What is Winter Stations?

Winter Stations is a single-stage international design competition held annually in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Participants are tasked with designing temporary winter art installations which incorporate existing lifeguard towers spaced strategically across the city’s Kew and Woodbine beaches. The structures (not in use in the wintertime) are considered visual anchor points for the installations.

As in previous years, Winter Stations intends to build 4-6 winning proposals for a six-week exhibition along the waterfront, funding permitted.

While Toronto beaches are not typically as well visited in the colder seasons, Winter Stations has captured the imagination of the city. Designers can expect their designs to be well-visited and should anticipate public interaction.

The competition is open to everyone in the world. There is no fee to enter.

2025 Theme: Dawn

Dawn marks the beginning of a new era for Winter Stations as it steps into its 11th year, symbolizing a fresh chapter in its creative journey. Just as the first light of morning breaks through the darkness, the exhibition will explore the moments of profound change that redefine and shape our existence, highlighting the delicate process of shedding old layers to emerge as something new. Dawn embraces the evolving self and the endless possibilities of change and transition, whether it be personal, natural, or spiritual, capturing the raw beauty of growth and renewal.

Dawn represents the shift from night to day, and this year, designers are invited to explore how Winter Stations can evolve, and to consider the future of the exhibition and its relationship with the public and the environment. Through this lens, Dawn challenges designers to explore how Winter Stations can adapt, grow, and metamorphose in the coming years, shaping the urban landscape in imaginative and innovative ways.