The Carlu Concert Hall

The Carlu is an Art Deco masterpiece restored to its former glory and named in honor of the architect who had first designed the venue space in the 1930s. Originally a department store’s Seventh Floor, it was at the heart of Toronto’s cultural life for many years.
The Auditorium played host to the major performers of its day, including Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington and Frank Sinatra. In addition to its architectural beauty, the space was well known for having the “best acoustics in North America”, according to famed pianist Glenn Gould, who performed and recorded there frequently. The reconstruction and redesign of this architectural classic considered both newly added amplified sound and sound isolation in consideration of  adjacent neighbours. HGC Engineering also took special care and attention in upgrading the acoustic design to preserve, if not enhance, the performance space’s well-deserved acoustical characteristics and reputation.