DESIGN PUBLIC REALM
September 12, 2025 374
City Fetes the Winners of the 2025 Toronto Urban Design Awards
On the evening of September 10, 2025, the City of Toronto feted the recipients of this year’s Toronto Urban Design Awards at the Palais Royale on the shores of Lake Ontario in Sunnyside. Given biennially, the program accepts submissions by project teams for completed work from over the last two years in eight categories, while another forward-looking category recognizes future work, and another recognizes student work. A jury of five distinguished members from the area’s Architecture, Urban Design, and Landscape Architecture fields are free to choose award recipients among the submissions. If the jury is not satisfied with any of the submissions in a category, they are not required to hand out an award in that category. The jury is also free to create special awards where they see fit. This year, from 103 submissions, the jury saw fit to present 24 awards, including three special awards, one of which recognized a project from the one category that otherwise garnered no awards on its own.
Mayor Olivia Chow address the audience at the 2025 Toronto Urban Design Awards, image by Craig White
You can read up on all of the submissions via a pair of PDFs attached to the 2025 Toronto Design Awards webpages; Part One, and Part Two. What follows below is a summary of the winners, while an editorial note completes this article. For full summaries of all of the winners — Award of Excellence recipients, Award of Merit recipients, and Special Jury Award recipients — you can also download and read the PDF of the full Jury Report, where the jury expounds upon their decisions.
Public Art (13 submissions)
The Public Art category, which had been captured under the Elements category in the previous years, is now introduced as a standalone category in the 2025 Toronto Urban Design Awards. This change highlights the importance of public art in shaping Toronto’s urban landscape and cultural identity. This category celebrates artistic works that enrich Toronto’s cultural fabric by transforming publicly accessible spaces into environments that inspire connection, dialogue, and reflection. These site-specific works, whether permanent or temporary, are designed to engage the public, integrate seamlessly into their surroundings, and enhance the city’s identity and quality of life. Submissions may include, but are not limited to: sculptures, murals, digital or interactive installations, integrated artistic features, and other creative works designed to engage and inspire the public. These site-specific works of art must be designed for publicly accessible spaces, such as parks, community centers, bridges, underpasses, laneways, or privately owned public spaces (POPs). Both permanent installations and temporary projects with a significant impact on the public realm are welcome. Submissions should include a 200-300 word written statement outlining the artistic intent, site-specific integration, and how the artwork enhances the community.
Of note, of the thirteen submissions, three were temporary, and the other ten were permanent. On of the three temporary installations took home the single individual prize in the category. One of the submissions of a permanent nature shared a Special Jury Prize, written about near the end of this report.
Red Embers Award of Excellence
Project Team
Architect: Smoke Architecture
Indigenous Artist: Hannah Claus; Sarah Biscarra Dilley; Rosalie Favell; Rolande Souliere; Louise
Solomon; Lido Pimienta; Eladia Smoke, Larissa Roque; Annie Beach; Kristy Auger, Adrienne
Greyeyes; Lindsey Lickers, Tash Naveau; Catherine Tàmmaro, NWRCT community members
Artist: Lisa Rochon; Larissa Roque (Smoke Architecture); Tiffany Creyke
Engineer: Arup (Structural)
Other: Regent Park Sewing Studio (Banner Fabricator); Elder Jacque (Jacqueline) Lavalley
Developer/Owner/Client
Native Women’s Resource Centre of Toronto
General Contractor
Anex Works
Photographer
Lisa Rochon
Award of Excellence – Public Art – Red Embers
Elements (4 submissions)
A stand-alone object, landscape element or small-scale piece of a building which contributes significantly to the quality of the public realm. Submissions may include, but are not limited to: benches, doorways, signage, canopies, porches or colonnades, gateways, light fixtures, walkways, stairways, barrier-free access and fences.
Port Lands Bridges Award of Excellence
Project Team
Architect: Grimshaw Architects
Landscape Architect: Quinn Design Associates Inc.
Engineer: Entuitive (Structural & Bridge Engineering); Mulvey & Banani (Electrical)
Artist: Mulvey & Banani Lighting (Lighting Design)
Other: sbp schlaich bergermann partner (Preliminary Bridge Design)
Developer/Owner/Client
Waterfront Toronto
General Contractor
EllisDon
Photographer
Jonathan Bacolor
Olu Joseph
Award of Excellence – Elements – Port Lands Bridges
Canada Malting Silos Award of Merit
Project Team
Architect: ERA Architects
Engineer: Moon-Matz Ltd.
