For 56 years, Canadian Architect has sponsored an annual national awards program recognizing projects in the design stage.
Starting five years ago, we’ve introduced a new component of the program: the Photo Awards of Excellence.
The Photo Awards recognizes the importance of architectural photography to the profession of architecture in Canada. Architectural photographs have the ability to convey powerful ideas about the composition of buildings, the ideas behind them, and the way that spaces are inhabited.
The inaugural winner of the Canadian Architect Photo Award of Excellence was this stunning image by Ema Peter of Parq Vancouver (designed by ACDF in consortium with Architecture 49). In 2019, doublespace photography claimed the Photo Award of Excellence for their masterfully backlit image of the Bahá’í Temple of South America (designed by Hariri Pontarini Architects). Other winners have included Salina Kassam’s image of the renovations underway for Massey Hall in Toronto, Félix Michaud’s L’Actrice (The Actress), and James Brittain’s image of a Dory Shop in Nova Scotia.
Professional architectural photographers as well as non-professionals and students are invited to enter. For professional photographers, the photo competition is open to both commissioned photos as well as to non-commissioned works.
The photo should be no more than two years old. It should depict a building in Canada—by any architect and from any time period. Alternatively, it may depict a building outside of Canada, but completed by a Canadian architect.
Awards are given for the excellence of a photo in conveying the particular character and qualities of a building. Jurors will consider the composition, creativity of approach, and overall aesthetics of the photo.
The winners will be published in a special issue of Canadian Architect magazine, and will receive framed award certificates.
The deadline for submissions is Monday, September 11, 2023.
For more information and to enter starting August 1, 2023, visit https://www.canadianarchitect.com/awards