Winners of the 2021 Toronto Urban Design Awards announced

News Release
September 14, 2021

Earlier today, at a virtual ceremony, members of the design and development community came together to celebrate the 2021 Toronto Urban Design Awards winners.

The City of Toronto is committed to promoting design excellence and hosts the Toronto Urban Design Awards every other year to acknowledge the significant contribution that architects, landscape architects, urban designers, artists, design students and city builders make to the appearance and livability of the city.

This competition offers the opportunity to receive city-wide recognition for outstanding design projects from an independent jury of urban visionaries, professionals and academics representing the local and international design communities.

This year the City received an impressive total of 170 submissions in nine categories containing a variety of built projects, visions and master plans, and student works. The jury selected a total of 11 projects for Awards of Excellence, 13 for Awards of Merit, and two Special Jury Awards for inspiring infrastructure.

The 2021 jury members included:

  • Michael Leckman (Jury Chair), MRAIC, Principal, Diamond Schmitt
  • Fadi Masoud, Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture and Urbanism, Director of the Centre for Landscape Research, University of Toronto
  • Eladia Smoke | KaaSheGaaBaaWeak, March, OAA, OAQ, MAA, MRAIC, LEED AP, Principal Architect, Smoke Architecture Inc.
  • Jackie VanderVelde, OALA, ALLA, MALA, SALA, APALA, CSLA, ASLA, Founder, Land Art Design Landscape Architecture Inc.

The 2021 award winners are:

Elements Category

  • Award of Excellence: CF Toronto Eaton Centre Bridge, 15 Queen St. W.
  • Award of Merit: Thermally Speaking, 250 Fort York Blvd.

Private Buildings in Context – Low-Scale Category

  • Award of Excellence: Montcrest School Redevelopment, 658 Broadview Ave.
  • Award of Merit: Proper TV, 772 Dovercourt Rd.

Private Buildings in Context – Mid-Rise Category

  • Award of Excellence: 80 Atlantic, 80 Atlantic Ave.
  • Award of Merit: West Block Est. 1928, 500 Lake Shore Blvd. W.
  • Award of Merit: Kingston&Co Condominiums, 1100 Kingston Rd.

Private Buildings in Context – Tall Category

  • Award of Excellence: Axis Condos, 411 Church St.
  • Award of Merit: The Massey Tower, 197 Yonge St.

Public Buildings in Context Category

  • Award of Excellence: Seneca College – Centre of Innovation Technology and Entrepreneurship, 1750 Finch Ave. E.
  • Award of Merit: Ryerson University – Daphne Cockwell Health Sciences Complex, 288 Church St.
  • Award of Merit: Canoe Landing Community Campus, 45 Fort York Blvd.
  • Award of Merit: Guildwood Station, 4105 Kingston Rd.

Small Open Spaces Category

  • Award of Excellence: SQ2 POPS, 80 Vanauley St.
  • Award of Excellence: University of Toronto Scarborough Valley Land Accessible Trail, 1265 Military Trail
  • Award of Merit: St. James Park-Park Improvements, 120 King St. E.

Large Places and/or Neighbourhood Designs Category

  • Award of Excellence: Centennial College Downsview Campus Centre for Aerospace and Aviation, 65 Carl Hall Rd.
  • Award of Merit: Garrison Crossing (Fort York Pedestrian and Cycle Bridges), 10 Ordnance St.
  • Award of Merit: Yonge Sheppard Centre, 4841 Yonge St.

Visions and Master Plans Category

  • Award of Excellence: Bloor/Kipling & Islington Developments, Bloor Street & Kipling Avenue, Bloor Street & Islington Ave.
  • Award of Excellence: The Meadoway, Gatineau Hydro Corridor

Student Projects Category

  • Award of Excellence: Power and Place, Princess Margaret
  • Award of Merit: xs spaces: a new laneway urbanism for Toronto, Robinson Place
  • Award of Merit: Embodied Energy: Living Lab, Willcocks and Huron Street, University of Toronto St. George Campus

Special Jury Award for Inspiring Infrastructure Category

  • Storm Water Facility, 480 Lake Shore Blvd. E.
  • Emergency Exit Buildings, Toronto York Spadina Subway Extension, EEB1: 2 Whitehorse Rd., EEB2: 18 St. Regis Cr., EEB3: 2 Toro Rd., EEB4 45 The Pond Rd.

For more information on the Toronto Urban Design Awards or to view the jury report, which includes photos and full project credits for each of the winning submissions, please visit the City’s website.

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