Other: BEST Painting Ltd.
Developer/Owner/Client
City of Toronto
General Contractor
Brook Restoration Ltd. (Construction Manager)
Photographer
Adrien Williams
ERA Architects
Merit Award – Elements – Canada Malting Silos
Private Buildings in Context
An individual building or a composition of buildings, that achieve(s) urban design excellence and is precedent setting for a project of its type through its relationship to the public realm, pedestrian amenity, detailing and massing, and the natural environment. Submissions should document and highlight how the project contributes to successful citybuilding through its contextual relationship, design quality and measures of sustainable design. All types of buildings are eligible whether “landmark” or “background,” new construction or a restoration/transformation. Projects in both urban and suburban contexts will be considered. The Private Buildings in Context category consists of three sub-categories that reflect a range of scales: Low-Scale, Mid-Rise, and Tall.
Private Buildings in Context — Low-Scale (13 submissions)
Dunn House Social Medicine Housing Award of Excellence
Project Team
Architect: Montgomery Sisam Architects
Landscape Architect: Baker Turner Inc.
Engineer: Design Works Engineering (Civil, Structural, Mechanical, Electrical)
Other: NRB Modular Solutions (Modular Manufacturer); Vortex
Fire (Code); Nextrans Consulting Engineers (Transportation)
Developer/Owner/Client
University Health Network (UHN) Foundation
General Contractor
City of Toronto
Photographer
Doublespace Photography
Award of Excellence – Private Buildings in Context — Low-Scale – Dunn House
Brunswick Lots Award of Merit
Project Team
Architect: Suulin Architects
Landscape Architect: Suulin Architects
Engineer: WSP; Blackwell Structural Engineers
Other: Michael McClelland (Heritage Consultant)
Developer/Owner/Client
Kopas Developments Ltd.
General Contractor
Oben Build
Photographer
Michael Peart
Kopas developments Ltd.
Merit Awards – Private Buildings in Context — Low-Scale – The Brunswick Lofts
Ulster House Award of Merit
Project Team
Architect: LGA Architectural Partners
Landscape Architect: Lorraine Johnson (Native Plant Consultant)
Engineer: Blue Grove Engineering Group Inc. (Civil); Blackwell Structural Engineers (Structural); RDZ Engineers Limited (Mechanical); RDZ Engineers Limited (Electrical)
Other: RDH (Building Science)
Developer/Owner/Client
Janna Levitt and Dean Goodman
General Contractor
Desar Construction Studio
Photographer
Doublespace Photography
Merit Awards – Private Buildings in Context — Low-Scale – Ulster House
1120 Ossington Award of Merit
Project Team
Architect: Smart Density (Site Plan Architect); mcCallumSather (Architects of Record)
Landscape Architect: Quinn Design Associates Inc.
Engineer: Partners Engineering and Science Inc. (Civil); ASPECT
Structural Engineers (Structural); Hammerschlag & Joffe (Mechanical); Birnie (Electrical)
Artist: Leo Krukowski
Other: Element5 (CLT); mcCallumSather (AOR); The Contract Framing Group Inc. (Erection)
Developer/Owner/Client
Assembly Corp. (Developer); St. Clare’s Housing (Owner/Client)
General Contractor
Loftin Management
Photographer
Doublespace Photography
Leo Krukowski
Merit Awards – Private Buildings in Context — Low-Scale – 1120 Ossington Avenue
Private Buildings in Context — Mid-Rise (8 submissions)
A mid-rise building is generally taller than four storeys, but no taller than the width of the adjacent street right-of-way (i.e. typically between 5 and 11 storeys). Submissions may include, but are not limited to: mixed-use “Avenue” buildings, small apartment/condo buildings, commercial and industrial buildings.
There were no individual awards given in this category, but one entry shared a Special Jury Prize, written above further below in this report.
Private Building in Context — Tall (7 submissions)
A tall building is generally taller than the width of the adjacent street right-of-way. A building or project that has both tall and mid-rise components should be entered in this category.
