Urbanarium has announced the winners of their fourth global ideas competition, Decoding Timber Towers, which challenged participants to consider innovative residential and mixed-use design solutions that use mass timber.Now in its fourth iteration, the competition received a total of 44 submissions which were submitted from six countries: Brazil, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United States. Participating teams spanned from students to mid- and large-sized architecture firms.New to the competition this year is the DIGITAL Prize ($10,000), named partially after DIGITAL, Canadas innovation cluster and its Housing Growth Innovation program, which was awarded to submissions that demonstrated innovation in systemization and standardization of housing construction.At a time when we urgently need low-carbon, livable, and affordable housing, it is vital to share ideas and pursue scalable solutions, said juror Natalie Telewiak, principal at MGA | Michael Green Architecture. The Decoding Timber Towers competition delivered just that provocative proposals that challenge regulation, reimagine mass timber at scale, and spark strategies for change. What stood out to me in the jury process was the diversity of perspectives and the quality of submissions, each thoughtfully advancing the conversation. This kind of ambitious, collaborative discourse is exactly what we need to address the pressing realities of both housing and climate.The winning team,MT3is a group of three interns fromMoriyama Teshima Architects. They also tied for the DIGITAL Prize. These young talents were guided by experienced partners at the firm, including Ben Feldman.The winners include the following.1st Place Winner: Timber Commonsby MT3 | Toronto, Canada1st Place Winner: $15,000 + DIGITAL Prize (Tied): $5,000 Total $20,000Timber Commonsby MT3 | Toronto, CanadaTeam members: Ben Feldman, Carol Cochrane, Carol Phillips, Jaewon Kim, Jay Zhao, Jillian Weinberger, Kayley Mullings, Luis Quezada, Phil Silverstein, Will KlassenThis project shows a good understanding of modular and flat pack structural capabilities, said juror Mingyuk Chen. The linear cladding reduced the glazing for energy efficiency and the column-free space gave interior flexibility for increased livability. The proposed Kit of Parts that maps to differing possible typologies also allowed numerous ways to interpret site components on differing sites, noted the jury.2nd Place Winner: KAPLAby Team Softwood | Canada-wide2nd Place Winner: $10,000KAPLAby Team Softwood | Canada-wideTeam members: Conrad Speckert, Glenn Lu, Jennifer Davis, Joshua GiovinazzoJuror Richard Henriquezs comment expressed an all-jury sentiment, This project actually looks like a timber tower! With a concrete podium and 18-storey tower, the scheme was incrementally sensitive to its urban context. Floor plans showed modular efficiency, with steel pre-fab clip-on balconies, now in common use. Juror Mingyuk Chen observed that the project wisely took advantage of the CLT 2-way spanning system, noted the jury. The costing technical advisors noted that both the construction schedule and the complicated project structure could be streamlined for project savings. The single exit staircase for all 18 floors followed a European precedent.3rd Place Winner: Culture Houseby 637427 | Vancouver, Canada3rd Place Winner: $5,000 + DIGITAL Prize (Tied): $5,000 Total $10,000Culture Houseby 637427 | Vancouver, CanadaTeam members: Aster Cai, Elvis LinThe jury applauded this cultural projects use of hybrid panelized modular prefabrication. The costing technical advisors flagged this projects ambitious construction schedule, while also acknowledging the major cost advantage of the on-site factory, which would be cost-effective in saved transportation costs, achieving quicker site-adjacent quality control and offering time efficiencies for building inspections, with inspectors walking next door to review CLTs. Juror Natalie Telewiak particularly liked this teams approach that showed a strong understanding of regulations and offering rigorous detail in decoding recommendations, noted the jury.Honourable Mentions: $2,000 prize eachFluvial FormworkbyAdjacent Brick Rows | Burnaby, CanadaTeam members: Benjamin Beckwith, Cameron Lockhart, Elisabeth Baudinaud, Jessica Little, Mike KnauerTwoUpby DIALOG | Vancouver, CanadaTeam members: Brady Dunlop, James Jiang, Katie Theall, Paul Giles, Ryan McClanaghan, Sideqa Haqani, Yury KulikovFAM-1byfamilyandfriends | Vancouver, CanadaTeam members: McKean Shave, Richard Ranta, Robert FergusonAWRby RWA | Vancouver, CanadaTeam members: Andrea Bolin, Cindy Brenneis, Lian Gilles, Mohneesh Vidhani, Tanita Cherian, Simin LoftiTimber Townby Studio Oh Song | Brooklyn, United StatesTeam members: Ericka Song, Justin OhThe competition jury included:Andrew Lawrence, structural engineer | Arup fellow, director, ArupBrenda Knights, housing developer | CEO, BC Indigenous Housing SocietyEmilie Adin, planner | president, Planning Institute of British ColumbiaIan Boyle, structural engineer | principal, Fast + EppDr. Gary Hack, planner |professor emeritus, UPenn, MITMingyuk Chen, Architect, AIBC | associate director, LWPACNatalie Telewiak, architect AIBC, AIA | principal, MGA | Michael Green ArchitectureNorm Leech, community leader | executive director, Frog Hollow Neighbourhood HouseRichard Henriquez, retired architect, AIBC | founding principal, Henriquez Partners ArchitectureSailen Black, architect, AIBC | senior green building planner, planning, urban design and sustainability, City of VancouverDuring the deliberations, the jury identified a number of potential changes to codes and regulations that could be made to increase the affordability, sustainability, and sociability of future housing. These included addressing zoning hindrances to intergenerational living, permitting single-exit stairs, increasing maximum permitted heights, and more.The three winning proposals and three honourable mentions will be showcased at Woodrise 2025, which runs from September 22-25, 2025, in Vancouver.Amy Vilis, director of housing growth innovation at DIGITAL; Travis Hanks, principal and co-founder of Haeccity Studio Architecture; and Sailen Black, senior green building planner at the City of Vancouver and a Woodrise speaker, will do an on-stage presentation of the DIGITAL Prize on Sepember. 23 at 10:30 a.m.The winning proposals can be viewed here.The post Urbanarium announces winners of Decoding Timber Towers appeared first on Canadian Architect.

