The annual Ontario Association of Architects (OAA) Celebration of Excellence Awards on Friday, May 9 showcased the best in architectural design and innovation by Ontario architects. 15 new buildings in Toronto, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Bracebridge, Hamilton, Brampton, Midhurst, and Halifax were distinguished in this year’s ‘Design Excellence’ category.
The 2014 award-winning projects reflect their environment and surroundings and invite the local community in. “Increasingly it’s becoming important to have a seamless relationship between the interior and exterior of a structure,” says OAA president, Bill Birdsell. “A building should engage with its location and it should create spaces for end-users and members of the community to enjoy.”
In addition to the 15 Design Excellence awards announced before the ceremony, three more honours were unveiled during the gala:
- ‘Best of Show’ was awarded to Centennial College Library and Academic Facility by Diamond and Schmitt Architects Incorporated.
- ‘Michael V. and Wanda Plachta Award,’ honouring architectural excellence for projects in Ontario that cost no more than eight million dollars, was presented to G. Bruce Stratton Architects for Mount Dennis Library
- ‘People’s Choice,’ decided by public vote, went to Dubbeldam Architecture + Design for Through House
“We are honoured to receive the OAA’s Best of Show Award,” says Donald Schmitt, principal of Diamond Schmitt Architects, who took home ‘Best of Show’ for the design of the Centennial College Library and Academic Facility. “This project is designed to be a welcoming and versatile place to learn. The central atrium with its four-storey living wall creates that vital social hub where students and faculty can interact. The use of quality materials and detailing – granite and copper cladding on the exterior and custom wood screen panels and limestone stairs for the interior – convey a message that this institution respects students and their pursuit of knowledge. Daylighting is drawn deep inside from a sawtooth glazed façade that lends further distinction to this LEED Gold facility.”
The 2014 OAA awards were presented at the OAA Celebration of Excellence Awards and Dinner at the Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth in Montréal on Friday May 9. etalk’s Ben Mulroney was the MC for the evening, and the awards were hosted by Birdsell.
2014 OAA Awards – List of Winners
Design Excellence
Algonquin Centre for Construction Excellence
Ottawa, ON
Diamond and Schmitt Architects Incorporated
Edward J. Cuhaci and Associates Architects Inc.
Bridgepoint Active Healthcare
Toronto, ON
Stantec Architecture Ltd., Architects / KPMB Architects
HDR Architecture Associates, Inc./ Diamond and Schmitt Architects Incorporated
Centennial College Athletic and Wellness Centre
Toronto, ON
Kongats Architects
Centennial College Library and Academic Facility
Toronto, ON
Diamond and Schmitt Architects Incorporated
Chinguacousy Park Redevelopment
Brampton, ON
MacLennan Jaunkalns Miller Architects Ltd.
County of Simcoe Administration Centre
Midhurst, ON
Teeple Architects Inc. & Ted Handy & Associates Inc., Architect in joint venture
Manitoba Hydro Place
Winnipeg, MB
KPMB Architects (Design Architect)
Smith Carter Architects & Engineers Incorporated (Executive Architect)
Prairie Architects Inc. (Advocate Architect)
Moore Park Residence
Toronto, ON
Drew Mandel Architects
Mount Dennis Library
Toronto, ON
G. Bruce Stratton Architects
Nova Scotia Power (NSP) Corporate Headquarters
Halifax, NS
WZMH Architects
Fowler Bauld and Mitchell, Associate Architects
Stealth Cabin
Bracebridge, ON
Superkül Inc., Architect
Stoney Creek Recreation Centre
Hamilton, ON
Rounthwaite Dick & Hadley Architects Inc. with Lintack Architects Incorporated
Through House
Toronto, ON
Dubbeldam Architecture + Design
Tommy Thompson Park Pavilions
Toronto, ON
Montgomery Sisam Architects Inc.
Victoria Park Subway Station
Toronto, ON
IBI Group Architects
Brown and Storey Architects Inc.
Concepts
Semi [Detached]
Batay-Csorba Architects
Jodi Batay-Csorba
Andrew Batay-Csorba
Jiigew (by the water)
Prince Arthur’s Landing, Thunder Bay, ON
spmb & Brook Mcllroy Architects
UnEarthed
Honourable Mention
Ken O. Lum
Sustainable Design Excellence Award
Manitoba Hydro Place
Winnipeg, MB
KPMB Architects (Design Architect)
Smith Carter Architects & Engineers Incorporated (Executive Architect)
Prairie Architects Inc. (Advocate Architect)
Landmark Designation
50 Park Road
Toronto, ON
John B. Parkin Associates
(Now NORR Limited, Architects and Engineers)
McMaster University Health Sciences Centre
Hamilton, ON
Zeidler Partnership Architects
Wandich Cottage
Peterborough, ON
Strasman Architects Inc.
Best Emerging Practice
Atelier Kastelic Buffey Inc.
G. Randy Roberts Service Award
Recognizing members of the OAA for extraordinary service to the members
Susan Ruptash
Lifetime Design Achievement Award
Honouring members for career-long contribution to Architectural Design Excellence
Jerome Markson
Order of da Vinci
Presented to persons who have made a significant and meaningful contribution to the profession of architecture
Gordon Grice
2014 OAA Award Juries
The 2014 Award winners were chosen by juries that included members of the public whose interests and backgrounds represent many areas of the Ontario design community.
Design Excellence & Sustainable Design Excellence Awards:
CHAIR – Marco L. Polo, Associate Professor, Writer & Architect
Mark Cote, Vice President Development, Oxford Properties Group
Terrance Galvin, Founding Director, Laurentian School of Architecture
Rina Greer, Public Art Consultant and Director, Toronto Sculpture Garden
Robert E. Millward, President & Founder, R.E. Millward & Associates Ltd.
Sheena Sharp (Sustainability Advisor,) Architect, Coolearth Architecture Inc.
Concepts:
CHAIR – Kelvin Browne, Executive Director & CEO, Gardiner Museum
Arlene Gould, Director, Design Indu
stry Advisory Committee
Ivan Martinovic, Architect, Principal-Archdesign Architects,
Jim Melvin, Partner, PMA Landscape Architects
Landmark, Order of da Vinci, Best Emerging Practice & G. Randy Roberts Award:
CHAIR – Diarmuid Nash, Partner, Moriyama & Teshima Architects
J.William Birdsell, OAA President 2014
Diana Osborne, Architect, Osborne Architect
Andrew Bruce-Payne, Society Chair – North Bay Society of Architects