Maple House at Canary Landing Award of Excellence
Project Team
Architect: architects—Alliance; Cobe Architects
Landscape Architect: CCxA
Engineer: Thornton Tomasetti (Structural); M.V. SHORE ASSOCIATES (1993)
LIMITED (Mechanical); M.V. SHORE ASSOCIATES (1993) (Electrical)
Developer/Owner/Client
Dream Unlimited Corp.; Kilmer Group; Tricon Residential
General Contractor
EllisDon
Photographer
Adrian Ozimek
Francisco Tirado
Award of Excellence – Private Buildings in Context — Tall – Maple House at Canary Landing
SickKids Patient Support Ctr Award of Merit
Project Team
Architect: B+H Architects
Landscape Architect: B+H Architects
Engineer: R.V. Anderson Associates Limited (Civil); Entuitive (Structural and Envelope); TMP / Mulvey & Banani (MEP)
Artist: Dennis Lin
Other: LMDG (Code Consultant); Footprint (Sustainability Consultant); RWDI (Environmental and Acoustic Consultant)
Developer/Owner/Client
The Hospital for Sick Children
General Contractor
PCL Construction
Photographer
Tom Arban Photography
A-Frame Photography
Merit Awards – Private Buildings in Context — Tall – SickKids Patient Support Centre
Public Buildings (16 submissions)
An individual building or a composition of buildings, with a primary function to serve the public and/or is largely accessible to the public. Public Buildings are focal points for communities of various sizes, from small neighbourhoods to a national body. Submissions should demonstrate urban design and architectural excellence through a relationship to the public realm, pedestrian amenity, detailing and massing, the natural environment and sustainable design. In this category, all building scales are eligible (low-scale, mid-rise and tall), as well as new construction and restoration/transformation. Buildings in both urban and suburban contexts will be considered. Submissions may include, but are not limited to: education, health care, recreation, cultural, community and civic buildings.
Union Station Revitalization Award of Excellence
Project Team
Architect: NORR Architects & Engineers Limited
Engineer: Giffels Associates Limited / IBI Group (Civil); NORR
Architects & Engineers Limited (Structural, Mechanical, Electrical)
Other: EVOQ Architecture (Heritage Architect); BA Consulting Group Ltd. (Traffic and Loading Consultant); Entro (Signage Consultant)
Developer/Owner/Client
City of Toronto
General Contractor
Carillion Canada Inc. Stage 1, Bondfield Construction Company
Limited Stage 2, EllisDon Completion
Photographer
Doublespace Photography
Award of Excellence – Public Buildings in Context – Union Station Revitalization
TPL Albert Campbell Award of Excellence
Project Team
Architect: LGA Architectural Partners
Landscape Architect: Aboud & Associates
Engineer: EMC Group Limited (Civil); Blackwell Structural Engineers (Structural);
Enso Systems Inc. (Mechanical, Electrical)
Artist: Red Urban Nation Artist Collective (Mural Wall)
Other: Trina Moyan (Bell & Bernard Limited) (Indigenous Consultant); Miinikaan
Innovation and Design (Indigenous Garden Design and Installation)
Developer/Owner/Client
Toronto Public Library
General Contractor
Harbridge + Cross Limited
Photographer
Doublespace Photography
Award of Excellence – Public Buildings in Context – TPL Albert Campbell District Branch
Anishnawbe Health Award of Excellence
Project Team
Architect: Stantec Architecture Ltd.; Two Row Architect
Landscape Architect: Stantec Consulting Ltd.
Engineer: Stantec Consulting Ltd. (Civil, Structural, Mechanical, Electrical)
Other: Urban Strategies Inc.; Prism – AHT Project Manager
Developer/Owner/Client
Anishnawbe Health Toronto
General Contractor
Harbridge and Cross
Photographer
James Brittain
Award of Excellence – Public Buildings in Context – Anishnawbe Health Toronto
Small Open Spaces (10 submissions)
A small open space, generally related to and defined by adjacent buildings or natural/built elements, which provides an extension and addition to the public realm in an exemplary way. The small open space need not be publicly owned, but must be publicly accessible. Submissions may include, but are not limited to: courtyards, plazas, forecourts, gardens, trails, mews and small neighbourhood parks.
While two of the submissions are awarded immediately below, a further two are part of shared Special Jury Prizes noted closer to the bottom of this report.
