The Ontario Association of Architects (OAA) is hosting an anonymous Landscape Design Competition aimed at revitalizing the grounds of its Toronto headquarters as an extension of its Renew + Refresh initiative. In addition to showcasing design excellence, teams—led by OAA or Ontario Association of Landscape Architects (OALA) members—are asked to submit designs that create a welcoming and inclusive arrival experience, incorporate public art, promote sustainability and water use in the health of the environment, and embrace the Don River watershed context. Given the substantial societal impact of the built environment, the Association celebrates sensitive, responsible, and innovative design that supports resiliency and inclusivity. Ultimately, this competition is an opportunity to think about how we can take steps to heal our relationship with the land and its original caretakers.
The winning team will secure the contract for the redesign, emphasizing the significance of architecture and the allied arts in societal well-being.
Juries play a vital role in the design competition process. They bring a diverse range of experience and expertise to the critical task of rigorously evaluating the submissions provided by each participating design team and ultimately determining which are the most deserving of recognition and the award of the contract to implement the design work. The highly qualified jury selected for this competition includes three landscape architects, one architect (and past President of the OAA), and a lieutenant governor appointee to the OAA Governing Council.
Jury Member, Marc Ryan, OALA, Principal and Co-founder of Public Work
Marc Ryan is a seasoned landscape architect and urban designer with more than 25 years of experience across Canada, the United States, and Europe. As the principal and co-founder of Public Work, based in Toronto, he spearheads transformative projects that aim to redefine urban landscapes and public realms.
Marc's design philosophy effortlessly integrates his background in landscape architecture and architecture, blending these disciplines into a cohesive approach. His portfolio showcases a wide array of projects that span park and public space design, infrastructure planning, and urban design schemes, with a particular focus on waterfront revitalization.
Through a collaborative partnership with co-founder Adam Nicklin, Marc has positioned Public Work as an innovative design studio, known for revitalizing under-utilized spaces into vibrant urban landscapes. Prior to founding Public Work, Marc served as studio director at West 8, a leading urban planning and landscape architecture firm headquartered in Rotterdam.
The chosen jury is scheduled to convene in early June to review all submissions. Following their evaluation, they will award a preferred candidate with the contract to carry out the project. Additionally, two submissions will be recognized with honourable mentions.
Final submissions for the Landscape Design Competition, which are due by May 16, will be showcased anonymously at the OAA Headquarters during Doors Open Toronto 2024 on May 25 and 26, and continuing to June 21. Guided tours of the building interior will be offered daily during the Doors Open event, offering visitors a unique glimpse into net-zero design solutions.