Ryerson University Master Plan recognized by American Institute of Architects

The Ryerson University Master Plan has been awarded a prestigious American Institute of Architects (AIA) 2010 Institute Honor Award for Regional and Urban Design. The AIA awards, regarded internationally as among the most distinguished of professional honours, recognize works that exemplify excellence in architecture, interior architecture and urban design. The Ryerson Master Plan is the only Canadian project to receive an AIA Honor Award this year. The award will be presented on Saturday, June 12 in Miami to the master planning team of Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg Architects (KPMB) and Daoust Lestage Inc. in association with Greenberg Consultants Inc. and IBI Group.

“This is a significant award that recognizes not only the international stature of the master planning team, but also the expertise and commitment of the Ryerson community,” said Sheldon Levy, president, Ryerson University. “Hundreds of students, faculty, staff and alumni participated in an 18-month collaborative process to develop the Master Plan. Congratulations to KPMB and the master planning team for receiving this outstanding award, and to everyone both inside and outside the university for your very important contributions.”

“It was a privilege to work with such a talented team of master planners,” said Linda Grayson, vice-president, administration and finance at Ryerson, who led the project for the university. “The AIA award is a strong endorsement of our joint approach to the plan. Unlike conventional master plans, which provide specific guidelines in terms of land use, the Ryerson Master Plan provides a flexible framework of goals and principles which will guide the development of the campus within our urban neighbourhood for many years to come.”

The Institute Honor Awards for Regional and Urban Design recognize distinguished achievements that involve the expanding role of the architect in urban design, regional and city planning, and community development. The awards identify projects and programs that contribute to the quality of these environments. The awards jury found that the Ryerson Master Plan “foregrounds Ryerson as a city builder and a model for the 21st century urban university.”

“We were inspired by Ryerson’s vision to create a learning community,” said Marianne McKenna, partner, KPMB. “In a world of converging interests and dynamic synergies, we believe the most valuable education encourages learning both inside and outside of the classroom. We focused on building strong physical connections both within the university community, and between the university and the vitality of the very active Toronto that surrounds the Ryerson campus.”

Said Ken Greenberg, principal, Greenberg Consultants Inc.: “With its location in the heart of downtown, Ryerson faced some severe constraints but also had some unique opportunities for intensely urban solutions. It is extremely gratifying to see that the key concepts in this Master Plan are already bearing fruit in highly innovative urban projects that will contribute positively to its downtown setting, such as the Student Learning Centre at Yonge and Gould, the pedestrianization of Gould Street and the adaptive re-use of part of Maple Leaf Gardens.”

The Ryerson Master Plan was one of 28 projects selected from over 700 submissions for a variety of AIA awards. For more information on the AIA Awards visit http://www.aia.org/practicing/awards/AIAB082078.

For more information on Ryerson’s Master Plan go to http://www.ryerson.ca/about/masterplan/

Ryerson University is Canada’s leader in innovative, career-oriented education and a university clearly on the move. With a mission to serve societal need, and a long-standing commitment to engaging its community, Ryerson offers close to 100 undergraduate and graduate programs. Distinctly urban, culturally diverse and inclusive, the university is home to 28,000 students, including 2,000 master’s and PhD students, nearly 2,700 tenured and tenure-track faculty and staff, and more than 130,000 alumni worldwide. Research at Ryerson is on a trajectory of success and growth: externally funded research has doubled in the past four years. The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education is Canada's leading provider of university-based adult education.

For more information, visit http://www.ryerson.ca/.