June 1, 2009

Royal Architectural Institute of Canada

PHOTO COURTESY RAIC

Richmond Olympic Oval, designed by Vancouver’s Cannon Design, features a structural ceiling that incorporates one million board feet of discarded, pine beetle-killed wood.

Royal Architectural Institute of Canada

Two British Columbia projects among winners of RAIC Awards of Excellence

Bradley Fehr

editor

British Columbia talent was well represented when the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada announced it’s annual Awards of Excellence winners.

In total, seven awards and two honourable mentions were given out, with B.C. projects taking home three top prizes.

The Prince George Airport, designed by Vancouver’s McFarlane Green Biggar Architecture Design Inc. was one of three winners in the Innovation in Architecture awards category. The project involved the expansion of the existing terminal to include a new departure lounge, international arrivals area and security screening area as well as renovations to the existing check-in hall.

The design modernized the 1970s terminal with a high-performance building envelope and an innovative curtainwall and structure of exposed heavy timber.

It was reported that durability, sustainability, elegant detailing and cost were all weighed in the decision to develop a simple natural palette for the building.

The jury praised the project as an innovative example of art in architecture.

“It uses innovative technology only where it needs to be and creates simple, beautiful surfaces and minimalist detailing,” they said.

A Vancouver area project also earned an Innovation in Architecture award.

The Richmond Olympic Oval designed by Vancouver’s Cannon Design, took home the award for science innovation. The 506,000-square-foot building will be the speed skating venue for the 2010 Olympic Games, but will also function subsequently as an international centre of excellence in sports and wellness.

The structural ceiling incorporates one million board feet of discarded, pine beetle-killed wood.

The ceiling is integrated with composite wood glulam beams which span 100 metres. Mechanical systems in turn are integrated seamlessly into the structural systems.

The other side of the country was also represented as a modernist-style, luxury condo development in the heart of Toronto netted Quadrangle Architects Ltd. a 2009 Award of Excellence for innovation.

ENRICO DAGOSTINI

Dockside Green Synergy, won the RAIC Award of Excellence for Green Building for the firm Busby Perkins + Will.

The development features a heritage-listed, two-storey penthouse and involved a combination of new construction and renovation. One of the challenges was adding onto the top of an existing building while renovating the floors below.

In addition to 14 condos, the project includes nine floors of office space and one floor of prime retail space.

The project won an innovation in architecture award in the practice of architecture category.

PHOTO COURTESY RAIC

The Prince George Airport project features an innovative building envelope and use of heavy exposed timber in the structure.

Busby Perkins + Will was also a winner as the first phase of Dockside Green, Synergy, took home the Green Building Award of Excellence.

Dockside Green is the largest development of city land in Victoria’s history.

Once complete, the development will have 26 buildings and will include residential, live/work, hotel, retail, office, light industrial uses and numerous public amenities.

Synergy is the highest scoring LEED Platinum project in the world

Other RAIC award winners included Montreal’s Saucier + Perrotte architectes for the Architectural Firm Award, Paul Raff for the Allied Arts Award and Greg Hayton for the Advocate for Architecture Award.

The two honourable mentions were in the Innovation category and went to the Bluepoint Louver Facade System by Paul Raff Studio in Toronto and the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts by Diamond and Schmitt Architects Incorporated, also in Toronto.

The Awards of Excellence are bestowed every two years by the RAIC, which represents almost 3,800 architects across the country. Recipients will be recognized during the upcoming Festival of Architecture in Montreal.

– with files from Patricia Williams

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