Image credit: KollectifPar ici pour larchi is an architectural initiative being presented as part of the 2025 edition of the Journes de la culture in Quebec, which is running this year from September 26 to 28, 2025.Organized by Kollectif in collaboration with Guillaume Fafard and Gil Hardy, the event invites the public to discover the world of architecture through open houses, guided tours, and creative workshops with a goal to make architecture more accessible by showcasing projects and sites to a wide audience.Now in its third edition, the initiative has expanded its reach by encouraging participation from all regions of Quebec. This year, Par ici pour larchi will bring together 42 architectural firms across the province.Highlights of this upcoming edition include an event in Vaudreuil-Dorion on September 27, where there will be a free architectural tour of the Ple municipal, a civic centre designed by Lapointe Magne et associs.Participants can also look forward to Porte ouverte et dcouverte dun ateliera public open house and studio tour by ABCP architecture, Rvler le potentiel durable et cologique de votre projet darchitecture by Boon Atelier darchitecture, Atelier de Croquis architectural de lHtel du Capitole de Qubeca sketching workshop by CCM2 architectes, Ce quon construit nous lie : mdiation interculturelle en architecturean exhibition and panel discussion by Lanterne architectes, and more.Through this initiative, the public will have an opportunity to meet professionals in the industry, explore different aspects of design and construction, and network with others about how architecture shapes everyday lives.The event is part of a broader effort to celebrate culture in all forms, and aligns with the mission of the Journes de la culture to promote accessibility and participation in the arts.For more information on the architectural programming, click here, and for more information on Journes de la culture, click here.The post Upcoming edition of Par ici pour larchi to feature 42 Participating Firms appeared first on Canadian Architect.

Image credit: OAWOttawa Architecture Week (OAW), an annual week-long festival organized by the Ottawa Regional Society of Architects (ORSA), is returning to the city for its latest edition.With help from local volunteers and businesses, the event welcomes the public to explore architecture, urbanism, art and design in Ottawa.From tours to lectures, panel discussions, exhibitions, workshops, and more, the event aims to create a dialogue between architects and designers and everyday residents about how built environments shape everyday life. Highlights of the festival include a movie night, trivia night, panel discussion night, OAW Talks, and more.This years theme, Mapping the Market: Spatial Anchors & Planned Histories, focuses on the ByWard Market neighbourhood in Ottawa, and explores the idea of mapping memories to honour the past while also imagining its future.The ByWard Market stands at the intersection of history and possibility. One of Ottawas oldest neighborhoods, it has long been a site of cultural exchange, architectural layering, and collective memory. But as the city grows and development accelerates, we are called to ask, how do we honour the past while imagining a future that is inclusive, sustainable, and rooted in place?' reads OAWs website.We invite everyonefrom long-time residents to first-time visitorsto join in reimagining the ByWard Market not just as a historic site, but as a living, breathing urban landscape where memory and innovation can coexist.This years festival will run from September 22 to October, 3, 2025. It includes tours of the Canadian War Museum, Ismaili Imamat, and Notre Dame cathedral, panel discussions, a movie night, a trivia night, a sketching tour, and more.For more information, click here.The post Ottawa Architecture Week returns for 2025 edition appeared first on Canadian Architect.

The Ontario Association of Architects (OAA) has launched a call for proposals for speakers for its 2026 OAA Conference,Collaboration Powering Innovation, taking place from May 13 to 15, 2026.The OAAs flagship event will explore how collaboration drives architectural quality and innovation in addressing challenges including the climate crisis and housing shortages.TheOAA Conferencewill be held in the Kitchener-Waterloo Region.This editions theme,Collaboration Powering Innovation, will explore how collaboration thrives in the Grand Valley as well as across the province. The climate crisis, housing shortages, and anxieties around economies and supply chains mean the need for collaboration and innovation is crucial now more than ever.To achieve a resilient, adaptive, and functional built environment, the profession must examine the tools for better co-creating with project team collaborators, clients, citizens, and municipalities, said the OAA in a release.The OAAs flagship event will bring experts and delegates to the heart of Canadian tech innovation for three days of local learning, professional development, and celebration.The OAA is also seeking ideas for its 2026 Continuing Education Webinar Series, which covers topics such as climate action, building codes, and adaptive reuse.TheContinuing Education Programreflects the Associations dedication to promoting and increasing the knowledge, skill, and proficiency of its members. As a result, the OAA is asking its members and other thought leaders outside the profession to propose ideas for in-classroom lectures and in-the-field experiential learning at the 2026 Conference, as well as for online learning opportunities in the new year.From legal, code, or practice issues and local project case studies to highlighting advancements with design tools or building materials, this is a chance to share expertise with architects, licensed technologists, and other design/construction experts across Ontario.The deadline for submissions is Friday, September 26, 2025. To view the OAAs online form, clickhere.The post Speakers wanted for OAAs 2026 Conference and Continuing Education Webinar Series appeared first on Canadian Architect.

In the foreground: Patrick Brub, Back / Ground, 2025. To the right: ONOMIAU, Les huit collines, 2022-2025. Photo credit: Jean-Christophe LemayThe International Garden Festival is launching a call for proposals to select designers to create the new temporary gardens for the festivals 27th edition.Created by Marie-Jose Lacroix, Denis Lemieux, Philippe Poullaouec-Gonidec, and Alexander Reford at the turn of the new millennium, the International Garden Festival is recognized as one of the most important contemporary garden festivals in North America.The upcoming edition of the festival, which is set to open on June 20, 2026, will take place on the site of Les Jardins de Mtis Reford Gardens and the theme will be Mapping Sensitivity.In the midst of the triennial thematic cycle, which began a year ago, the upcoming theme aims to pursue an ongoing reflection on the poetics of space and how we relate to our physical surroundings and the world. While last editions theme, Borders, focused on the challenges of organizing and representing geographical space and raising geopolitical concerns, the theme of the 27th edition takes the sensitive turn.Mapping Sensitivity draws its inspiration from sensitive mapping, which is distinguished by its consideration of the subjective and immaterial dimensions of a place. It traces the shared representations of a space that is described, lived, and felt, and considers the real experience that users have of a given space as well as the emotional relationship they develop with it.For the 27th edition, the International Garden Festival is inviting designers from all backgrounds to design a garden using a sensitive, fundamentally inclusive, and relational approach. At once real and fantasized, this garden will take on its full meaning thanks to the users who frequent it, shaping it in turn.This call for proposals is open to all landscape architects, architects, visual artists, and multidisciplinary teams from Canada and abroad, and the festival encourages participants to form multidisciplinary teams. Applicants are limited to one proposal, either as individuals or as a team. Participants can be from a single city or country or can cross international boundaries.Hermine Demal + Stephen Zimmerer, Peek-a-Boo (detail), 2025. Photo credit: Martin BondDesigners are invited to design a garden that can take place in one of the axes of the festival. The artistic and technical committees of the festival in collaboration with the designers,will identify the site that will best showcase their project. Designers will be asked to imagine their garden for exhibition for at least two summers, and to propose strategies for the repurposing or recycling of the garden or its materials after the end of its exhibition.The deadline to submit proposals electronically isMonday, October 27, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. EST. Applications submitted after the deadline will not be accepted.For more information or to submit a proposal, click here.The post 27th International Garden Festival issues call for proposals appeared first on Canadian Architect.

