101 Base line Road West, single nine-storey apartment building
PURPOSE
Showcasing planning and urban design broadly recognizes, celebrates and inspires good design.
“We need to recognize good development in the city and bolster and encourage good design,” says Wyatt Rotteau, one of three urban designers for the City of London.
London looked at what other cities were doing, saw that most major municipalities held such awards, and implemented its own in 2006, keeping them biannually.
Rotteau says the city was “more design-focused at that point. They were looking at the aesthetics of the city and looking ahead. The awards show how private and public development impact the city. They’ve been going longer than most people think.”
BENEFITS
“The benefit to Londoners is that it encourages better quality of public spaces,” says Rotteau. “They provide a sense of community, of neighbourhood identity and a stronger sense of place. Good design supports long-term goals of sustainability, equity and community wellbeing. It’s building ownership of city planning and growth.”
The awards shine a light on “good design for functionality and good design for the rest of the public.” They pose the question of how buildings interact with streets, parks and neighbourhoods.
By looking for connections to main entrances, large windows, safety features and weather protection, the jury determines answers.
JUDGING PANEL
A multi-disciplinary group represents expertise in the award components: landscape, architecture, planning, commercial and environment.
They include the chair of the London Society of Architects; a representative of the Southwestern Ontario district of Ontario Professional Planning Institute; Ontario Association of Landscape Architects, London branch president; chair of the Planning and Environment committee for the City Council; and an urban designer appointed by the director from outside the community.
“Each has one thing they are looking for. There are interesting conversations. They have a wealth of knowledge,” says Rotteau.
Speaking with the jury is one of his favourite parts of the process. He also enjoys speaking with the public at the open house on October 16–17. “I hear their perspective on how we are progressing.”
And, as an urban planner, he likes the spotlight on urban design each award year.
The group toured each entry site together on September 26.
Some of the criteria they looked for include sustainability, the relationship to adjoining public spaces, overall composition, sensibility to the neighbourhood (does it fit in size and proportion, for example) and the Architectural design. Rotteau says that includes windows and doors, canopies that provide shelter, and changes in materials for added interest. “They look for pedestrian accessibility and whether it is transit supportive — do pedestrian connections lead to transit stops, are there spaces to sit, trees.” Heritage preservation is also considered.
Another important factor is a mix of land uses. Rotteau says this means ways to reduce vehicle trips; small commercial space, such as a café or grocery store, single homes, townhouses, apartments, etc.
After the tour and discussion, the panel determined the winners.
CATEGORIES
“These are different from standard awards because the jury can choose or not choose a winner in any category,” says Rotteau. “There isn’t “a” winner in each category. There can be up to five winners. It’s based on what they are and how they align with the national awards (by the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada) so entrants can submit to those also.”
A residential four-plex at 166 Central Avenue
Categories include plans for large-scale areas; urban architecture (a building or group of buildings); small-scale residential; public realm enhancements (public art, walkways, benches, etc.); civic design projects of public spaces and landscapes (parks, plazas, gardens, trails, etc.); large places and neighbourhoods (subdivisions, industrial parks, streetscapes); restoration, rehabilitation and adaptive reuse; and People’s Choice.
PEOPLE’S CHOICE
Introduced to give the public a voice, this has quickly become a popular element. “Londoners definitely make their voice heard,” says Rotteau. “They know what they like.”
This year the public chose the Harris Park Shoreline Restoration and Revitalization. Boler Mountain chalet won in 2019 and Matthews Hall School in 2023.
ENTRIES
This year there were 16 entries, which Rotteau says falls within the average range of 15 to 25.
101 Base Line Road West is a contemporary-design single nine-storey apartment building that contrasts with older area buildings. A public walkway, gardens, patios, flowering shade trees suggest a front yard.
St. Gabriel Catholic Elementary School at 3055 Buroak Drive features a central library learning commons, creating a balanced and functional educational environment. Set back from the street, the L-shaped building’s main entrance canopy is welcoming.
Cavendish Community Food Hub
Cavendish Community Food Hub at 136 Cavendish Crescent provides an urban agriculture site for people of all abilities to learn how to grow food, eat and celebrate together to build community. It transformed an old landfill into accessible, barrier-free garden spaces. A central deck provides a place for celebrations.
