Demonstrating the best in architectural design and innovation, winners of the 2013 Ontario Association of Architects (OAA) Awards feature both Canadian and international projects designed by Ontario architects, ranging from sustainable single-family homes to the redevelopment of key cultural and civic destinations.
Representing Ontario’s emerging new talent and some of the province’s most established architecture firms, 15 newly built projects in Toronto, Montreal, Los Angeles, Tel-Aviv, Waterloo, Sequin Township and Vancouver have been distinguished in the Design Excellence category. Selected from more than 170 submissions, recipients of the 2013 Design Excellence Award have been recognized by a jury of peers from the design community on the following criteria:
Creativity – the innovative nature of the design solution.
Context – the contribution a project makes to its unique location, to neighbouring uses and to community building.
Sustainability – the contribution the project makes to a sustainable environment; this considers project design merits and the reduced use of raw materials and dependence on fossil fuels, as well as projects that achieve high-quality interior environments, with regards to daylighting, air quality and material use.
Good Design/Good Business – the degree to which the project creatively supports and interprets the business and architectural goals of the client through programming and design.
Legacy – the contribution of the project in establishing a new benchmark for architectural excellence.
Celebrating forward-thinking design and leadership in architecture, more than 30 winners in nine categories will be recognized at a formal awards ceremony in Toronto in May 2013 as part of the OAA’s annual conference.
The winners in the Design Excellence category are: Assuta Medical Centre in Tel Aviv by Zeidler Partnership Architects with Moore Architects Ltd. and M. Brestovisky Architects & Urban Design (Tel Aviv, Israel); Cedarvale Ravine House in Toronto by Drew Mandel Architects; Centre for Green Cities, Evergreen Brickworks inToronto by Diamond and Schmitt Architects Incorporatedl Claire and Marc Bourgie Pavilion of Quebec and Canadian Art in Montreal by Provencher Roy + Associés Architectes; Clear Lake Cottage in Sequin Township, Ontario by MacLennan Jaunkalns Miller Architects Ltd.; Division 11 in Toronto by Stantec Architecture Ltd., Architects and E.R.A. Architects Inc. (Heritage Consultant); House on the Bluffs in Toronto by Taylor Smyth Architects; Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust in Los Angeles by Belzberg Architects; Place des Festivals + Vitrines habitées – Quartier des Spectacles in Montreal by DAOUST LESTAGE inc. architecture design urbain; Regent Park Aquatic Centre in Toronto by MacLennan Jaunkalns Miller Architects Ltd.; Rotman School of Management in Toronto by KPMB Architects; Ryerson Image Centre/School of Image Arts in Toronto by Diamond and Schmitt Architects Incorporated; Stone Residence in Toronto by Hagy Belzberg Architect; the CIGI Campus in Waterloo, Ontario by KPMB Architects; and the University of British Columbia Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences/CDRD in Vancouver by Saucier + Perrotte Architectes & Hughes Condon Marler Architects.
In the Concepts & Presentations category, two Honourable Mentions in the Image subcategory were given to The Map is Not the Territory by student Brian A. Urbanik and to Tokyo Reclamation – UENO by architect Michael Conway. In the Artifact subcategory, two Honourable Mentions distinguished Cindy Rendely Architexture’s Steel Table and Knob Portrait: Mayor Ford by Paul Raff Studio Incorporated Architect.
In the Proposals/Concepts category, In Search of Place by intern architect Melody Taghi-Poor claimed an Honourable Mention, as did the Islamic Centre in Fort McMurray by Zak Ghanim, Architect Inc.
The Best Emerging Practice Award was given to Workshop Architecture Inc. and Massey College by Ronald J. Thom, Thompson, Berwick & Pratt received the Landmark Award. A.J. Diamond was recognized by a Lifetime Design Achievement Award, and Alexander Rankin by the G. Randy Roberts Service Award. Lastly, David Craddock was awarded the Order of da Vinci.
The Ontario Association of Architects invites the public to cast their vote for the People’s Choice Award. Launching on March 27 and running until April 15, 2013, the public is encouraged visit the OAA’s s People’s Choice Award Page on the OAA Website at www.oaa.on.ca and pick their favourite new building from the 15 Design Excellence Award winners.
The 2013 awards will be presented in Toronto on Friday, May 10, 2013 at the OAA Celebration of Excellence Awards and Dinner hosted at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre by OAA President Bill Birdsell and Master of Ceremonies Ben Mulroney. Additional awards to be announced at the event include Best of Show, the Michael V. and Wanda Plachta Award, and People’s Choice.
For more information about the 2013 OAA Awards and to vote for your favourite, please visit www.oaa.on.ca/the%20oaa/about%20the%20oaa/people-choice-awards. To purchase tickets for the 2013 OAA conference, please visit http://conferenceregistration.oaa.on.ca.