The Ontario Association of Architects (OAA) is hosting an anonymous Landscape Design Competition aimed at revitalizing the grounds of its Toronto headquarters as an extension of its Renew + Refresh initiative. In addition to showcasing design excellence, teams—led by OAA or Ontario Association of Landscape Architects (OALA) members—are asked to submit designs that create a welcoming and inclusive arrival experience, incorporate public art, promote sustainability and water use in the health of the environment, and embrace the Don River watershed context. Given the substantial societal impact of the built environment, the Association celebrates sensitive, responsible, and innovative design that supports resiliency and inclusivity. Ultimately, this competition is an opportunity to think about how we can take steps to heal our relationship with the land and its original caretakers.
The winning team will secure the contract for the redesign, emphasizing the significance of architecture and the allied arts in societal well-being.
Juries play a vital role in the design competition process. They bring a diverse range of experience and expertise to the critical task of rigorously evaluating the submissions provided by each participating design team and ultimately determining which are the most deserving of recognition and the award of the contract to implement the design work. The highly qualified jury selected for this competition includes three landscape architects, one architect (and past President of the OAA), and a lieutenant governor appointee to the OAA Governing Council.
Jury Member, Liz Wreford, B.Env., MALA, OALA, SALA, AALA, CSLA (co-founder and principal landscape architect with Public City Architecture)
Liz Wreford is the co-founder and Principal Landscape Architect of Public City, based in Toronto and Winnipeg. Her work is known for its vibrant recasting of urban folklore, history, and the stories of people and place. With more than two decades of experience, Liz's career has spanned across Canada, the United States, and Australia, where she has undertaken a diverse range of projects including private, commercial, and institutional commissions. Committed to high-quality design and equity across city-building professions, Liz launched the prairie chapter of Building Equality in Architecture in 2018.
Alongside practice, she is a business owner, teacher, public artist, mother, advocate, winter urbanist, and mentor to those who lean into her experiences. Liz has previously held teaching positions at the University of Manitoba and University of Toronto, and is frequently invited to lecture at universities and institutions across Canada. Currently, she sits on the Board of the Winnipeg Arts Council and is the Chair of its Public Art Committee.
The chosen jury is scheduled to convene in early June to review all submissions. Following their evaluation, they will award a preferred candidate with the contract to carry out the project. Additionally, two submissions will be recognized with honourable mentions.
Final submissions for the Landscape Design Competition, which are due by May 16, will be showcased anonymously at the OAA Headquarters during Doors Open Toronto 2024 on May 25 and 26, and continuing to June 21. Guided tours of the building interior will be offered daily during the Doors Open event, offering visitors a unique glimpse into net-zero design solutions.