The Office of Nova Scotia Lieutenant Governor, in association with the Nova Scotia Association of Architects, is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2019 Lieutenant Governor’s Awards for Excellence in Architecture. Projects receiving awards are varied and include a community retreat “village”; a mixed-use commercial/residential urban prototype; a re-visioned urban pedway; a summer residence; and renovation of an existing recreational facility.

“Horizon Retreat” by Mackay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects

In the over 600-square-meter Large-Building Category, the Lieutenant Governor’s Gold Medal was awarded to Mackay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects for the project “Horizon Retreat,” located in the Wasatch Mountains of Utah. The firm is led by alumni and professors Brian MacKay-Lyons (BArch ’78) and Talbot Sweetapple (MArch ’97). The Jury was impressed by the design’s “consistency of design thinking on all levels.” The Jury commended the design for its emphasis on energy-efficient, small-unit design that, while sensitive to the mountain landscape, combined the themes of landscape stewardship, spatial economy, and avoidance of excess.

“The Keep” by Studioworks International

An Award of Merit in the Large-Building Category was awarded to the firm Studioworks International, for the project “The Keep,” located in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The firm is led by Ronald Smith (BArch ’78). The Jury recognized this design for excelling as “a prototype for urban densification with a clear urban sidewalk presence reinforcing the retail axis.” The Jury was also appreciative of how “The Keep” blends bustling, sidewalk-level retail spaces; hidden, structured parking that provides a space for a communal rooftop garden; upper-floor “attic” setbacks; and the glazed living-room spaces.

Zatzman Sportsplex renovation by Abbott Brown and Diamond Schmitt Architects

An Award of Merit in the Large-Building Category was also awarded to Abbott Brown Architects in collaboration with the firm Diamond Schmitt Architects, for renovation of the Zatzman Sportsplex in Dartmouth. Abbott Brown is led by alumni and School of Architecture instructors Jane Abbott (MArch ’06) and Alec Brown (MArch ’93). The Jury noted the improved re-use of the existing pool and arena spaces, which were united by a new connector/circulation hub. The Zatzman Sportsplex now uses internal daylight and layered views into adjoining spaces to create an enhanced environment for the public.

“Smith House” by Mackay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects

The Lieutenant Governor’s Gold Medal for Small-Building Category under 600 square metres was awarded to Mackay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects for the residential project “Smith House” located in Upper Kingsburg, Nova Scotia. The Jury noted that the project was “a simple poetic statement that exemplifies the complementary relationship that is possible between manmade and natural environment.”

Alderney Pedway renovation by Abbott Brown Architects

An Award of Merit in Small Building Category was awarded to Abbott Brown Architects for the renovation design of the Alderney Pedway in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. The Jury recognized the Designer’s effective strategy of “humanizing an indifferent public space with the intervention of scaling elements that create a variety of inviting spaces for people to hang out either alone or in groups.”

The Jury for the 2019 Lieutenant Governor’s Awards for Excellence in Architecture was chaired by Jay Verspyck, Senior Design Leader at Shepley Bulfinch Architects in Boston. He was joined by Greg Snow, Partner of Gibbons Snow Architects in St. John’s, Newfoundland; and Marie-Paule Macdonald, Associate Professor at the University of Waterloo School of Architecture in Ontario. The Lieutenant Governor’s Awards for Excellence in Architecture was created in 1989 by then Lieutenant Governor, The Honourable Lloyd Roseville Crouse. The Award is administered by the Nova Scotia Association of Architects and was created to encourage and recognize outstanding architectural design by the Association’s members. Since its creation, architects of many notable buildings in Nova Scotia and around North America have been recognized for their work.

His Honour The Honourable Arthur J. LeBlanc, ONS, QC, Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, will present the awards at a later date.