A decommissioned power plant in Toronto has begun hosting the 10th edition of the Luminato Festival, a two-week event filled with art and music.

The Hearn Generating Station in the city’s Port Lands area, designed by engineers Stone & Webster, was built in 1951 but has been defunct since 1983.

Toronto architecture collective PARTISANS repurposed the mammoth 400,000 sq ft plant, using shipping containers to carve out gallery and performance spaces within the structure.

‘Dozens of shipping containers are needed to get equipment in and out of the Hearn,’ said the practice.

‘We thought, why not turn this practical requirement into an extraordinary design element? Not only do the containers celebrate and enhance the raw industrial beauty of the Hearn, they also allow us to play architectural Jenga.’

For the duration of the art and music festival, running until 26 June, musical and dance performances will run alongside tours, workshops and art installations.

Works include a giant disco ball – conceived by students from the Ontario College of Art and Design – suspended from a crane in the 705-ft-tall space.

Since being decommissioned 33 years ago, the power plant has also been used as a location in films such as Pacific Rim and the upcoming Suicide Squad.