Due to popular demand, we have extended this years deadline for submissions to the Canadian Architect Awards to Monday, September 15, 2025, 11:59 pm PST.For 58 years, Canadian Architect has sponsored an annual national awards program, the only national awards that recognize projects in the design stage.The Awards of Excellence are open to all architects registered in Canada, as well as to Canadian architectural graduates. The buildings entered may be designed for a site in Canada (for all eligible entrants) or a site outside of Canada (for entrants whose offices are headquartered in Canada). Foreign architects are permitted to submit if they have partnered with a Canadian-registered architect for the submitted work.Projects must be in the design stage, scheduled for construction, or under construction, but not substantially complete by September 12, 2025. All projects must be commissioned by a client with the intention to build the submitted proposal. All building types and concisely presented urban design schemes are eligible.Awards are given for architectural design excellence. Jurors will consider the schemes response to the clients program, site, geographic and/or urban context. They will evaluate its physical organization, form, composition, building systems, concept, process, structure, materials, environmental features and/or demonstration of social awareness.This years competition also includes the seventh annual Canadian Architect Photo Awards of Excellence and our Student Photo Awards of Excellence, challenging photographers to showcase their best images of a Canadian building.Our jury includes architects Alison Brooks (UK), Sonia Gagn (Montreal), and Kelly Buffey (Toronto). For the adjudication of the Photo Awards of Excellence, they will be joined by photographer Salina Kassam (Toronto).To find out more about our jurors, visit www.canadianarchitect.com/announcing-the-2025-awards-jury/For more information and to enter, visit www.canadianarchitect.com/awardsThe post Deadline Extended for the Canadian Architect Awards of Excellence! appeared first on Canadian Architect.

The winners of the 35th Toronto Urban Design Awards were announced on the evening of September 10, 2025, at a special gala at the Palais Royale.Mayor Olivia Chow was joined by Jason Thorne, executive director and chief planner, City of Toronto, to honour this years award winners.An independent jury of architects, landscape architects, urban designers and academics brought their expertise to recognize the projects that exemplify design excellence.The 2025 jury members include Osemelu (Ossie) Airewele, (senior associate, BDP Quadrangle), Olivia Keung (associate and director of sustainability, Moriyama Teshima Architects), Christine Leu (co-founder, LeuWebb Projects / lecturer, Toronto Metropolitan University), Ute Maya-Giambattista (principal, O2), and Brendan Stewart (associate professor, University of Guelph / landscape collaborator, ERA).This year, the jury selected a total of 12 projects for Awards of Excellence, nine for Awards of Merit, two Special Jury Awards for Integrated Approach and one Special Jury Award for Community Incubator.2025 Toronto Urban Design Awards winners include the following.Award of ExcellencePublic Buildings in ContextUnion Station Revitalization; 65 Front St. W. by NORR Architects & Engineers LimitedUnion Station Revitalization; 65 Front St. W. by NORR Architects & Engineers Limited. Photo credit: Doublespace PhotographyToronto Public Library, Albert Campbell District Branch; 496 Birchmount Rd. by LGA Architectural Partners.Toronto Public Library, Albert Campbell District Branch; 496 Birchmount Rd. by LGA Architectural Partners. Photo credit: Doublespace PhotographyAnishnawbe Health Toronto, Indigenous Community Health Centre; 425 Cherry St. by Stantec Architecture Ltd.; Two Row Architect.Toronto Urban Design Award Award of Excellence Public Buildings Anishnawbe Health Toronto. Photo credit: James BrittainPrivate Buildings in Context TallMaple House at Canary Landing; 131 Mill St. by architectsAlliance; Cobe Architects.Maple House at Canary Landing; 131 Mill St. by architectsAlliance; Cobe Architects. Photo credit: Adrian OzimekPrivate Buildings in Context Low-ScaleDunn House Social Medicine Housing; 90 Dunn Ave. by Montgomery Sisam ArchitectsToronto Urban Design Award Award of Excellence. Private Buildings Dunn House. Photo credit: Doublespace PhotographyLarge Places and/or Neighbourhood DesignsLeslie Lookout Park; 12 A Leslie St. by CCxA, lookout tower by gh3*Toronto Urban Design Award Award of Excellence Leslie Lookout Park. Photo credit: CreateTOSmall Open SpacesZiibiing; 27 Kings College Cir. by Brook McIlroy. Landscape Architect: Brook McIlroyZiibiing; 27 Kings College Cir. by Brook McIlroy. Landscape Architect: Brook McIlroy. Photo credit: Tom Arban PhotographyThe Spirit Garden; 100 Queen St. W. by Gow Hastings Architects (Prime); Two Row Architect (Indigenous Consultant). Landscape Architect: PMA Landscape Architects Ltd.Toronto Urban Design Award Award of Excellence. Small Open Spaces Spirit Garden. Photo credit: Tom Arban PhotographyElementsPort Lands Bridges; Cherry Street North, Cherry Street South, Commissioners Street by GrimshawArchitectsPort Lands Bridges; Cherry Street North, Cherry Street South, Commissioners Street by GrimshawArchitects. Photo credit: Jonathan BacolorPublic ArtRed Embers; Toronto City Hall Lobby, Allan Gardens (Temporary Installation), Ashbridges Bay (Temporary Installation) by Smoke Architecture with Indigenous artists Hannah Claus; Sarah Biscarra Dilley; Rosalie Favell; Rolande Souliere; LouiseSolomon; Lido Pimienta; Eladia Smoke, Larissa Roque; Annie Beach; Kristy Auger, Adrienne Greyeyes; Lindsey Lickers, Tash Naveau; Catherine Tmmaro, NWRCT community members and artists Lisa Rochon; Larissa Roque (Smoke Architecture); Tiffany CreykeToronto Urban Design Award Award of Excellence. Public Art Red Embers. Photo credit: Lisa RochonVisions and Master PlansUniversity Park; University Avenue between Bloor and King by PUBLIC WORKUniversity Park, Image credit: PUBLIC WORKStudent ProjectsParkdale Peoples Palace; 240-250 Dunn Ave. by Matthew Dlugosz (University of Waterloo)Parkdale Peoples Palace, Image credit: Matthew DlugoszAward of MeritPrivate Buildings in Context TallSickKids Patient Support Centre; 175 Elizabeth St. by B+H Architects. Landscape Architect: B+H ArchitectsPrivate Buildings in Context Low-Scale The Brunswick Lofts; 225 Brunswick Ave. by Suulin Architects. Landscape Architect: Suulin Architects Ulster House; 84 Ulster St. by LGA Architectural Partners. Landscape Architect: Lorraine Johnson (Native Plant Consultant) Deeply Affordable Housing at 1120 Ossington; 1120 Ossington Ave. by Smart Density (Site Plan Architect); mcCallumSather(Architects of Record). Landscape Architect: Quinn Design Associates Inc.Large Places and/or Neighbourhood Designs The Well; 486 Front St. W. by Hariri Pontarini Architects (Masterplan and Office); Adamson Associates Architects (Executive Architect); BDP (Retail, Canopy, Landscape Architect); Giannone Petricone Associates (Wellington Market); Wallman Architects (Residential Midrises); architectsAlliance (Residential Highrises); Urban Strategies Inc. (Urban Design and Planning) Landscape Architect: CCxA Landscape of Landmark Quality, University of Toronto; University of Toronto Front Campus by KPMB Architects; ERA ArchitectsLandscape Architect: Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates Inc.ElementsCanada Malting Silos; 9 Eireann Quay by ERA ArchitectsVisions and Master PlansCity of Toronto Thermal Comfort Guidelines; City of Toronto by DIALOG (Urban Designer). Engineer: Buro HappoldStudentQueer Arrival Park; 33 Isabella St. by Simon Liao (University of Waterloo)Special Jury Award for Integrated ApproachToronto Urban Design Award Special Jury Integrated Approach The Dance. Photo credit: Scott Norsworthy Photography The Dance; 20 Isabella St. (George Hislop Park) and Yonge Street Linear Parks; 20 Isabella St. and 13 Isabella St. public art piece authored by Uoai (artist/architect) in collaboration with PMA landscape architects for the Yonge St. Linear Parks. Waterworks; 505 Richmond St. W. by Diamond Schmitt with landscape architect Janet Rosenberg & Studio and St. Andrews Playground Park; 450 Adelaide St. W. by DTAHSpecial Jury Award for Community IncubatorToronto Urban Design Award Special Jury Community Incubator Clark Centre for the Arts. Photo credit: Tom Arban PhotographyClark Centre for the Arts; 191 Guildwood Pkwy. by Taylor Hazell Architects with landscape architect PMA Landscape ArchitectsMore information on the 2025 Toronto Urban Design Awards winners is available here.The post City of Toronto unveils winners of 2025 Toronto Urban Design Awards appeared first on Canadian Architect.

