British Columbia's best architects earn honours

The Architectural Institute of British Columbia (AIBC) recently honoured the best projects by British Columbia architects working at home and abroad.

“The AIBC Awards have always been a celebration of architectural excellence and this year is no exception,” said newly-elected AIBC council president Gordon Richards.

“The impressive list of winners is indicative of, not only the quality of work being done by B.C. architects, but the growing regard they have earned around the world.”

There were two winners of the Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia Awards in Architecture – Medal, four recipients of the Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia Awards in Architecture – Merit and three AIBC Special Jury Awards.

The awards were handed out during the 2011 Festival of Architecture, jointly hosted by the AIBC and the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada.

Two projects earned the Lieutenant-Governor of B.C. Award in Architecture- Medal for excellence in architectural projects completed within the past seven years and led by a B.C.–registered architect.

The winners were the Beaty Biodiversity Centre / Aquatic Ecosystems Research Laboratory at the University of British Columbia (UBC), by Vancouver-based Patkau Architects and the Arena Stage at the Mead Centre for American Theater in Washington, D.C., a project by Bing Thom Architects Inc.

The Beaty Biodiversity Centre and Aquatic Ecosystems Research Laboratory form a complex for the study and practice of modern environmental science.

The lead design architect was John Patkau.

Bing Thom was the lead design architect for the Arena Stage at the Mead Centre for American Theater.

The plan involved refurbishing two original historic theatres, while adding a modern performance space.

All three buildings are wrapped in a 45-foot-high glass skin and capped by a distinctive cantilevered roof.

Four Lieutenant-Governor of B.C. Awards in Architecture – Merit were also handed out.

The Cordova Street Stables in Gastown earned the award for Gair Williamson Architect Inc. with lead design architects Gair Williamson and Chris Woodford.

Similarly, Creekside Community Centre won the award for Walter Francl Architecture Inc and Nick Milkovich Architects Inc. The lead design architects were Nick Milkovich and Walter Francl.

The Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) parkade in Calgary was the third project to earn the honour.

The project earned Bing Thom Architects Inc., with lead design architect Bing Thom, their second award of the night.

Sauder School of Business at UBC also took home an award for Acton Ostry Architects Inc. with lead design architects Russell Acton and Mark Ostry.

Three projects earned AIBC Special Jury Awards.

This year’s jury said that they felt compelled to single out the projects as deserving of the award, which is a discretionary honour for outstanding achievement.

The Special Jury Award for Outstanding Programming and Place-making went to Henriquez Partners Architects for the Woodward’s Redevelopment in downtown Vancouver. The lead design architect was Gregory Henriquez.

The Special Jury Award In Recognition of Ingenuity went to Kobayashi + Zedda Architects Ltd. for the John Tizya Cultural Centre. The lead design architect was Antonio Zedda. The project is in Old Crow, Yukon and was only accessible by air, making it even more challenging.

The final Special Jury Award was For Elevating Infrastructure to Architecture. The award went to David Nairne + Associates Ltd. for the Ty-Histanis Community Infrastructure on the Tofino Peninsula on B.C.’s west coast.

The project team set out to create a model community respectful of the area’s unique cultural history and spectacular natural surroundings.

“Awards such as these help to set new standards within the profession,” said Michael Ernest, AIBC executive director.

“Perhaps, more importantly, they raise the level of public awareness and understanding for the architectural profession, and appreciation for the deep and lasting impact that architecture has on our communities.”