A residential four-plex at 166 Central Avenue includes three loft-style and one basement unit in a converted place of worship. It increases density while being sensitive to the existing area. The use of siding, stone and wood draw on the surrounding area and the design reflects the streetscape.
Spawning Upstream at 493 Dundas Street
Spawning Upstream is a corten sculpture depicting a salmon-like creature swimming upstream. At 493 Dundas Street, it marks the entry of the newly renovated Southwest Ontario Aboriginal Health Access Centre and is an integral part of the building’s design with a story of connection, resilience and renewal.
Fanshawe College’s Innovation Village Boulevard at 1001 Fanshawe College Boulevard
Fanshawe College’s Innovation Village Boulevard (Honourable Mention) is a collaborative space for students, professors and professionals to come together in many ways, across disciplines, with industry partners and through experiential learning. Sustainability, Indigenous engagement and inclusivity were key components.
Hyde Park Village Green at 1695 Hyde Park Road
Hyde Park Village Green at 1695 Hyde Park Road (Award of Excellence) provides an inclusive park that supports local priorities, such as seasonal events and everyday activities. A central plaza hosts events, framed by a wooden seating deck and community table for informal gatherings. Gardens, outdoor musical instruments and a playground bring the community together.
Aqui on King at 131 King Street
Aqui on King integrates contemporary architecture with the historic streetscape at 131 King Street. A stepped façade maintains harmony with adjacent buildings. Between King and York Streets, a new walkway improves accessibility and encourages community interaction.
99 Pond Mills Road
A 12-storey, mixed-income and affordable rental apartment at 99 Pond Mills Road includes 110 units of one- and two-bedroom layouts, 40 percent of which are fully accessible, in a growing neighbourhood. The building’s sawtooth footprint responds to the curve of the street and the river.
The Grand Theatre’s Public and Artist Space Modernization re-imagines the front and back-of-house spaces of the historic building to meet contemporary inclusion, technology and functionality requirements. The public space creates connections between the city and the theatre.
Western University’s Ronald D. Schmeichel Building for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (Award of Excellence) is a four-storey building that incorporates a four-season plaza to foster collaboration. A boomerang shape with multiple entrances draws pedestrian flow into a central sheltered space.
lThe Harris Park shoreline rehabilitation and park improvement (People’s Choice) revitalizes a stretch of the Thames River at the heart of the city. It improves river access and builds environmental resilience with a naturalized shoreline, redeveloped Thames Valley Parkway Trail, widened fishing platform, river access ramp and cantilevered lookout.
Spektra at 1395 Riverbend Road
Spektra at 1395 Riverbend Road (Award of Excellence) is part of the West 5 community, a master-planned, net-zero energy neighbourhood that supports density, walkability and renewable energy generation. The south-facing, solar-integrated apartment building anchors the growing mixed-use district.
Elio Apartments at 125 South Carriage Road
Elio Apartments is a four-storey rental building at 125 South Carriage Road that also provides a gathering space and memorial to help build community and reflect on the loss of the Afzaal family at the intersection. Landscaping with native trees and a canopy-covered entrance create a porch-like transition from public to private space.
uron University College’s Burnlea Hall new student residence at 1311 Western Road
Huron University College’s new student residence (Honourable Mention) enhances pedestrian connections and welcomes people to the campus. It opens onto the quad and acts as a social hub and landscape focal point. It also forms a formal entry to the campus from the west.
Dalmar Motors at 1297 Wharncliffe Road South
Located at the corner of Wharncliffe Road South and Bradley Avenue, Dalmar Motors’ new building (Honourable Mention) departs from the conventional dealership model that prioritized parking and vehicle access. Generous sidewalks reinforce the city’s goals for more connected, people-oriented streets.
At first glance they may not seem related, but all the entries showcase and celebrate good urban design. The award-winners are outstanding examples of the positive impact that design has on life in the city.
JANIS WALLACE has written for newspapers, magazines, scripts and social media on topics from music to dog food, fashion to décor, agriculture to gardens. She wrote a book about a theatre, a place she loves to be — in the audience or on stage.
