Niagara Biennial Design Awards

Design categories, eligibility and judging criteria

The awards will be judged by a jury panel. All projects must be located within the municipal boundaries of Niagara region and be completed between Jan. 1, 2020 and Sept. 16, 2022. Enduring design projects must be completed before Dec. 31, 2019.

• Visionary Design

  Unbuilt projects, such as a plan, study or vision of an area that proposes a development or redevelopment strategy for an inspired urban environment.

  Submission types: Urban design studies, master plans, secondary plans, district plans and community plans

  Judging criteria

  Comprehensiveness - Demonstrates a multi-layered approach to the evolution of the design and its integration into the given context or site

  Innovation - Highlights new ideas, approaches and technologies towards the conceptualization of design of the built environment

  Stakeholder engagement - Degree to which stakeholders were involved in the shaping of the project

  Eligibility

  Project must be submitted to and endorsed by the local municipality in which the project is located.

• Urban Design: Complete Communities

  Large-scale built projects providing places for people to live, work, play and learn. This includes multi-modal options and a diversity of land use and built form.

  Submission types: Communities such as mixed-use developments, subdivisions, large infill projects, greenfield and brownfield redevelopments

  Judging criteria

  Comprehensiveness - Project is informed by the Region's Model Urban Design Guidelines, Complete Street Guidelines, other relevant guidelines, and demonstrates best practices in urban design

  Innovation - Highlights new ideas and approaches to the design of the built environment

  Vibrancy - Project evokes a sense of place and successfully invites people to enter and experience the community

  Sustainability - Includes features related to sustainable community design, including green buildings, green energy and green infrastructure

  Eligibility

  The project must be:

  • Substantially complete (ready for occupancy / use)
  • Physically accessible to the public
• Urban Design: Urban Interventions

  Small-scale, outdoor projects that are permanent or temporary in nature, and located on public or private lands. They are designed to improve an urban space or condition.

  Submission types: Streetscaping, placemaking elements, pop-up spaces, urban amenities, seasonal installations and active transportation enhancements

  Judging criteria

  Quality of execution - Project exhibits design excellence through use of materials, composition and installation to enhance the surrounding built environment

  Innovation - Highlights new ideas and approaches to the design of the built environment

  Vibrancy - Project successfully invites people to enter and experience the space

  Eligibility

  The project must be:

  • Substantially complete (ready for occupancy / use)
  • Physically accessible to the public
• Architecture: New Buildings

  New building (or group of buildings) of high architectural standards which achieves design excellence through its relationship with its immediate surroundings and the urban fabric.

  Submission types: Projects will be grouped together by the jury panel, based on built form typologies

  Judging criteria

  Quality of execution - Project exhibits architectural excellence through massing, orientation, scale, materiality and composition

  Contextual response - Project is well-integrated into the surrounding context and contributes to the urban fabric

  Sustainability - Includes features such as sustainable building design elements, green energy and green infrastructure

  Eligibility

  The project must be:

  • Substantially complete (ready for occupancy / use)
  • Physically accessible to the public
• Architecture: Building Alterations

  Additions or renovations to existing buildings. Projects will achieve design excellence through their relationship with the existing built form and the immediate surroundings.

  Submission types: Projects will be grouped together by the jury panel based on the type of building alteration, for example, facade improvement, adaptive re-use, etc.

  Judging criteria

  Quality of execution - Project exhibits architectural excellence through massing, orientation, scale, materiality, composition and contextual response.

  Sustainability - Includes features such as sustainable building design elements, green energy and green infrastructure.

  Eligibility

  The project must be:

  • Substantially complete (ready for occupancy / use)
  • Physically accessible to the public
• Interior Public Spaces: New Interior Public Spaces

  Installation of a publicly accessible interior design project that is within a newly constructed building.