Ziibiing Award of Excellence
Project Team
Architect: Brook McIlroy
Landscape Architect: Brook McIlroy
Engineer: TYLin Group (Civil); Blackwell Structural Engineers (Structural)
Other: Creative Irrigation Solutions Inc. (Irrigation); RC Engineering (Light pole footing); Creator’s Garden (Indigenous Plant Expert); Cohen & Master Tree and Shrub Services (Arborist)
Developer/Owner/Client
University of Toronto – Office of Indigenous Initiatives
General Contractor
EllisDon
Photographer
Tom Arban Photography
Award of Excellence – Small Open Spaces – Ziibiing
Spirit Garden Award of Excellence
Project Team
Architect: Gow Hastings Architects (Prime); Two Row Architect (Indigenous Consultant)
Landscape Architect: PMA Landscape Architects Ltd.
Engineer: MTE Consultants (Civil); Entuitive (Structural); H.H. Angus and Associates Ltd.
(Mechanical, Electrical)
Artist: Solomon King (Anishinaabe Artist – Turtle Sculpture); Tannis Nielsen (Métis/ Anishinaabe
Artist – Spirit Canoe); Henry Kudluk (Inuit Artist – Inukshuk); Raymond R. Skye (Haudenosaunee
Artist – Three Sisters); John Keeshig, Anishinaabe Midewiwin Knowledge Keeper (Teaching Lodge)
Other: The Waterworx Co. (Water Features); Goldsmith Borgal & Company Architects (Heritage)
Developer/Owner/Client
Toronto Council Fire Native Cultural Centre, City of Toronto
General Contractor
Buttcon Limited
Photographer
Tom Arban Photography
Award of Excellence – Small Open Spaces – Spirit Garden
Large Places and/or Neighbourhoods (3 submissions)
A design plan for a new or renovated large-scale area of the city. The project must be completed to such extent to allow the jury to clearly understand and evaluate the plan. The submissions in this category should clearly state the existing conditions and demonstrate how City objectives for establishing a clear public structure of streets, parks, open spaces and building sites are met. The submission should also highlight major areas of innovation, particularly those related to infrastructure, environmental management and sustainable design, as well as provide evidence of community involvement and acceptance. Submissions may include, but are not limited to: large parks, area/district plans, neighbourhood plans, subdivisions, industrial parks, campus plans and streetscapes. Both urban and suburban contexts will be considered.
All three submissions garnered awards here. I have a further note regarding one of them at the bottom.
Leslie Lookout Award of Excellence
Project Team
Architect: gh3*
Landscape Architect: CCxA
Engineer: Arup
Artist: Dani Kastelein-Longlade (Brook McIlroy)
Other: Dougan Ecology (Ecology); Kayanase Greenhouse (Planting);
Bob Goulais, Nbisiing Consulting Inc. (Indigenous Engagement)
Developer/Owner/Client
CreateTO
General Contractor
UCC Group Inc.
Photographer
gh3*
CreateTO
Award of Excellence – Large Places – Leslie Lookout Park
The Well Award of Merit
Project Team
Architect: Hariri Pontarini Architects (Masterplan and Office); Adamson Associates Architects (Executive Architect); BDP (Retail, Canopy, Landscape Architect); Giannone Petricone Associates (Wellington Market); Wallman Architects (Residential Midrises); architects—Alliance (Residential Highrises); Urban Strategies Inc. (Urban Design and Planning)
Landscape Architect: CCxA
Engineer: The Odan/Detech Group Inc. (Civil); RJC Engineers (Structural); Jablonsky, Ast and Partners (Structural Residential); The Mitchell Partnership Inc. (Mechanical); Mulvey & Banani (Electrical); BA Group Ltd. (Transportation)
Artist: Catherine Tàmmaro and Jah Qube (The Spirit of the Woods); Dustin Yellin (Emergence); Michel Goulet (Draper Park Chairs); Vanessa Spizzirri (A Neighbourhood Stroll)
Other: EQ Building Performance (Sustainability); Albert Mondor (Planting); Isaac Crosby (Indigenous Horticulture Advisor)
Developer/Owner/Client
RioCan REIT; Allied Properties REIT
General Contractor
UCC Group Inc.
EllisDon, Deltera, Knightbridge Development Corp. (Construction Managers)
Photographer
Doublespace Photogaphy
Hariri Pontarini Architects
Award of Merit – Large Places – The Well
Landscape of Landmark Quality, University of Toronto Award of Merit
Project Team
Architect: KPMB Architects; ERA Architects
Landscape Architect: Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates Inc.
