Housing is a human right. This direct message was the opening statement of the Architecture and the Right to Housing panel discussion at the University of Toronto’s John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design. Hosted on March 21 as part of the Faculty’s Winter Program, the discussion brought out a crowd of architects, designers, and students to listen and learn about what the right to housing actually looks like like in practice, and the often understated role that architects can play in making it a reality. The panel was moderated by Karen Kubey, an assistant professor at ..read more

The Ordre des architectes du Québec has announced the 17 finalists in the running for the Prix d’excellence en architecture and the program’s People’s Choice Award. The winning projects will be announced on April 19, 2024, at a gala event at Espace St-Denis in Montreal. Four individuals or organizations will also be honoured for their outstanding contributions to the field of architecture. Through the Prix d’excellence en architecture, the Ontario Association of Architects (OAA) aims to raise awareness of the many dimensions of architectural quality, and promote the architect’s role in design ..read more

Photo: OAA The Ontario Association of Architects (OAA) has issued a call for presenters for the Spring 2024 Continuing Education Webinar Series. The OAA is seeking professionals with expertise in topics relevant to architecture, particularly in Climate Action, and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. This will offer an opportunity for presenters to share their knowledge with the community. Webinars are scheduled for Thursdays from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and include closed captioning for accessibility. Selected speakers will be compensated with an honorarium. Interested parties should revi ..read more

The Brick Industry Association (BIA) has honoured the 2023 Brick in Architecture Awards, the premier international design competition featuring fired-clay brick. The 2023 winning projects, which were judged by a jury of peers, span across Canada, the United States, China, Mexico, and the first winner in the Russian Federation. The 44 winners include nine Best in Class, nine Gold, nine Silver, 16 Bronze plus an overall Craftsmanship Award. Among these, four Canadian projects were winners—including two that cinched the program’s top prizes for Best in Class. “Brick is a versatile material that ..read more

Pavillon de la Côte; a sheltered stop for users of the Coastal Meadows Photo credit: Adrien Williams Daoust Lestage Lizotte Stecker has introduced its recently concluded third phase of Promenade Samuel-de Champlain, which converted 2.5 kilometers of a previously desolate expanse of highways and rail corridors along the St. Lawrence River into a canvas for a recreational and cultural project. Phase III, completed fifteen years after the inaugural phase, continues the same design language while evolving to provide enhanced visitor amenities. The area was previously a barrier for the inhabitants ..read more

  Canadian Architect is collaborating with Twenty + Change to showcase emerging architecture practices in our October 2024 issue. The upcoming showcase, called New Perspectives, will feature projects and practices that exhibit innovation and excellence through their work. Canadian design practices established within the last ten years working in architecture, landscape architecture and urban design are encouraged to submit their work for consideration. A jury will be reviewing the submissions and selecting around twenty practices for inclusion in the showcase. The jury will be looki ..read more

Photo credit: Chevalier Morales and James Brittain The Agora des Arts, a venue for performance arts in Rouyn-Norand, Quebec, designed by Chevalier Morales, has officially opened. Chevalier Morales won the project through a 2018 competition. Photo credit: Chevalier Morales The site of the project is the church of Notre-Dame-de-Protection, which has been adaptively reused and received an addition to form the new arts centre. The church is located at the centre of the city of Rouyn-Noranda. For the past 85 years, it has been a place of worship, gathering, and culture. This notion has been influe ..read more

The notion of public housing is changing in today’s social and economic context. With spiraling rents and property values, many cities, including Toronto, find themselves in housing emergencies for which public sector subsidies are needed to house not only the most vulnerable and disadvantaged groups, but also young professionals, essential workers, and new immigrants—all of whom are integral parts of a healthy economy. Public housing is now an essential infrastructure required to sustain the continued growth of Canadian cities. The public housing shortage is a multi-faceted problem with no s ..read more

Photo credit: RAIC The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) has announced the five Honorary Fellows being inducted into the RAIC College this year. An Honorary Fellow of the RAIC College is an Honorary Member of the RAIC who has achieved international professional eminence or has rendered service to the profession or to the community, whether nationally or internationally. Nomination and advancement to Honorary Fellowship is administered by the RAIC College. Honorary Fellowship is bestowed for life and is one of the highest honours the RAIC can confer upon a non-Member. This year ..read more

A selection of the projects awarded Governor General’s medals in the past cycle. Photo: RAIC The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) has announced the jury for the Governor General’s Medals in Architecture. The biennial awards recognize and celebrate excellence in recently built projects by Canadian architects. The 2024 competition will continue a tradition initiated by the Massey Medals in 1950, providing an important source of understanding of the nature of Canadian architecture and the regional, cultural, and historic forces expressed in the built environment. This year, followi ..read more