Diamond Schmitt Architects will be recognized in 2016 with a Civic Trust Award, its second in two years. The built environment awards, based in the U.K., recognize projects that demonstrate a positive social, cultural, environmental or economic benefit to the community.
Diamond Schmitt is being honoured for Bridgepoint Active Healthcare in Toronto, which was commended for demonstrating excellence in architecture, sustainability and universal design. Diamond Schmitt shares this award with the other members of the design team: Stantec, KPMB and HDR.
Bridgepoint is the only Canadian project that was recognized and one of only three from North America among 58 projects from around the world that were selected following hundreds of submissions.
“This recognition adds to a growing list of awards for Bridgepoint, which was designed to connect this complex continuing care and rehabilitation hospital with community, with nature, and to empower patients in their own recovery by applying the principles of salutogenic design,” said Greg Colucci, Diamond Schmitt principal, in a press release.
Bridgepoint is situated near a ravine and was designed to provide expansive views to take advantage of the setting. It has large windows, allowing patients lying in bed to have unobstructed sightlines. Other aspects of the facility are a meditative labyrinth, therapy pool overlooking a park and a green roof terrace. The hospital’s administrative office is located in the former Don Jail, built in 1864, which sits adjacent to the hospital.
“Our design was focused equally on city-building and community engagement as it was about creating an architecture of wellness,” said Bruce Kuwabara, KPMB partner, in a press release.
Bridgepoint, a 680,000 square-foot facility, has previously won a National Healthcare Design Award from the American Institute of Architecture Academy of Architecture for Health; an OAA Award for Design Excellence and the Canadian Interiors – Best of Canada Design Awards, Institutional category.
The Civic Trust Award will be presented to Diamond Schmitt Architects in London, England, at a ceremony to be held at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre.