The location of the new Ramsden Park Community Recreation Centre. Photo credit: City of TorontoThe City of Toronto has launched an international design competition to help shape the future of downtown Toronto with a new Ramsden Park Community Recreation Centre.The City of Toronto is building a new accessible and net zero emissions community recreation and aquatics facility adjacent to Ramsden Park. Located close to Rosedale subway station, the future Ramsden Park Community Recreation Centre will offer year-round recreational programming and services.The facility will include a 25-metre, six-lane pool, a leisure pool, a full-size gymnasium with a running track, and multi-purpose community spaces. Groundbreaking is anticipated in 2028, with the centre to open in 2033.The competition was launched in August 2025, and will take place in two stages. In Stage One, applicants will submit their qualifications for consideration. In Stage Two, five shortlisted design teams will submit conceptual designs for the new community recreation centre in response to the RFP.This marks the first City of Toronto design competition held for a community recreation centre since 1987, and is part of the Citys commitment to fostering design excellence and enhancing the public realm.Design teams from around the world are invited to imagine a vibrant, inclusive, and welcoming destination while advancing global best practices in design and sustainability in alignment with Toronto Green Standards and the Citys TransformTO Net Zero Strategy.The new Ramsden Park Community Recreation Centre is aiming to enrich civic life through innovative architecture and urban design, as well as provide community amenities for a rapidly growing city, while reflecting Torontos diversity.National and international design teams led by an architect licensed with the Ontario Association of Architects are invited to respond to the open Design Competition Stage One Request for Supplier Qualifications (RFSQ).An optional virtual information session will be held on October 2, 2025.Applications will close on October 31, 2025, at noon.The post City of Toronto launches design competition for new recreation centre appeared first on Canadian Architect.

The City of Brampton has selected a design concept led by Canadian architecture firm gh3* for the redevelopment of Ken Whillans and Garden Squares.The successful concept, called The Flower Squares, aims to reimagine the two civic spaces as unified yet distinct destinations inspired by Bramptons floral heritage.It deploys landscaping, sculptural architecture and motifs that support everyday use, public gatherings and cultural programming.Located in front of Brampton City Hall, Ken Whillans Square will become a ceremonial and event space adjacent to Gage Park. It features Shimmer Stage,an integrated digital screen andlush berms designed to preserve mature trees and define an informal amphitheatre.Birds-eye view conceptual rendering of Ken Whillans Square redevelopment (subject to refinement). Credit: gh3*Garden Square will remain an urban hub, redefined by the Rosette Ring, a suspended LED screen forming a new civic landmark and an updated amphitheatre terrace that connects to The Rose, an existing performing arts venue.The design emphasizes accessibility, climate resilience and sensory engagement through lighting, planting and celebratory infrastructure.Both spaces are designed for flexibility and year-round use, with infrastructure to support public art, markets and community events.Birds-eye view conceptual rendering of Garden Square redevelopment (subject to refinement). Credit: gh3*The City of Brampton held a two-phase international design competition to select a team for the redevelopment of Ken Whillans and Garden Squares. The competition was conducted in alignment with Royal Architectural Institute of Canadas (RAIC) guidelines for competitions.Public and stakeholder engagement, including with residents and downtown Brampton businesses, was part of the redevelopment design competition. Feedback from the community during the first phase of public engagement helped identify the types of amenities residents and stakeholders want included in the redevelopment.This public input, along with recommendations from a Technical Steering Committee, shaped the design vision and objectives. During the second phase of public engagement, the City hosted an open house in which over 100 residents, businesses and community stakeholders attended to showcase the shortlisted design concepts. The community was also invited to share feedback through an online survey, which received over 200 responses. This input was one of the evaluation criteria used in selecting the winning team.With the design concept now selected, construction on Ken Whillans Square is expected to begin this fall.Next steps for the Garden Square redevelopment will be determined as the City rolls out multiple downtown projects, with construction planned in stages to minimize impacts on the area and programming.These bold and creative redesigns deliver exactly what our residents, downtown businesses and community stakeholders have asked for. These two newly reimagined squares in our downtown will become vibrant, inclusive public spaces that bring people together and celebrate Bramptons unique identity, said Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown.The voices of our community were front and centre in this process, and their feedback helped shape a design that is as meaningful as it is exciting. I want to thank all the firms for their proposals and everyone who shared their feedback. Your invaluable input helped shape a space that will bring people together and strengthen our downtown for years to come. We look forward to working with gh3* to bring this exciting vision to life.Downtown Brampton is undergoing a major transformation with several bold projects underway in addition to the redevelopment of Ken Whillans and Garden Squares. They include Main and Queen Streets Streetscaping and the demolition of City-Owned properties 30-60 Main Street North and the Interim Strategy for the Expansion of Garden Square.The post City of Brampton selects winning design concept for redevelopment of Ken Whillans and Garden Squares appeared first on Canadian Architect.

