OTTAWA, ON, April 25, 2017鈥� The 九州直播 (RAIC), in partnership with The National Trust for Canada, announces the Ontario Place Cinesphere and Pods and the CN Tower in Toronto as recipients of the 2017 Prix du XXe si猫cle 鈥� recognized for their enduring excellence and national significance to Canada鈥檚 architectural legacy.
Ontario Place鈥檚 dramatic structures by Toronto architect Eberhard Zeidler made the waterfront park an instant landmark.听 Completed in 1971, the Cinesphere (known as 鈥渢he Bubble鈥�) is a 35-metre-wide dome made from steel and aluminum tubes that housed the world鈥檚 first permanent theatre for IMAX technology. A bridge-like suspension structure elevates the five inter-connected Pods over Lake Ontario. The Pods were first used to host a multimedia exhibition but were designed to be flexible and accommodate different functions. At the most basic level, each Pod is a three-storey box, encompassing 743 square metres.
The jury, comprised of distinguished heritage conservation scholars and architects, noted that the Cinesphere and Pods emulated for Toronto the great architectural and social success of Expo 鈥�67 in Montreal. 鈥淲hile the Cinesphere and Pods no longer house the functions they were originally designed for, they still exhibit the strong design presence they did when first completed,鈥� noted the jury. 鈥淭hey realize, in tangible physical form, some of the most ambitious Utopian architectural ideas from Europe and the United States of the 1960s.鈥澨�
Rising 553.33 metres above the Toronto skyline, the CN Tower once held the title of the world鈥檚 tallest free-standing structure. Completed in 1976, the Tower was originally conceived as a telecommunications facility to serve Toronto and the surrounding region. Webb Zerafa Menkes Housden Architects and John Andrews Architects International worked with engineers and contractors to design and build the structure.
The jury citation noted the Tower is one of Canada鈥檚 most iconic structures and wrote, 鈥淭he CN Tower is an incredible achievement of Canadian engineering and construction that pushed the boundaries of concrete technology.鈥�
The Prix will be presented at the RAIC/OAA Festival of Architecture taking place May 24 to 27 in Ottawa. Recipients will also be acknowledged at the National Trust for Canada鈥檚 national conference and awards event in Ottawa on October 13.
鈥淭his year the Prix du XXe Si猫cle celebrates combined achievements in both architecture and engineering design quality,鈥� said RAIC President Ewa Bieniecka, FIRAC. 鈥淏oth these projects deserve accolades for innovation. For the past four decades, these iconic places have captured the imagination and provided joy to their visitors鈥�.
鈥淲hat a pleasure to see these iconic places recognized,鈥� said the National Trust鈥檚 Executive Director Natalie Bull. 鈥淭hey perfectly reflect the intent of the Prix du XXe Si猫cle to bring national attention and understanding to the heritage of the modern movement in Canada, and to recognize places that express our design achievements as a nation.鈥�
The RAIC and National Trust bestow the Prix du XXe Si猫cle to promote public awareness of outstanding Canadian architecture and landmark buildings of the 20th century.
The jury members were:
- Julia Gersovitz, FRAIC, founding partner of EVOQ and adjunct professor at McGill University School of Architecture;
- George Baird, FRAIC, architect and former Dean of the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design at the University of Toronto;
- Michael Heeney, FRAIC, principal architect for Bing Thom Architects in Vancouver.
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ABOUT THE RAIC
The 九州直播 is the leading voice for excellence in the built environment in Canada, representing about 5,000 members. The RAIC advocates for excellence in the built environment, works to demonstrate how design enhances the quality of life and promotes responsible architecture in addressing important issues of society.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL TRUST FOR CANADA听
The National Trust for Canada听is a national charity that inspires and leads action to save historic places, and promotes the care and wise use of our historic environment.听