Luc Bouliane, MRAIC, will be the recipient of the 2018 Young Architect Award of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC). The RAIC Young Architect Award recognizes architects 40 years old or younger for excellence in design, leadership and service to the profession.
Some of Bouliane’s recent projects include the 2015 expansion and renovation of Halifax’s National Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 (with architect David J. Agro), renovations to York University’s Student Centre in Toronto, and Relmar Houses in Toronto, which were awarded a Tucker Design Award for excellence in the use of natural stone.
“He’s on a different trajectory for a young office. He has pursued larger public work from the very beginning, including commercial work, which is very unusual,” said the five-member selection jury, in a press release. “His work has strong sculptural qualities. It’s interesting. The spaces are dynamic in terms of composition, shapes and forms, and the level of detail.”
Bouliane credits growing up in Sault Ste. Marie, a northern community that is surrounded by Lake Superior and rock outcrops, for his geologically-inspired and geometrically-complex designs. A graduate of the University of Waterloo’s architecture program, Bouliane spent a decade with Toronto’s Teeple Architects before establishing his own firm in Toronto, Lebel & Bouliane, with partner Natasha Lebel in 2010.
Lebel & Bouliane is an eight-person studio that focuses on cultural institutions, adaptive re-use projects in heritage buildings and custom residences. Its current projects include a new Clearview Public Library branch in Stayner, Ont., and renovations to both New College and the University of Toronto, and the Toronto office headquarters for Sidewalk Labs.
“Throughout my career, I have been very fortunate to work with clients who share a commitment to design excellence and recognize the value of a strong design concept,” said Bouliane. “Their trust and enthusiasm have provided the opportunity for meaningful architectural exploration and innovative solutions to their unique design challenges.”
The five-member jury was composed of Peter Busby, principal at Perkins + Will in Vancouver, B.C.; Andrew Batay-Csorba, principal at Batay-Csorba Architects in Toronto, Ont.; Johanna Hurme, principal at 5468796 architecture in Winnipeg, Man.; Renée Mailhot, founder at La SHED architecture in Montreal, Que.; and Diogo Burnay, director of the Dalhousie University School of Architecture in Halifax, N.S.
The award will be presented at the RAIC/AANB Festival of Architecture, which takes place in Saint John, N.B., from May 30 to June 2.
