Raffi Armenian Theatre, Centre-in-the-Square, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada

The 2047 seat Raffi Armenian Theatre is the focal point of Centre-in-the-Square, which opened in 1980. The Centre also includes an art gallery and a flexible space studio theater that seats over 300. The Artec-designed concert theatre enjoys a high reputation for its acoustics for symphony, opera, speech and drama performances. The hall's innovative theatre design has also been highly praised.

The Raffi Armenian Theatre is equipped with movable stage towers that form the orchestra shell. The towers, which weigh approximately seven tons each, are moved on "air bearings". They can be turned so that the side facing the orchestra can accommodate either additional audience seating in boxes or serve as timber-clad sound reflectors. The Raffi Armenian Theatre was one of the first halls in the world to use these signature Artec design features for concert theatres.

Another feature is a high degree of flexibility in the forestage zone. By using two forestage lifts and motorized seating wagons, it is possible to quickly transform this area to accommodate the concert platform, the orchestra pit (in which 110 musicians can be seated), or additional seating. These features help to make it possible for opera, symphony, rock and roll, dance, and musical theater to be performed with equal success in the hall.

Artec provided Design and Planning services covering Pre-Design Phase services, Auditorium Design, Facility Planning, Specialized Performance Equipment Systems Design and Background Noise and Vibration Control consulting. The architect for Centre-In-The-Square was Rieder, Hymmen and Lobban.