior design bridges coastal and natural outdoor elements within the built environment. Seeing the effect of saltwater on metal across the city, the raw element of rust was integrated into the design in a new and forward-thinking way. The transformational space sets the stage for what’s to come, opening the city to a global audience, and bringing various people together.

A first-of-its-kind facility for Atlantic Canada, it serves as a hub for the Halifax community, supporting entertainment, retail, business, dining and event space for public and private groups. Transformative in nature, it is attracting the attention of major users hosting both national and international events, in addition to spurring growth and redevelopment of small businesses in the immediate area. Since completion, the building has met its ambitions to serve as an incubator for new development and public activity in Downtown Halifax.