Engineer: SCS Consulting Group Ltd. (Civil); RJC Engineers (Structural); Crossey Engineering Ltd. (Mechanical); Mulvey & Banani (Electrical); BA Group (Transportation and traffic)
Other: Infrastructure Ontario (Project Manager); Tillotson Design Associates (Lighting design); Harakawa Inc. DBA Two Twelve (Wayfinding and signage); Turner & Townsend (Quantity surveyors); SPH Planning & Consulting (Accessibility)
Developer/Owner/Client
University of Toronto
Image Credits
Salina Kassam
Award of Merit – Large Places – Landscape of Landmark Quality
Visions and Master Plans (14 submissions)
Unexecuted visions for the city, studies and master plans of high inspirational value with the potential for significant impact on Toronto’s development. Submissions in this category may include but are not limited to: theoretical and visionary projects, as well as any project fitting the description of Large Places and/or Neighbourhood Designs that are unbuilt.
University Park Award of Excellence
Project Team
Landscape Architect: PUBLIC WORK
Engineer: Stantec (Civil, Costing); Blackwell Structural Engineers
(Structural); BA Consulting Group Ltd. (Transportation, Mobility)
Other: Ken Greenberg (Project Representative for Matthews Family Foundation); Nina Pesavento (Project Representative for The Michael Young Family Foundation)
Developer/Owner/Client
The Michael Young Family Foundation; The Judy and Wilmot Matthews Foundation; The University of Toronto; and the City of Toronto
Image Credits
PUBLIC WORK
Award of Excellence – Visions and Master Plans – University Park
City of Toronto Thermal Comfort Guidelines Award of Merit
Project Team
Urban Designer: DIALOG
Engineer: Buro Happold
Developer/Owner/Client
City of Toronto
Image Credits
DIALOG
Award of Merit – Visions and Master Plans – City of Toronto Thermal Comfort Guidelines
Student Projects (15 submissions)
Students in urban design, architecture, landscape architecture and other design programs are invited to submit theoretical or studio projects set in, or relating to Toronto. Students should co-ordinate with design studio professors/advisors to select projects that are suitable for submission.
Parkdale People’s Palace Award of Excellence
Project Team
Matthew Dlugosz (University of Waterloo)
Award of Excellence – Student Projects – Parkdale People’s Place
Queer Arrival Park Award of Merit
Project Team
Simon Liao (University of Waterloo)
Award of Merit – Student Projects – Queer Arrival Park
Special Jury Awards
The jury opted to highlight five projects with three special awards, four of the projects sharing two awards for their integrated side-by-side, whole-is-greater-than-the-sum-of-its-parts nature, and another project identified for its community-up origins.
Integrated Approach
The Dance & Yonge Street Linear Parks
The Dance
Project Team
Landscape Architect: PMA Landscape Architects Ltd.
Engineer: Blackwell Structural Engineers
Artist: Uoai | Stanislav Jurković
Other: Marcel Dion Lighing Design (Lighting Design); Punchclock
Metalworks (Fabrication)
Developer/Owner/Client
City of Toronto
General Contractor
Somerville Construction
Photographer
Scott Norsworthy Photography
Yonge Street Linear Parks
Project Team
Landscape Architect: PMA Landscape Architects Ltd. (Prime Consultant)
Artist: Stanislav Jurković (Uoai); Catherine Tàmmaro (TÀMMARO ART/Design)
Other: Marcel Dion Lighting Design; The Waterworx Co.
Additional consultants: Department of Words & Deeds; Blackwell Structural Engineers; Husson Ltd.; MJS Consultants; GPY+ Associates Engineering Inc.; SMART Watering Systems
Developer/Owner/Client
City of Toronto, Parks and Recreation
General Contractor
Somerville Construction
Photographer
Scott Norsworthy Photography
Special Jury – Integrated Approach – The Dance
Waterworks & St Andrew’s Playground Park
Waterworks
Project Team
Architect: Diamond Schmitt
Landscape Architect: Janet Rosenberg & Studio
Engineer: Jablonsky, Ast and Partners (Structural); Smith + Andersen (Mechanical, Electrical)
Food Hall Interior Artist: Andre Kan; Boris Biberdžić; Cam Miller; Courtney Wotherspoon; Grier Drummond; Jacquie Comrie; Jimmy Chiale; Kelcy Timmons Chan; Kellen Hatanaka; Michèle Bérard; Priscilla Yu; Thomarya Fergus; Zephyr
Other: ERA Architects (Heritage); Marcel Dion Lighting Design (Exterior Lighting)
Developer/Owner/Client
MOD Developments Inc.; Woodcliffe Landmark Properties
General Contractor
Bluescape Construction Management Inc.
