Photo Credit (Above):Tom Arban
Location: Windsor, Ontario
Architecture Practice: Diamond and Schmitt Architects in association with Di Maio Design Associates | Architect Incorporated
Chosen by a jury of respected design experts, the 20 projects comprising the OAA’s 2026 Design Excellence Finalists represent a diverse range of building types, including sustainably designed community centres, innovative housing solutions, revitalized academic and cultural facilities, and transformative public spaces. These finalists serve as the shortlist for the OAA’s 10 Design Excellence Winners, which will be announced next month and honoured at the OAA Conference in the Waterloo Region in May. The biennial OAA Design Excellence Awards program offers Ontario practices the opportunity to display the transformative influence of architecture, promoting broader public recognition and appreciation for the field. The following media statement has been supplied by the submitting project team:
The transformation of the Ron W. Ianni Building reimagines the University of Windsor’s Faculty of Law building—a much loved, but outdated brutalist facility—as a light-filled and interconnected academic crossroads. Previously enclosed interior spaces have been opened to create a dynamic learning environment of flexible, collaborative teaching spaces that support evolving pedagogies while improving accessibility and circulation. The removal of interior partitions, together with new openings in the exterior envelope, introduce abundant natural light into areas that were previously windowless and artificially lit.
These interventions have transformed the interior experience and strengthened the building’s relationship to the greater campus.
Photo Credit: Tom Arban Photography; Diamond Schmitt
Photo Credit: Tom Arban Photography
Photo Credit: Doublespace Photography
This blOAAg post is part of a series exploring the OAA’s 20 Design Excellence Finalists for 2026, as selected by our jury.