MacEwan Hall Ballroom reopens

After nearly five months of construction, the MacEwan Hall Ballroom has reopened its doors to the public. The Students’ Union (SU) is excited to share with the campus community the results of the first complete renovation of the space in more than 50 years. The ballroom has been a venue synonymous with campus life since it first opened in 1969, and its refreshed look and feel promises to continue this legacy while making the venue responsive to modern needs and sensibilities.

 

 

 

While the basic layout of the room is still recognizable, visitors familiar with the old ballroom will feel like they’ve entered a newly constructed space. The walls and ceiling have been replaced with backlit black and white slats that seem to flow from one side of the room to the other.

One of the most daring architectural choices that contributed to the ballroom’s new feel is the slight slant of the walls. Adjustable, modern lighting shines from all sides and makes the floor gleam, adding to this trompe l’oeil and contributing to the overall Instagram-worthiness of the room.

 

 

Updated finishes throughout are intended to increase safety and durability. New features include easy-to-use multi-use lighting controls, an integrated PA system for speaker events that will eliminate numerous dead spots at the back of the room, and updated structural engineering points for lighting and concert sound. The HVAC to the room has been reconfigured so the space is more silent than before.

The new space is ideal for hosting a wide range of events, from banquets and conferences to weddings and holiday parties. The polished, modern design of the new Ballroom compliments the adventurous, forward-thinking cuisine of the MacEwan Conference and Event Centre’s executive chef, Craig D’Cruze, pictured below at the space’s grand opening in May.

“The ballroom is a space with a lot of history on campus,” says Omer Mansoor, the SU’s vice-president operations and finance. “We’re confident that this renovation honours that legacy and will secure its place as a hub of university, student, and community events for the next 50 years.”