Toronto, ON – The Ontario Association of Architects (OAA) has announced the 10 winners of its 2024 Design Excellence Awards. They will be celebrated at this year’s OAA Conference, Housing: Pushing the Envelope, which will be held in Niagara Falls this May.
The OAA regulates the practice of architecture in the province to protect the public interest. Its biennial Design Excellence Awards program celebrates the work of Ontario practices anywhere in the world. This year's collection features a diverse range of building types, including awe-inspiring community centres and learning institutions, a striking lakeside residence, and performing arts venues in Sudbury and New York City.
An esteemed panel of design experts selected 10 winning projects for this year's Design Excellence Awards, first narrowing down from 100 submissions to 20 finalists. Winning projects were carefully evaluated based on criteria including creativity, context, sustainability, good design/good business, and legacy.
Submissions also required inclusion of Energy Use Intensity (EUI) metrics, reflecting the OAA’s commitment to pursuing climate stability in the public interest and ensuring sustainable, resilient design is a critical component of any successful project.
"We are incredibly proud to announce the winners of the 2024 Design Excellence Awards,” says OAA President Settimo Vilardi. "This year's recipients exemplify the apex of creativity, sustainability, and community impact. Their achievements not only emphasize the versatile potential of architecture in beauty and function, but also highlight an ongoing commitment to climate stability and sustainable design."
Photo credit: Brady McCloskey
Photo credit: James Brittain
Photo credit: Nic Lehoux
Photo credit: Scott Norsworthy
David Geffen Hall, Lincoln Center (New York City, New York) by Diamond Schmitt Architects Inc. (Master Plan and Concert Theatre) and Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects | Partners (Public Spaces);
Photo credit: Chris Lee
Neil Campbell Rowing Centre (St. Catharines, Ontario) by MacLennan Jaunkalns Miller Architects, Ltd. (MJMA) in association with Raimondo + Associates Architects Inc.;
Photo credit: Scott Norsworthy
Photo credit: Scott Norsworthy
Place des Arts (Greater Sudbury, Ontario) by Moriyama Teshima Architects and Bélanger Salach Architecture (previously known as Yallowega Bélanger Salach Architecture) in joint venture;
Photo credit: Tom Arban Photography
Photo credit: Doublespace Photography
Photo credit: Felix Michaud
These projects, and the teams behind them, will be celebrated at the Celebration of Excellence held at the Niagara Falls Convention Centre on the evening of Thursday, May 23 at 5:30 pm, which will be recorded for on-demand viewing on the OAA’s
YouTube channel.
At the event, the OAA will also reveal which projects won the Michael V. and Wanda Plachta Award, the Lieutenant Governor's Award for Design Excellence in Architecture, and the People’s Choice Award. For this last award, a special two-week online voting period begins today on Thursday, April 4, with members of the publicencouraged to select their personal favourite among the 10 winners. Cast your vote now on the OAA Website.
The Celebration of Excellence will also showcase Lanescape Architecture Inc., as the winner of Best Emerging Practice—a biennial award for a newer firm that demonstrates a clear vision, well-articulated goals, and proven effective strategies.
Photo credit: Ron Adriano - From left to right top to bottom: Alex Sharpe, Matthew Hagen, Ryan Fernandes, Sarah Tyl, Craig Race, Andrew Sorbara, Ron Adriano, Bruna Mendes, Kate Jones, Heba Al-Fayez & Armando Gutierrez
Earlier in the day, the following additional OAA Award winners will be honoured at a special Recognition Lunch:
Deborah Wang, architect, curator, and artistic director of the DesignTO Festival, will be presented with the Medal of Service. This award acknowledges her outstanding dedication and leadership as an OAA member, contributing significantly to the profession and the public through promotion, advocacy, and education. Her impactful leadership with the DesignTO initiative has left a profound impact;
Photo credit: Christine Lim
Barry J. Hobin, who will receive Lifetime Design Achievement, as an Ottawa architect who spent half a century committed to building a successful practice based on design excellence, workplace equity, creative collaboration, social responsibility and, above all, a sense of belonging to and contributing to a wider community.
Photo credit: Metropolis Studio
In addition, A.J. Diamond, Raymond Moriyama, and Adrienne Tam will be post humously added to the Honour Roll, which recognizes prominent deceased members of the architectural profession.
Photo credits: L to R: Jim Ryce, Photographer Unavailable, Denise Grant
Profiles of the 10 Winners and 10 Finalists are available on the OAA Website, published in the forthcoming Awards 2024 book, and shared via X/Twitter and Instagram.
Additional information on the finalists, as well as high-resolution photos (with credit information), are also available on request.
To see the 2022 Design Excellence Awards winners, you can read the Awards 2022 book or watch that year’s Celebration of Excellence.
Further Information
OAA President Settimo Vilardi or members of the project teams behind the Finalists, may be available for phone, video, or email interviews.
Media Contact
Daniele Alcini, Communications Specialist
416-449-6898, ext. 306
DanieleA@oaa.on.ca
About the Ontario Association of Architects
The Ontario Association of Architects is a self-regulating organization under the Architects Act, a statute of the Government of Ontario. It is dedicated to promotingand increasing the knowledge, skill, and proficiency of its members, and administering
the Act, in order that the public interest may be served and protected.
Please note that this press release was updated May 28, 2024 with respect to project participants.