  Submission types: Projects will be grouped together by the jury panel

  Judging criteria

  Quality of execution - Project exhibits interior design excellence through functionality, materiality and creativity

  Innovation - Highlights new ideas and approaches to the design of building interiors

  Sustainability - Includes features such as sustainable building design elements, green energy and green infrastructure

  Eligibility

  The project must be:

  • Substantially complete (ready for occupancy / use)
  • Physically accessible to the public
• Interior Public Spaces: Renovated Interior Public Spaces

  Installation of a publicly accessible interior design project within an existing building.

  Submission types: Projects will be grouped together by the jury panel based on the type of type of project, for example, adaptive re-use, historical restoration, etc.

  Judging criteria

  Quality of execution - Project exhibits interior design excellence through functionality, materiality and creativity

  Innovation - Highlights new ideas and approaches to the design of building interiors

  Sustainability - Includes features such as sustainable building design elements, green energy and green infrastructure

  Eligibility

  The project must be:

  • Substantially complete (ready for occupancy / use)
  • Physically accessible to the public
• Landscape Architecture: Public Realm

  Publicly accessible outdoor landscape spaces, located on municipal or conservation area lands.

  Submission types: Streetscapes, urban plazas, parks, trails, open spaces, naturalized areas and outdoor community facilities

  Judging criteria

  Quality of execution - Project exhibits landscape architectural excellence through materiality, functionality, integration with the immediate surroundings and positive contributions to civic life

  Vibrancy - Project successfully invites people to explore and experience the space in a variety of ways

  Sustainability - Includes features such as sustainable landscape practices, bio-diversity, low-impact development and green infrastructure

  Eligibility

  The project must be:

  • Substantially complete (ready for occupancy / use)
  • Physically accessible to the public
• Landscape Architecture: Private Realm

  Outdoor publicly accessible landscape spaces located on private lands. This includes landscape areas both at grade and on structures.

  Submission types: Projects will be grouped together by the jury panel

  Judging criteria

  Quality of execution - Project exhibits landscape architectural excellence through functionality, materiality and positive relationship with the public realm

  Vibrancy - Project contributes to positive experiences of an outdoor space

  Sustainability - Includes features such as sustainable landscape practices, bio-diversity, low-impact development and green infrastructure

  Eligibility

  The project must be:

  • Substantially complete (ready for occupancy / use)
  • Physically accessible to the public
• Outdoor Art

  Publicly accessible outdoor art installations located on either private or public lands.

  Submission types: Murals, sculptures, art installations, light / video / digital projects, custom site or street furnishings

  Judging criteria

  Quality of execution - Project exhibits design excellence through creativity, execution and positive contributions to the public realm

  Vibrancy - Project successfully invites people to experience the art piece

  Eligibility

  The project must be:

  • Substantially complete (ready for occupancy / use)
  • Physically accessible to the public
• Enduring Design

  Any built form or landscape project completed before Dec. 31, 2019. Submissions must clearly demonstrate the design legacy impact of the project.

  Submission types: Projects will be grouped together by the jury panel

  Judging criteria

  Quality of execution - Project exhibits design excellence by continuing to be an influencing power within the community.

  Legacy impact - Project continues to resonate with people, demonstrating an enduring quality of design.

  Eligibility

  The project must be:

  • Substantially complete (ready for occupancy / use)
  • Physically accessible to the public
• Student Design

  Student design projects that seek to provide a design solution specific to the Niagara context.

  Submission types: Student design projects can be submitted within any of the design categories.

  Judging criteria

  Comprehensiveness - Addresses factors including contextual integration, contributions to public realm and sustainability.

  Innovation - Highlights new ideas and approaches to the design of the built environment.

  Eligibility

  The student project must be:

  • Prepared by a student attending a Canadian post-secondary institution
  • Submitted and evaluated by the respective post-secondary institution
  • Located in Niagara

2020 Award winners

Learn about the award winners from our inaugural Niagara Biennial Design Awards.

Culture and Environment

• Niagara Biennial Design Awards
• Climate Change
• Complete Streets
• Investment in Culture
• Local Food Action Plan
• Urban Design