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South-east corner of building with new Elgin Plaza now closed to vehicle traffic

Image : Lindsay Reid/Diamond Schmitt

Manitou a bi Bii daziigae

Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba
Architecture Practices: Diamond Schmitt Architects Inc. and Number TEN Architectural Group

Chosen by a jury of respected design experts, the 20 projects comprising the OAA’s 2024 Design Excellence Finalists represent a diverse range of building types, including sustainably designed community centres, schools and learning facilities, residences, and an indoor horticultural attraction, as well as performing arts venues in Sudbury and New York City. These Finalists serve as the shortlist for the OAA’s 10 Design Excellence Winners, which will be announced next month and honoured at the OAA Conference in Niagara Falls in May. The biennial OAA Design Excellence Awards program offers Ontario practices the opportunity to display the transformative influence of architecture, promoting broader public recognition and appreciation for the field. The following media statement has been supplied by the submitting project team:

The expansion of Manitoba’s RRC Polytech—the adaptive reuse of an entire city block—from its downtown campus, carries a legacy of innovation to Winnipeg’s inner city. The campus continues to grow with the completion of Manitou a bi Bii daziigae. The 100,000 square-foot facility unites a repurposed heritage building and new construction, and makes significant strides in urban, cultural, sustainable and interior design, creating an engaging crossroads in Winnipeg’s historic Exchange District.

Image of building exterior and BIPV panels

Photo credit: Doublespace Photography

Interior view of central space

Photo credit: Doublespace Photography

Floor of the Roundhouse Auditorium, featuring  ‘Morning Star’ by Anishinaabe/Nêhiyaw/British artist KC AdamPhoto credit: Doublespace Photography

Climate Action
The architecture profession must play a role in stabilizing the climate change crisis, lowering greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in favour of clean power. This is one of the reasons why the OAA has chosen “climate action” as a theme in its strategic plan.
As it did in 2020 and 2022, the OAA once again required Energy Usage Intensity (EUI) metrics to be included as part of the submissions process for the 2022 Design Excellence Awards program. EUI is the measurement of a building's annual energy consumption relative to its size. The lower the number, the less impact the building has on our climate. You can learn more about the OAA’s EUI Calculator online tools, free for both members and the public, by clicking here. Attached is the 2030 Ontario Target Data chart, which shows the EUI goals for the 2030 Challenge based on the building type.

TEUI of the project: 113 kWh/m2

This blOAAg post is part of a series exploring the OAA’s 20 Design Excellence Finalists for 2024, as selected by our jury. Click here to see other projects from this current award cycle.
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