The 2004 MIPIM Awards grant Bing Thom Architects’ Surrey Central City with the Special Jury Prize. The MIPIM (March International des Professionels de l’Immobilier), the International Property Market in Cannes, France celebrated the top developments around the world this evening at the Grand Auditorium of the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, France. The MIPIM Awards is considered the "Oscars" of the property industry.A total of 15 international projects in five project categories were nominated. These projects had to satisfy the following criteria: infrastructures and facilities access, site integration, originality of the concept, technical and architectural qualities and integration of services. Bing Thom Architects’ Surrey Central City was nominated under the Best Business Centre Category alongside two Lord Norman Foster projects.This year the Jury honoured the Surrey Central City project with the most prestigious award: The Special Jury Prize. Bing Thom had envisioned the creation of a new city centre for the City of Surrey, Canada with a 1.7 million sq. ft mixed-use development that would integrate an existing regional shopping mall with a new major university (Simon Fraser University has recently announced that Surrey Central City will be home to its third campus in the province of British Columbia) and office development. "I am honoured that the Jury has recognized the architectural and urban planning complexities of the Surrey Central City project to grant it the Special Jury Prize at this year’s MIPIM Awards," states Bing Thom, the Principal of Bing Thom Architects. "I always say that it takes a great client to make a great project, and Bing Thom Architects is proud to share this award with ICBC Properties Ltd. They had the courage and vision to believe that we would deliver a building of excellence."Bing Thom is a recent recipient of the Order of Canada, for his contribution to architecture, and more recently the Golden Jubilee Medal for his outstanding service to his country.