The Toronto Public Space Committee has announced the winners of its global design competition aimed at imagining the future of public washrooms in the city.The global design competition invited designers, architects, urban planners, and creative thinkers from around the worldtopropose design ideas for inclusive and innovative public washrooms. The ideas competition aimed to advocate and spread awarenessfor the urgent need of a robust public washroom network in Toronto.In this competition, entrants were tasked to design a network of public washrooms for the City of Toronto that included one single-user toilet washroomdesigned to be flexible for installation at multiple sitesand one multi-user hub washroom sited at Dufferin King Parkette.The winners include the following:Mycomorph by Alea Reid, Petra Matar, DPAI from Hamilton, OntarioFirst PrizeMycomorph by Alea Reid, Petra Matar, DPAI from Hamilton, OntarioThis proposal introduced Mycomorph: sculptural, prefabricated concrete pods that transform public washrooms into modular civic landmarks. Each pod is a self-contained unit, deployable in scalable configurations to suit the unique programming and conditions of Torontos diverse park sites. A unifying canopy structure ties the pods together, channeling daylight, collecting rainwater into a cistern for reuse, and integrating ambient sound art drawn from the surrounding community.Runner UpThe Toronto Toilet by Hugh Broughton, Steve McCloy, Luca Rendina, Fergus Seccombe and Emma Watson, Hugh Broughton Architects from London, UKThis modular design uses a kit-of-parts approach with three types of gender-neutral units: an accessible WC pod for ambulant disabled individuals, a wheelchair-accessible unit, and a larger specialist wheelchair-accessible unit. These units can be combined to fit site-specific space constraints and budgets. The single-user washroom, based on the wheelchair-accessible unit, integrates plant and service space in the rounded ends, alongside additional features like a drinking fountain, secure bike rack, and dog tie-off.Loopty-Loo by Matt Hagen (he/him), YIMBY studio from Toronto, OntarioRunner UpLoopty-Loo by Matt Hagen, YIMBY studio from Toronto, OntarioThe Loopty Loos are circular public washrooms designed to reimagine urban sanitation as an inclusive artistic infrastructure. Inspired by maneuvering radii, the structures are loop-shaped and house up to six fully-enclosed, individual gender-neutral washrooms; five of which are accessible and one that is universal. The Loopty Loos prioritize privacy and dignity through security features such as indirect lighting and window shutters that close upon occupancy. The radial layout of the multi-user hub is divided into seven portions, each given a colour which contributes to the buildings rainbow exterior. The single-user Loopty Loos are scattered across the city in a variety of ROYGBIV colours, easily recognizable with their vibrant hues and playful forms.In Passing by Nitesh Salwan and Laura Randall from Toronto, OntarioPeoples ChoiceIn Passing by Nitesh Salwan and Laura Randall from Toronto, OntarioThe cylindrical form evokes municipal systems: water, waste, transit, and invites access, rest, and repair. Each pod is self-contained yet part of a larger collective. When placed in clusters, they create an open system of interstitial circulation rather than a singular, enclosed block. This spatial logic aims to transform the act of basic bodily care into an architectural journey. This configuration also allows for phased deployment, flexible scaling, and easy integration into various urban conditions.For more information, click here.The post TO The Loo! Design Challenge winners announced appeared first on Canadian Architect.

For 58 years, Canadian Architect has sponsored an annual national awards program, the only national awards that recognize projects in the design stage.This years deadline for submissions is next Friday, September 12, 2025.The Awards of Excellence are open to all architects registered in Canada, as well as to Canadian architectural graduates. The buildings entered may be designed for a site in Canada (for all eligible entrants) or a site outside of Canada (for entrants whose offices are headquartered in Canada). Foreign architects are permitted to submit if they have partnered with a Canadian-registered architect for the submitted work.Projects must be in the design stage, scheduled for construction, or under construction, but not substantially complete by September 12, 2025. All projects must be commissioned by a client with the intention to build the submitted proposal. All building types and concisely presented urban design schemes are eligible.Awards are given for architectural design excellence. Jurors will consider the schemes response to the clients program, site, geographic and/or urban context. They will evaluate its physical organization, form, composition, building systems, concept, process, structure, materials, environmental features and/or demonstration of social awareness.This years competition also includes the seventh annual Canadian Architect Photo Awards of Excellence and our Student Photo Awards of Excellence, challenging photographers to showcase their best images of a Canadian building.Our jury includes architects Alison Brooks (UK), Sonia Gagn (Montreal), and Kelly Buffey (Toronto). For the adjudication of the Photo Awards of Excellence, they will be joined by photographer Salina Kassam (Toronto).To find out more about our jurors, visit www.canadianarchitect.com/announcing-the-2025-awards-jury/For more information and to enter, visit www.canadianarchitect.com/awardsThe post One week left to enter the Canadian Architect Awards of Excellence! appeared first on Canadian Architect.

A cyclist rides in a bike lane on University Avenue in Toronto, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Laura ProctorOntario Premier Doug Ford teed off August 6 on a court decision declaring his law to remove three Toronto bikelanesunconstitutional, calling it the most ridiculous ruling he has ever seen.Ford has already said his government plans to appeal, even as it works on a compromise with the city to both keep thebikelanesand add extralanesfor vehicle traffic.He said he has faith that the Court of Appeal will overturn the lower-court ruling, but in the event it does not, he did not rule out using the notwithstanding clause to save the law.Lets see what happens at the Court of Appeals, and then well go from there, but I have confidence in the courts, Ford said at an unrelated transit announcement.Ontario Superior Court Justice Paul Schabas ruled the lane removals would put people at an increased risk of harm and death and violate the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.He noted that the government had received advice from experts, reports from Toronto officials and evidence from the city and elsewhere that removingbikelaneswill not achieve the asserted goal of the law, to reduce traffic.Ford made the removal ofbikelaneson Bloor Street, Yonge Street and University Avenue a campaign issue during the snap election he called and won in February, and he says the judges ruling tramples on peoples democratic rights.This is the most ridiculous decision Ive ever seen, he said.Ive never seen a decision like this, that a judge overrules the people of Ontario because of ideology not because of law ideology, but we knew when they picked this judge where it was going anyway, so its not a big surprise.Its not the first time Ford has called judges integrity into question. In April he blasted judges he perceives as being soft on crime, and floated ideas such as electing judges and offering them payouts to retire early.Last year, Ford defended his governments appointments of two former staffers to a committee that helps select provincial judges, saying he wants like-minded people in appointments, not Liberals or New Democrats.The post Court ruling declaring Ontario bike lane law unconstitutional ridiculous: Ford appeared first on Canadian Architect.

