Livable City Design Award Winners Announced

The 2011 Livable City Design Awards, celebrating excellence in building project design, were handed out last night in the Wilson Room at the Central branch of the Kingston Frontenac Public Library.

And the winners are:

Awards of Excellence

• Princess Street Reconstruction – Phase 1: designed by Corush Sunderland Wright Limited and the City of Kingston
• Battery Park, 3 Gore Street: designed by the Scott Wentworth Landscape Group Ltd. for Gillin Engineering and Constuction Ltd., Homestead Land Holdings Ltd. and the City of Kingston
• Calvin Park Branch, Kingston Frontenac Public Library, 88 Wright Cres.: designed by Shoalts and Zaback Architects Ltd. for the City of Kingston
• Market Square, 216 Ontario St.: designed by Hughes Downey Architects, in association with Brad Johnson + Associates Ltd., for the City of Kingston
• Utilities Kingston Water Conservation Garden, 1211 John Counter Blvd.: designed by Anne Maxwell, Garden Innovations for Utilities Kingston

Awards of Merit

• 270-274 Princess St: Award of Merit for Context, Innovation & Heritage Conservation. Designed by Colbourne and Kembel, Architects Inc. for Shirmor Properties Ltd.
• Frontenac County Court House – Dome Restoration, 21 Court St.: Award of Merit for Heritage Conservation, Execution & City-wide Significance. Designed by McCormick Rankin Corporation and Andre Scheinman for the City of Kingston.
• Renaissance Event Venue, 285 Queen St.: Award of Merit for Innovation & Community Significance. Designed by Alexander Wilson Architect Inc. for Paul Fortier, Jessup Food & Heritage.
• Kingston Police Headquarters, 705 Division St.: Award of Merit for Green Design. Designed by Rebanks Pepper Littlewood + Shoalts and Zaback, Architects in Joint Venture, for the City of Kingston.
• Pittsburgh Inn, 236 James St., Barriefield: Award of Merit for Heritage Conservation & Community Significance. Designed by Brian Miller of Stone and Pine for Heidi Bergeron.
• Prince George Hotel, 200 Ontario St.: Award of Merit for Context & Heritage Conservation. Designed by Hughes Downey Architects for Kingston Terminal Properties.
• University Avenue Reconstruction (from Union Street to Stuart Street)br />Award of Merit for Context, Accessibility & Community Significance. Designed by du Toit Allsopp Hillier for Queen’s University and the City of Kingston.
• La Salle Causeway Bascule Bridge, 386 Ontario St.: Award of Merit for Execution & Heritage Conservation. Designed by McCormick Rankin Corporation for Public Works & Government Services Canada.
• Richardson Hall Renovation, 74 University Ave.: Award of Merit for Execution & Accessibility. Designed by Griffiths Rankin Cook Architects for Queen’s University.

People’s Choice Award

• Calvin Park Branch, Kingston Frontenac Public Library, 88 Wright Cres.  Designed by Shoalts and Zaback Architects Ltd. for the City of Kingston.

The 2011 Livable City Design Awards had 40 nominated projects, all of which were completed between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2010 and are visible and/or accessible to the public. The winning and nominated projects are still available for viewing at www.cityofkingston.ca/livablecity.

A panel of external jurors evaluated these projects in early September and votes for the People’s Choice Award were gathered from September 20 through October 5.

To be eligible, the 2011 projects had to have exceptional, high quality and individual designs. The designs are being evaluated on these criteria:

• Significance: City Wide Scale – Contribution to the City’s design objectives as related to the City’s image, visual identity, vistas, skyline, and streetscapes;
• Significance: Community Scale – Contribution to the quality of the environment within a community, the demonstration of regard for the context of the locale, and enhancing a sense of place and personal safety or reinforcing a unique history;
• Innovation – The degree of creative response to project requirements and site constraints, and the ability to influence trends;
• Context – The relationship or blending of built form and spaces with existing and planned development, and respect for, or enhancement of, the area’s character;
• Execution – The quality of construction materials, and the interpretation of the design into reality;
• Green Design – Demonstrates an integrated approach to design that supports environmental and sustainable site and building practices; and,
• Accessibility – Displays a high standard of Universal Design principles. Heritage Conservation projects also had to display the highest standards of conservation practices.

Media contact information:  Cindie Ashton, Communications Officer, 613-546-4291, extension 3116 (cell 329-3462). Or call the City of Kingston’s media hotline at 613-546-4291, ext 2300.