The best of Toronto’s urban design excellence recognized
The City of Toronto's biennial Urban Design Awards recognize the projects and people that have significantly contributed to shaping our city into one that reflects creativity, resilience, and beauty.
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The City of Toronto recently handed out its biennial Urban Design Awards, recognizing the projects and people that have significantly contributed to shaping our city into one that reflects creativity, resilience, and beauty. This year’s awards shine a light on the themes of sustainability, equity, and cultural expression. (City of Toronto/photo)
Selected by a jury of urban visionaries, the winners of the 35th Toronto Urban Design Awards were announced during a special gala on Sept.10 at the Palais Royale.
Organizers said they received 104 award submissions across eight categories, “representing the breadth of talent and vision driving city building in Toronto.”
In the end the five-member jury – Osemelu (Ossie) Airewele, a senior associate at BDP Quadrangle; Olivia Keung an associate and the director of sustainability at Moriyama Teshima Architects; Christine Leu, the co-founder of LeuWebb Projects and a lecturer, at Toronto Metropolitan University; Ute Maya-Giambattista, a principal at O2); and Brendan Stewart, an associate professor a the University of Guelph and a landscape collaborator at ERA – chose 12 projects for Awards of Excellence and nine for Awards of Merit. They also handed out two Special Jury Awards for Integrated Approach and one Special Jury Award for Community Incubator.
An exhibit featuring all of the winners will be held in the coming months at Etobicoke Civic Centre, Toronto City Hall, North York Civic Centre, Metro Hall, and Scarborough Civic Centre.
(City of Toronto/photo)
Here are the winners of the 2025 Toronto Urban Design Awards:
Award of Excellence – Public Art: Red Embers, Toronto City Hall Lobby, Allan Gardens (temporary installation), Ashbridges Bay (temporary installation)
(City of Toronto/photo)
Award of Excellence – Elements: Port Lands Bridges, Cherry Street North - Cherry Street South - Commissioners Street (City of Toronto/photo)
Award of Excellence – Private Buildings in Context, Low-Scale: Dunn House – Social Medicine Housing, 90 Dunn Ave. (City of Toronto/photo)
Award of Excellence – Private Buildings in Context, Tall: Maple House at Canary Landing, 131 Mill St. (City of Toronto/image)
Award of Excellence – Public Buildings in Context: Union Station Revitalization, 65 Front Street W. (City of Toronto/photo)
Award of Excellence – Public Buildings in Context: Toronto Public Library – Albert Campbell District Branch. 496 Birchmount Rd. (City of Toronto/image)
Award of Excellence – Public Buildings in Context: Anishnawbe Health Toronto – Indigenous Community Health Centre. 425 Cherry St. (City of Toronto/image)
Award of Excellence – Small Open Spaces: Ziibiing, 27 King’s College Circle. (City of Toronto/image)
Award of Excellence – Small Open Spaces: The Spirit Garden, 100 Queen Street W. (City of Toronto/image)
Award of Excellence – Large Places and/or Neighbourhood Designs: Leslie Lookout Park, 12 A Leslie St. (City of Toronto/image)
Award of Excellence - Visions and Master Plans: University Park, University Avenue between Bloor and King. (City of Toronto/image)
Award of Excellence – Student Projects: Parkdale People’s Palace, 240 to 250 Dunn Ave. (City of Toronto/image)
Award of Merit – Elements: Canada Malting Silos, 9 Eireann Quay (City of Toronto/image)
Award of Merit – Private Buildings in Context, Low-Scale: The Brunswick Lofts, 225 Brunswick Ave.
Award of Merit – Private Buildings in Context, Low-Scale: Ulster House, 84 Ulster St.
Award of Merit – Private Buildings in Context, Low-Scale: Deeply Affordble Housing at 1120 Ossington Ave. (City of Toronto/image)
Award of Merit – Private Buildings in Context, Tall: SickKids Patient Support Centre, 175 Elizabeth St. (City of Toronto/image)
Award of Merit – Large Places and/or Neighbourhood Designs: The Well, 486 Front Street W. (City of Toronto/image)
Award of Merit – Large Places and/or Neighbourhood Designs: Landscape of Landmark Quality, University of Toronto Front Campus (City of Toronto/photo)
Award of Merit – Visions and Master Plans: City of Toronto Thermal Comfort Guidelines, City of Toronto (City of Toronto/image)
Award of Merit – Student Projects: Queer Arrival Park, 33 Isabella St. (City of Toronto/image)
Special Jury Award for Integrated Approach: The Dance. 20 Isabella St. (George Hislop Park) (City of Toronto/photo)
Special Jury Award for Integrated Approach: Yonge Street Linear Parks, 20 Isabella St. and 13 Isabella St. (City of Toronto/photo)
Special Jury Award for Integrated Approach: Waterworks, 505 Richmond St. W.
Special Jury Award for Integrated Approach: St. Andrew’s Playground Park, 450 Adelaide St. W.
Special Jury Award for Community Incubator: Clark Centre for the Arts, 91 Guildwood Pkwy. (City of Toronto/image)