The deadline to submit your project to the Canadian Architect Awards of Excellence and Photo Award of Excellence is quickly approaching. Submissions of projects in the design phase or under construction are due on Friday, September 12, 2025.This is also the deadline for submitting your best architectural photo of a Canadian buildingprofessionals, non-professionals and students are welcome to enter.Heres a look back at some of our winning entries from past years.Winner of a Canadian Architect 2024 Award of Excellence11 Brock is one of five projects resulting from a City of Toronto partnership with the Federal Government to create urgently needed supportive and affordable housing under the Rapid Housing Initiative. Targeting housing-ready sites, the initiative funds projects that are fast-tracked from project start to occupancy within 18 months. Juror Matthew Hickey wrote, The need for supportive housing is at a crisis point across Canada. 11 Brock Avenue not only addresses this need, but does so in a way that understands the effects of good design and the critical need for a baseline of net-zero and low carbon in building construction. This project prioritizes community through the design of an interior single-loaded corridor that promotes access to light and views to the communal spaces along the courtyard. The street faade expresses the rigour of mass timber construction, while still being playful and achieving a balance between opaque and transparent surfaces.Winner of a Canadian Architect 2023 Award of ExcellenceDesigned by Edmonton-based Reimagine Architects Ltd., the Frog Lake First Nations Children & Family, Intervention/Prevention Horse Healing Centre offers healing for residential school survivors and others who have experienced trauma through traditional and modern methods centred on interaction between humans and horses. Juror Claire Weisz wrote: An active community, the equestrian cultural legacy of the Peoples of Frog Lake, and the land itself combine to create an almost new type of community centre. The open and curved vault is distinctive and approachable, and shows great promise for creating an inspiring shared space for horses and people, under a mass timber structure and atop an earthen floor.Winner of a Canadian Architect 2023 Award of ExcellenceIsmaili Centres mark the community presence of the Ismaili branch of Shia Islam in more than two dozen countries throughout the world. Located in the Toronto suburb of Thorncliffe Park, the Don Mills Jamatkhana and Ismaili Community Centre, designed by architectsAlliance, will mark the site of the first Ismaili prayer hall in Ontario, and will also contain a gymnasium, library, food drop-off area, administrative offices, and multi-purpose teaching spaces. A masterful composition of texture and natural light, with places for social interaction as well as spaces for repose, wrote juror Omar Gandhi. The delicate building skin adds magic to an otherwise simple and economical building massing. The juxtaposition of the building massing and large refined spaces with the highly textured landscape approach is magnificent.Winner of the 2024 Canadian Architect Photo Award of ExcellenceJames Brittains photo of Lcole du Znith, commissioned by Pelletier de Fontenay, claimed the top prize in our 2024 Photo Awards of Excellence. There is an honest, direct beauty to this photographqualities that seem to be mimicked in the design of the space itself. Without seeming staged, the scene authentically captures a quiet moment in a school auditorium. The composition wonderfully frames the subject matter with the shape of the triangular window mirroring the child and her belongings. I appreciate the sweet spot that the photographer has found: they placed themselves close enough to show material details, but are also far enough away to evoke a sense of the overall space, writes juror Lisa Stinner-Kun.You can view an archive of more past winners here.To find out more about our jurors, click here.For more information and to enter, click here.The post Get inspired by past winners + enter the Canadian Architect Awards of Excellence! appeared first on Canadian Architect.

Alberta Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen says his government plans to learn from an Ontario court ruling that found a law looking to remove three Toronto bike lanes was unconstitutional. Dreeshen arrives at the United Conservative caucus to determine next steps after leader Jason Kenney announced he is stepping down as in Calgary, Thursday, May 19, 2022.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntoshAlbertas transportation minister says the province plans to learn from an Ontario court ruling that found a law seeking to remove some Torontobikelanesto be unconstitutional.Devin Dreeshen, speaking at an unrelated press conference in Airdrie, Alta., told reporters his government will be watching the case with interest, especially since Ontario plans to appeal the ruling.Dreeshen has said in recent months that the province wasnt ruling out putting forward similar legislation. On July 30, he was more committal, saying that being the second province to go down the same path is helpful.You can look at pieces of legislation that have been introduced in the past and whats the good and bad of them, so obviously watching the Ontario case is great, he said.Dreeshen has said Albertas two major cities have been going the wrong way when it comes to building cycling infrastructure. And he has called on Edmonton and Calgary to removebikelanesfrom major corridors.He has said repeatedly that the province doesnt want to seebikelanesbuilt at the expense oflanes for vehicles, He added July 30 that such moves are not proper or smart city planning.If you have a municipal council that is taking away drivinglanes, thats actually increasing peoples daily commutes, or (preventing) emergency vehicles or delivery vehicles from being able to just do what they do, thats obviously a problem, he said.While neither city has agreed to the ministers request, Dreeshen met earlier on July 30 with Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek to discuss bikelanes.Dreeshen and Gondek told reporters at separate news conferences that the meeting was collaborative and they agreedbikelanesare temporary.There was a commitment from Mayor Gondek to be able to work more collaboratively with the province to make sure thatbikeroutes, where theyre independent from any road network, so folks can be able to get around their communities, Dreeshen said.When you havebikelanesthat are cannibalizing and taking over (drivinglanes), thats obviously a problem.Gondek, speaking to reporters at Calgary City Hall, said the meeting was very friendly.Their relationship hasnt always been amicable.Until earlier this year, the two spent months lobbing attacks at each other over the future of the Green Line, Calgarys long-planned public transit line stalled by a ballooning budget and gradually shrinking footprint.Gondek said she told Dreeshen that she doesnt view Calgarysbikelanesas permanent.If abikelane is creating issues with congestion or parking, our traffic team is open to making changes, she said.But she also said the city will do what it can to protect cyclists, which was a key consideration in the Ontario ruling.There have been some pretty horrific accidents, and there have been lives lost, when it comes to cycling in our city, she said. Ultimately, everyone in our city should be able to travel to and from where theyre going in the safest possible way.Gondek wouldnt comment directly on the ruling in Ontario.Whatever happened in Ontario is the perspective of that government and what is there.Ontario Superior Court Justice Paul Schabas ruled that removing three Torontolaneseyed by Premier Doug Ford would put people at an increased risk of harm and death.The evidence is clear that restoring a lane of motor vehicle traffic, where it will involve the removal of the protected, or separated, nature of the targetbikelanes, will create greater risk to cyclists and to other users of the roads, the decision says.When asked about the ruling, Dreeshen didnt address the safety considerations identified by the judge but said he has asked Calgary to provide ridership numbers for certainbikelanes.Dreeshen also said he plans to soon meet with Edmonton city council to discussbikelanesin the capital city.This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 30, 2025. By Jack Farrell in Edmonton and Matthew Scace in Calgary, with files from Liam Casey and Rianna Lim in TorontoThe post Alberta government to learn from ruling on Ontario bike lane law: minister appeared first on Canadian Architect.

