Canadian Team Projects Score an Awesome Foursome of Awards in December 2023

By Introba Staff

We are honored that four of our projects have been recently recognized by respected authorities in North America. We have worked with some incredible partners and project teams across the country and beyond to deliver this impactful work for our collective clients. Our thanks go to all of them (far too many to list here!).

Indigenous House on the University of Toronto Scarborough Campus picked up an Award of Merit from Canadian Architect. Formline Architecture in association with LGA Architectural Partners with Public Work collected the award, with a judge citing “a new form of architecture consciously emerges from the landscape and looks to Indigenous precedents, and it works well. The resultant building is clearly recognizable, and I expect it will become a point of pride for the Indigenous community members using it.”

We have been providing mechanical, electrical, plumbing, energy modeling, and sustainability consulting for Indigenous House. A defining feature of the building is its commitment to using passive means to maintain comfort without the use of extensive cooling. This integrated architectural and mechanical design draws from the traditional wigwam structure and provides a connection to traditional means of ventilation.

Limberlost Place (formerly The Arbour) is widely anticipated to become Toronto’s first tall wood, low-carbon institutional building. Its excellence meant that it also picked up the Sustainable Project of the Year (Concept) award at the Global Architecture Design Awards 2023.

This 10-story modern structure will advance Canada’s sustainability agenda by becoming the first Tall Wood Research Institute with materials sourced nationally. Once complete, the building will be an educational hub — housing research, teaching, and learning — and a childcare facility for the community.

The new Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) headquarters garnered the new Construction award as part of the inaugural Ontario Embodied Carbon Awards for 2023. The award is for the team responsible for excellence in low embodied carbon design of industrial, commercial, and institutional buildings, of which we are a proud member!

We worked with the design team on this project to reduce peak loads and right-size the active mechanical systems through an integrated design process. An all-hydronic active mechanical system allowed our team to centralize the refrigerant charge in the mechanical room and ensure the GWP associated with the mechanical system was mitigated.

And, our Light Studio team received an honorable mention from the LIT Award judges this year for their project at 369 W Grand Ave, Chicago.

Nestled within the heart of Chicago’s River North, this 41-story high-end residential building was designed to showcase luxury in its architecture. Introba Light Studio helped to elevate the design and integrate the façade into this neighborhood famous for its high-end art and design galleries and nightlife.

With its innovative design strategy, our team camouflaged the five-story podium by creating a perceived lighting illusion, seemingly changing the function from parkade stalls to occupied residential units, ultimately unifying the parkade’s façade into the building’s urban fabric after dark while respecting the dark sky.

The end result is beautiful.  

“I’m delighted to see so many of our teams pick up this kind of great recognition for their work,” says Chris Doel, Senior Vice President, Canada. “As with all great projects, collaboration and innovation are key, and that is what has shone through on these four.”

For more news and events in Canada, follow us on LinkedIn.