November 27, 2007

MISSISSAUGA URBAN DESIGN AWARDS

The Hazel McCallion Academic Learning Centre at U of T at Mississauga was one of three university buildings to win an Award of Excellence at the Mississauga Urban Design Awards. It also garnered a People’s Choice award via an online ballot.

Three University of Toronto buildings dominate Mississauga Urban Design Awards

DAN O’REILLY

CORRESPONDENT

The University of Toronto at Mississauga was the big winner at the annual Mississauga Urban Design Awards competition.

Three buildings at its campus have each received an Award of Excellence in the competition, which recognize outstanding building design. The awards were announced recently at a ceremony at Mississauga’s Living Arts Centre.

The Hazel McCallion Academic Learning Centre; Recreation, Athletic, and Wellness Centre; and Communication Culture and Technology Building all received top awards in the competition.

Designed by Shore Tilbe Irwin & Partners and built by Vanbots Construction Corp., the $25-million three-storey Hazel McCallion Academic Learning Centre was described as “a truly inspiring building” by a five-member jury panel.

Opened in October 2006, the centre also received the second annual People’s Choice Award. Determined through an online poll and ballot box, the award recognizes the project that best helps define the city and raises the profile of Mississauga.

MISSISSAUGA URBAN DESIGN AWARDS

The university’s Recreation, Athletic and Wellness Centre was another top award winner.

The $20-million Recreation, Athletic, and Wellness Centre was also designed by Shore Tilbe Irwin & Partners and constructed by Vanbots Construction Corp.

Designed by Saucier + Perrotte Architects and built by EllisDon Construction, the $36-million Communication Culture and Technology Building features a 500-seat auditorium, theatres, galleries and seminar rooms.

“This is another graceful addition to the family of space defining buildings, many of which frame courtyards on the campus,” the jury said.

There were separate project managers and the construction delivery method for the buildings was stipulated lump-sum contracts, said University of Toronto campus planning architect Elizabeth Sisam in an interview after the awards presentation.

MISSISSAUGA URBAN DESIGN AWARDS

An Award of Merit went to Memorial Waterfront Park on the Credit River with its shoreline improvements and habitat enhancement.

In the past 10 years the university has invested approximately $1 billion in new buildings in its three campuses (Mississauga, Toronto, Scarborough), said Sisam.

“The university buildings are in a class by themselves,” said jury member and National Post columnist Peter Kuitenbrouwer.

An avid public transit rider who arrived at the ceremony by taking the Bloor subway and then a bus to the Square One shopping centre, Kuitenbrouwer was a special guest speaker and used the occasion to urge the city and the province to develop transit initiatives such as light rail lines on major streets such as Dundas.

While stressing that Mayor Hazel McCallion and the city “couldn’t be blamed” for car-dependent development, times have changed and there needs to be more effort to curb urban sprawl, he said.

Three Awards of Merit under handed out.

Memorial Waterfront Park at 32 Stavebank Rd. N. received the Significance and Community Scale Award. John George Associates Inc. and the City of Mississauga were the designers.

A straw bale house at 977 Meadow Wood Road was the recipient of the Environmental Innovation Award. Martin Leifhebber Architect Inc. designed the two-storey post and beam house.

A two-storey mixed commercial and office building at 160 Dundas Street East received the Award of Merit for Context. Cracovia Square was designed by ATA Architects Inc. and Salmona Tregunno Inc.

“Again this year, our award program attracted high-quality projects representing a wide range of building types throughout the city,” said Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion

“With this event, we acknowledge the tremendous effort the design and building industry makes to meeting the city’s standards for urban design excellence and their role in making Mississauga a vibrant and liveable city,” added planning and building commissioner and jury member Ed Sajecki.

“We were also delighted to see the second annual People’s Choice award go to a project that is recognized by the public as well as the professional community as an outstanding example of great urban design.”

Other jury members included Ward 6 Councillor Carolyn Parrish; Mark Sterling, partner Sweeny, Sterling Finalyson & Company Architects; and Harold Madi, partner, The Planning Partnership.

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