Image credit: YZD/Northcrest DevelopmentsArtists, collectives, and cultural organizations are invited to help shape the future of public space in Toronto through an open call forBeyond the Tarmac, a large-scale, interactive art installation at YZD.YZD is the transformation of the 370-acre former Downsview Airport lands, led by Toronto-based real estate developer, Northcrest Developments. Over the next 30 years, this project is set to evolve into seven neighbourhoods, welcome more than 55,000 residents and feature over 28 million sq. ft. of residential space, seven million sq. ft. of commercial and cultural spaces, and almost 74 acres of parks and open spaces.Beyond the Tarmac offers artists and creatives the opportunity to contribute to the development of an urban space in transition. The program, which is now in its second year, is seeking imaginative proposals that bring the theme, Where Creativity Meets Play to life. As long as the proposal is public-facing and aligns with the spirit and eligibility requirements of the program, the call is open to a range of artistic and creative mediums.One project will be selected to receive up to $100,000 CAD and be presented as part of YZDs 2026 summer programming.Applicants are encouraged to come up with projects that foster meaningful connections with diverse communities while responding to the histories and future possibilities of this landscape.The program is open to local and international applicants, with priority given to equity-deserving artists living within 10km of the site and those connected to the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Applications from outside this region will still be considered.Shortlisted candidates will receive a $500 CAD honorarium and be interviewed by a panel of public art and culture experts.Applicants must submit a single PDF to partners@yzd.ca by August 29, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. EST. The shortlist will be announced on September 24, 2025.Interviews will take place between October 1 to 25, 2025, and the installation will take place between the summer and fall of 2026.For full application details, eligibility, submission guidelines, and a look at last years selected installations, visit the Open Call website here.The post $100K Public Art Open Call to Activate Former Toronto Airport appeared first on Canadian Architect.

Image credit: ASFQOn September 9, 2025, Architecture Sans Frontires Qubec (ASFQ) will unveil two flagship projects aimed at transforming the city. The afternoon will bring together partners, collaborators and key stakeholders and will unveil the new public space planning laboratory, Urban Acupuncture, and present the second edition of the Architecture + Itinrance research catalog.Urban Acupuncture is a collaborative laboratory where strategies and interventions will be co-created with marginalized communities to address the challenges of social cohabitation, visible homelessness, and climate resilience.A panel, which will bring together the artist-run center DARE-DARE and the research organization R.es.PIRE, will contribute to the collective reflection around this project.ASFQ and the Universit de Montral are also unveiling a catalog resulting from two years of field research, exploring the links between planning, well-being, and inclusion. This study invites the public to rethink housing standards and design spaces, and is rooted in an intersectional and sustainable approach.The invitation-only event will be held from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Salle lArrire-Scne, Esplanade Tranquille.For more information, click here.The post ASFQ to launch two flagship projects aimed to rethink the city appeared first on Canadian Architect.

Parking Day 2024 Activate Dubbeldam Photo by Bruno BelliPark(ing) Day, an annual worldwide, public art project that reimagines parking spaces into pop-up parks and social spaces for a day, is returning next month.This years edition, which will take place from September 19 to 21, 2025, invites people worldwide to reclaim street, boulevard, and lot parking spaces, and turn them into temporary micro-parks and community spaces for design, play, and conversation.Park(ing) Day aims to call attention to the need for more accessible and inclusive public spaces in dense urban areas. By encouraging people to think about the use of public space in cities, the initiative raises awareness about the need for more open, green, and social areas in urban environments.The initiative also provides an opportunity to engage in an ongoing conversation about the design and construction of cities and highlights the need to enhance the accessibility and quantity of public open spaces in densely populated urban zones while emphasizing the significance of these spaces for social and environmental interactions.Park(ing) Daybegan in 2005 as a design activism project by the design studio Rebar, transforming a single parking spot in San Francisco. Since then, it has grown into a global movement that has featured hundreds of installations in more than 35 cities worldwide.Parking Day 2024 Mutable Spaces BNKC Photo by Bruno BelliPark(ing) Day Toronto is organized and coordinated by Dubbeldam Architecture + Design, who launched the initiative locally in 2022 with a single activation in the boulevard parking space in front of their studio. Since then, Dubbeldam has expanded the event across the city. In 2024, more than 20 activations were realized across Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), involving a wide range of participants, from architecture and design studios to artists, nonprofits, community groups, and residents.To support broader participation and make the event more accessible, Dubbeldam Architecture + Design launched the Park(ing) Day Toronto Grants Program in 2024 to offer grants of up to $500 to support eligible Park(ing) Day activations.For the 2025 event, the grant program continues, thanks to support from this years Grant Partners Arup Canada, SvN Architects + Planners, Dialog and Fast+Epp. Community organizations, non-profits, local groups, and individuals are invited to apply. The grants are intended to cover materials, plants, seating, signage, and other design or programming costs.For more information on how to host your own Park(ing) Day activation, clickhere or reach out to hello@parkingdaytoronto.ca.The post Park(ing) Day Toronto 2025 calls for participants appeared first on Canadian Architect.

BRI. Photo credit: RelevateurHolland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital (HBKRH) is celebrating the completion of its Bloorview Research Institute (BRI) expansion with its newly built 11,000-square-foot research tower. The BRI is now home to the largest concentration of pediatric disability research in the world.This milestone will lead to discoveries that will aim to enhance the quality of life for children and youth with disabilities and developmental differencesabout 400,000 individuals in Canada and millions worldwide.BRI. Photo credit: Tom ArbanHBKRH is Canadas largest childrens rehabilitation hospital in Toronto, and was founded in 1899 by community-minded women who set out to create a Home for Incurable Children where all youth and children belong. It is also currently Canadas only childrens rehabilitation healthcare facility which is focused on combining care, research, and academic leadership in child and youth rehabilitation and disability.Affiliated with the University of Toronto, this research hospital sees more than 2,000 unique diagnoses on an annual basis, including brain injury, cerebral palsy, and developmental delay.BRI. Photo credit: Tom ArbanAt this hospital, a holistic approach is taken to assist young people in achieving their goals, which includes physical and cognitive development as well as life skills such as employment readiness, transitioning to adult services and friendship. Children and youth also have access to music, arts, fitness, science and technology programming.BRI. Photo credit: Tom ArbanIn addition to the two-storey Jason Smith Research Tower, the expansion includes a renovation of the existing 17,000-square-foot research space. Gow Hastings Architects collaborated with the hospital to create uniquely specialized and accessible facilities, encouraging connection between researchers and families.The new wing connects to the existing fourth floor of the BRI via an open and accessible flex space. Conceived of as a public front porch, this is where families can meet with researchers and staff. The flex space leads to communal and interdisciplinary Discovery Hubs that are incorporated within both the new wing, and the renovated space of the hospitals fourth floor.BRI. Photo credit: Tom ArbanGow Hastings team designed features for the BRI that extend beyond AODA guidelines, such as extra wide doors and hallways, door operating devices along busy pathways, colour contrast between walls, floors, and doors to assist with navigation for the visually impaired, as well as height-adjustable desks in workspaces.The project aimed to bring about a direct connection with and minimal impact on the surrounding natural environment. Seen from the outside, the new wing is an addition to the original building, with brightly-coloured aluminum composite cladding sitting over columns three-storeys above grade.BRI. Photo credit: Tom ArbanThe reflective aluminum soffit of the research tower expands the outdoor space of the hospital, reflecting the surrounding nature. The tower suspends over the Sunnybrook Ravine like a treehouse. Children are also able to enjoy a fully-accessible playground on the west side of the hospital.The post Gow Hastings designs Bloorview Research Institute expansion appeared first on Canadian Architect.

