INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY PLANNERS AWARD

Diamond Schmitt Architects Press Release May 22, 2012

Diamond Schmitt Architects has won a SCUP/AIA-CAE Award for Excellence in Architecture for the Algonquin Centre for Construction Excellence (ACCE) at Algonquin College in Ottawa, Ontario. The project is in joint venture with Edward J Cuhaci and Associates Architecture Inc. The annual award is presented by the Society for College and University Planning / American Institute of Architects - Committee on Architecture for Education. SCUP is a community of higher education leaders that promotes the integration of campus planning. The architecture award is among categories that include landscaping, restoration and campus planning to recognize the role of comprehensive campus design.

The Algonquin Centre for Construction Excellence (ACCE) opened in the fall of 2011. It is a LEED Platinum candidate school for the construction and building design trades. Its many sustainable features are integrated into the curriculum, including real time monitoring of the building’s energy performance. Cutaways reveal structural, mechanical and electrical features for student use and public display.

“It is gratifying to be recognized by SCUP for this facility which serves as a new gateway for the campus”, said Donald Schmitt, Principal at Diamond Schmitt Architects. The building is linked by pedestrian overpass to a major transit hub and is configured to operate with 24/7 access, blending the distinctive programs of educational programming and public access without compromising security or access for both users.

“The many sustainable design features of this building – from the high-performance envelope to the green roofs and living wall – serve as visible expression of the building’s identity as an energy efficient structure,” added Schmitt.

Diamond Schmitt Architects (www.dsai.ca) last received a SCUP Award for the University of Ontario Institute of Technology in Oshawa, Ontario. The Toronto-based practice works with universities, health care institutions, government and private clients and has completed significant master plans, medical and research facilities, performing arts venues, academic buildings, residential and commercial projects. Current commissions include the New Mariinsky opera house in St. Petersburg, Russia, the Sick Children’s Hospital Research Tower in Toronto and the Global Innovation Exchange Building at Wilfred Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario.