An award-winning Toronto architectural studio has been chosen to design the $40 million makeover of Orchestra Hall in downtown Minneapolis, the Minnesota Orchestral Association announced today.

The firm of Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg Architects (KPMB) is known internationally for its work on many cultural projects and renovations, including Chicago’s Goodman Theatre and Canada’s National Ballet School and the Royal Conservatory of Music, the association noted.

The project will include a dramatic makeover of both the public lobby spaces and the exterior of the 35-year-old home of the Minnesota Orchestra, as well as other areas of the facility.

“We aspire to enhance all aspects of our patrons’ concert-going experiences, improving the functionality of Orchestra Hall, modernizing our capabilities and presenting a visionary new face on Orchestra Hall for this community,” said orchestra President and CEO Michael Henson. “We’re fortunate to own a hall located in the heart of a vital downtown, and we are presented with a superb opportunity to ensure that Orchestra Hall is a beacon in Minneapolis, drawing broad audiences and serving as a community landmark on the south end of the Nicollet Mall.”

Music Director Osmo Vänskä praised the effort, saying, “It is a great thing when a community comes together to support the arts in such a strong way. This revitalization of our Hall will improve the experience of our audiences and players for decades to come.”

About $14 million of the project’s cost has been raised thus far. A timetable for the project is in the works, with a tentative target completion date of January 2013.