Image credit: Friends of 114 Seminary CrescentThe University of Saskatchewan is proceeding with the demolition of 114 Seminary Crescent (Lutheran Seminary) and 113 Seminary Crescent (Ogle Hall).The Seminary Building is a recognized Class A Heritage Structure, designed by architect John Holliday-Scott and built of reinforced concrete and hand-placed stone. Experts including engineers, planners, and conservationists have confirmed its structural integrity and adaptive reuse potential.The decision to demolish the building has sparked concerns from local advocates, who have rallied under the group Friends of 114 Seminary Crescent. The volunteer coalition includes professionals, heritage advocates, alumni, and community members, who have expressed deep disappointment in the universitys plans to demolish the buildings.Image credit: Friends of 114 Seminary CrescentA spokesperson from the University of Saskatchewan said that while they understand the dismay of those who had hoped to see the former Lutheran Theological Seminary (LTS) building saved, safety issues that have been growing over the last few years have become an urgent consideration.This was highlighted on April 23, 2025, when USask Protective Services found a person who had illegally entered the building and was overdosing. That life was saved, but the difficulty of securing the facility and ensuring no one died because of a health emergency, a fire, or structural failures in the building, became a priority for the board, the spokesperson told Canadian Architect. In 2024 alone, protective services dealt with at least 160 incidents, including fires and vandalism at the abandoned LTS site. Maintaining 24-hour security has been costly.The spokesperson also said that the City of Saskatoon has expressed serious concerns about the buildings compliance with municipal bylaws, along with the Saskatoon Fire Department who is concerned over the building safety, and added that addressing those concerns would require extraordinarily costly renovations.Image credit: Local History Room, Saskatoon Public Library, via Friends of 114 Seminary CrescentIn December of 2024, in response to community concerns, the University of Saskatchewan Board paused its call for proposals for demolition in order to formally seek Expressions of Interest (EOI) to fund the restoration of the buildings for future uses aligned with the universitys teaching and research mission.The biggest misconception is that there were financially viable options proposed, aligned with the universitys mission, for saving the 60-year-old building designed by Saskatoon architect John Holliday-Scott, said the spokesperson, adding that an early internal cost estimate was that a minimum of $26 million would be required to restore the building. Later, an independent, expert firm, Brook McIlroywhich has deep knowledge of the universitys buildings and recent experience on a similar heritage projectcited $55 million to $60 million, given that there are major issues to be addressed including hazardous material abatement, a new roof, entirely new mechanical infrastructure, and new water, sewer and electrical infrastructure leading up to and inside the building.Of the proposals received, none demonstrated capacity to fund even the early minimum restoration figure. In fact, none came forward with more than $2 million firmly secured for their proposed project.In an opinion piece published in the Saskatoon Star Phoenix, Friends of 114 Seminary Crescent wrote: We understand the boards concerns around safety. However, the cited incidents reflect broader societal challenges, including housing insecurity and mental health. They note that one of the proposals was an Indigenous-led project for student housing, onsite childcare, classroom and research space, Elder supports and culturally rooted services, all designed to help students from rural and northern communities transition to campus life.Image credit: Local History Room, Saskatoon Public Library, via Friends of 114 Seminary CrescentThis project, says the Friends, is the one that brought $2-million in grant funding to the table. Proponents were explicitly told general financial estimates and plansnot firm commitmentswere sufficient at this stage, as detailed figures would come in a second phase (which never occurred). Most significantly, the university did not share the updated $55 to $60 million Brook McIlroy estimate during or after the process, they write. These figures appear exceptionally high relative to local standards, according to Saskatchewan-based engineers, architects and planners with direct knowledge of the building.Friends of 114 Seminary Crescent recently issued a final appeal to the Board of Governors and to the Universitys outgoing president, urging University leadership to pause demolition and allow a fresh assessment under the next administration. A new president was just announced at the university and we will be contacting them directly to see if there is any chance in saving at least the main structure as it would be at a stage that someone could customize and complete, said Monica Kreuger, co-founder of Friends of 114 Seminary Crescent.This has been a very disheartening processdemolishing perfectly good buildings that were meant for a much longer life, says Kreuger.The post University of Saskatchewan proceeds with demolition of buildings at 114 and 113 Seminary Crescent appeared first on Canadian Architect.

For 58 years, Canadian Architect has sponsored an annual national awards program, the only national awards that recognize projects in the design stage.This years deadline for submissions is Friday, September 12, 2025.The Awards of Excellence are open to all architects registered in Canada, as well as to Canadian architectural graduates. The buildings entered may be designed for a site in Canada (for all eligible entrants) or a site outside of Canada (for entrants whose offices are headquartered in Canada). Foreign architects are permitted to submit if they have partnered with a Canadian-registered architect for the submitted work.Projects must be in the design stage, scheduled for construction, or under construction, but not substantially complete by September 12, 2025. All projects must be commissioned by a client with the intention to build the submitted proposal. All building types and concisely presented urban design schemes are eligible.Awards are given for architectural design excellence. Jurors will consider the schemes response to the clients program, site, geographic and/or urban context. They will evaluate its physical organization, form, composition, building systems, concept, process, structure, materials, environmental features and/or demonstration of social awareness.This years competition also includes the seventh annual Canadian Architect Photo Awards of Excellence and our Student Photo Awards of Excellence, challenging photographers to showcase their best images of a Canadian building.Our jury includes architects Alison Brooks (UK), Sonia Gagn (Montreal), and Kelly Buffey (Toronto). For the adjudication of the Photo Awards of Excellence, they will be joined by photographer Salina Kassam (Toronto).To find out more about our jurors, visit www.canadianarchitect.com/announcing-the-2025-awards-jury/For more information and to enter, visit www.canadianarchitect.com/awardsThe post Submit to enter the Canadian Architect Awards of Excellence! appeared first on Canadian Architect.