Architecture Canada/Royal Architecture Institute of Canada (RAIC), the Canadian Institute of Planners (CIP), and the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects (CSLA) recently announced a call for submissions for the 2016 National Urban Design Awards.
The groups’ goal is to promote the significance of urban design in enhancing the quality of life in cities. The awards, split into six categories, recognize individuals, organizations, firms, and projects located in Canada.
The urban design plan award recognizes a plan or study of a significant area in a Canadian municipality that provides a development or redevelopment strategy for urban transformation. Submissions are assessed on comprehensiveness, innovation, and clarity of presentation.
The urban architecture award recognizes a building or group of buildings contributing and supporting an urban design initiative. Submissions are assessed on compatibility with the initiative, positive contribution to the public realm, architectural excellence, and demonstration of the value of urban design.
The civic design project award recognizes a civic improvement project—such as a park, public space, or civil engineering or environmental infrastructure—that have been implemented as the result of an urban design initiative or plan. Submissions are assessed on compatibility with the initiative, positive contribution to the public realm, design excellence, and demonstration of the value of urban design.
The urban fragments award goes to single, small-scale pieces of a building or landscape contributing significantly to the quality of the public realm. Examples include street furniture, lighting elements, or interpretation media, etc. Submissions are assessed on positive contribution to the public realm, design excellence, and innovation/uniqueness.
The community initiatives award is for any built project—however modest—initiated and implemented by a community-based organization enhancing the public realm, for example, public art. Submissions are assessed on positive contribution to the public realm, conceptual clarity and execution, and innovation/uniqueness.
Finally, the student projects award is administered through participating Canadian universities and programs in architecture, landscape architecture, and/or urban planning. Each school may forward submissions of a structured urban design studio or final project/thesis.
To learn more about making a submission, click here.