Photographer
Michael Leckman
Lisa Logan Photography
St Andrews Playground
Project Team
Landscape Architect: DTAH
Engineer: Ainley Group (Civil); IRC Building Sciences Group (Structural); DPM energy (Electrical and Lighting)
Other: LURA Consulting (Public Consultation); Smart Watering Systems (Irrigation)
Developer/Owner/Client
City of Toronto
General Contractor
LocPave Construction
Photographer
Scott Norsworthy Photography
Special Jury – Integrated Approach – Waterworks
Community Incubator
Clark Centre For the Arts
Project Team
Architect: Taylor Hazell Architects
Landscape Architect: PMA Landscape Architects Ltd.; Arborist Amy Turner Landscape
Engineer: RJC Engineers; Jain Consultants (Mechanical, Electrical, Civil Consultant)
Other: Arborist; Azimuth Environmental Consulting Inc. (Environmental Consultant); BA Group (Transportation Planning)
Developer/Owner/Client
City of Toronto
General Contractor
Atlas Constructors Inc.
Photographer
Tom Arban Photography
Taylor Hazell Architects
Special Jury – Community Incubator – Clark Centre for the Arts
I’ll dare to add a final word, an editorial note on the awards. Twenty four awards is an exceptional number for this event. In 2023, there were XX awards handed out, and in 2021 there were XX, etc. The recognition of so many works speaks to the both the quality of the submissions this year, and the generosity of the jury.
Juries can take a stingy approach and whittle things down to one-winner-only per category for the sake of making the awards more meaningful owing to their rarity. I can testify to that, having spent three years on a Heritage Toronto Awards jury myself, where the edict from on high was to be tough, and preserve an exclusivity that had been fostered over many years by just that approach: only the absolute best get a Toronto Heritage Award! This approach can make sense if the organization has had to contend in the past with award-happy juries that very well may have not been strict enough, or possibly the organization simply wants to prevent such a situation from happening. (The Heritage Toronto jury I took part in three times was totally independent in our deliberations, other than the one restriction to restrict ourselves to one winner of each type.)
That rarity approach fails, however, in a couple ways. The cliche asks how one can choose between apples and oranges, because one can certainly have both a spectacularly crisp apple or a succulently sweet orange, and be equally happy with both: how to pick?! Certainly, works considered by this jury also could also represent pomegranates, bananas, lychees, and more added to the mix. The choices are tough, therefore, not impossible, but tough.
No jury, therefore, is going to represent every onlooker’s own thoughts re: relative worthiness of the entries, so some consternation can be expected if your own favourite isn’t recognized how you would have liked, no matter the expertise level of the jury members, subjectivity is always going to impede total objectivity in award giving…
…but The Well only having received an Award of Merit? Come on, that’s crazy!!!!
Representatives of some of many of the firms from The Well team, along with Jason Thorne, Chief City Planner (far left), and Ute Maya-Giambattista presenting the jury (far right), image by Craig White
Entered in the Large Places and/or Neighbourhood Designs category, which had a broad scope and therefore not just apples and oranges to choose from amongst, but an apple bushel, a cornucopia, and a unprecedentedly complex complex, there was a worthy apple bushel that received an Award of Excellence (Leslie Lookout Park), a worthy cornucopia that received an Award of Merit (Landscape of Landmark Quality, University of Toronto), and a worthy unprecedentedly complex complex, The Well, which also received an Award of Merit.
Please. With so many moving parts, there is no doubt something to pick at that may have left one juror or another, while impressed, not unconditionally happy. Sure, The Well’s not perfect somehow ‘er other, but it represents collaboration to an unparalleled degree in this city, and an outsized accomplishment that would cause brownouts to appropriately extol, and for which an Award of Merit represents a “huh?” moment. Argh.
So, dear jury of the 2025 Toronto Urban Design Awards, you faced a mountain of entries, spent considerable time deliberating, and appropriately recognized the best of the best, but hey, yeah, on that The Well one, really?