Diamond Schmitt has been honoured as a finalist with two projects in Fast Company’s 2023 Innovation by Design Awards.

Listed among the best architectural designs of 2023, David Geffen Hall and Manitou a bi Bii daziigae have both been named finalists in the Spaces and Places category, which recognizes buildings, structures and interior designs that solve problems in the built environment. For 12 years running, Innovation by Design has celebrated the people and companies behind some of the world’s best and most thought-provoking design work.

The new David Geffen Hall goes beyond acoustical quick fixes to a larger reinvention of purpose. It addresses the overdue confrontation around equity and inclusivity that cultural institutions have faced in recent times by creating a highly flexible and user-driven space that offers an uncompromised and welcoming experience for all. Not only does it meet the social and technical needs of the present, but it anticipates those of the future, ensuring its success and sustainability in the decades to come as both a performing arts venue and a civic hub.

Manitou a bi Bii daziigae facilitates ‘thinking and learning’ and offers flexible, high-tech, and interactive spaces; more importantly, it provides an atmosphere that nurtures creativity and collaboration. Innovation is expressed through the adaptive re-use of a heritage building —repurposed and transformed to achieve a new standard for energy efficiency. The new facade is made of Building Integrated Photovoltaic panels that change colour depending on the angle of view and weather. This innovative concept – a Canadian first – conceals solar cells behind nano-coated glass panels. Their animated appearance conveys a sense of wonder that itself is an outward expression of the path of learning and innovation.