The New Vic Project, designed by Diamond Schmitt/Lemay Michaud Architectes, has won two more architectural awards, this time in the international GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN competition, run by Montreal’s Intérieurs magazine.
The project, on the former site of the Royal Victoria Hospital, earned gold certification in the Concept category and silver certification for Adaptive Reuse and Redevelopment.
“We are extremely proud about the positive recognition the New Vic Project is receiving through the GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN,” said Pierre Major, Executive Director, New Vic Project.
“To garner two international awards is further proof of our dedication in redeveloping this historic site as a place for healing the planet. We aim to build one of the world’s leading centres for teaching, research and innovation, focused on sustainability systems and public policy.”
Renewal and reinvention
The award announcement praised efforts to re-establish the site’s historic connections to Mount Royal, as well as plans to integrate a rooftop belvedere, create a new entry pavilion and meet ambitious sustainability targets.
“Design innovation ensures the New Vic spaces embody fluidity, diversity, interconnectedness and an open inclusive architecture,” reads the announcement. “Carefully calibrated to respect the primacy of the old, [the] entry pavilion, visible at the forefront of the site, clearly signals the renewal and reinvention of the Royal Vic as part of the wider McGill community.”
Donald Schmitt, Principal at Diamond Schmitt/Lemay Michaud, said, “We are inspired with urgency to design a centre devoted to the most critical issue of our time: healing the planet.
“At the most local level, our design begins with the aim of healing the site, by restoring openness, access, light and harmony with the surroundings. Our approach is driven by a commitment to sustainable design, striving for the highest standards of environmental responsibility and innovation consistent with the ambition of the New Vic’s academic program.”
The New Vic Project’s current construction phase will continue until late 2028, and move-in is expected in 2029.
As a Gold laureate, the New Vic is eligible to earn further accolades from the GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN Awards, including Project of the Year. Winners will be announced at a gala event in Montreal this fall.
Other gold award winners in the Architecture category include a repurposed grain warehouse in Hangzhou, China, a planetarium at the University of Strasbourg in France, and a family bungalow in Mississauga, ON.
Last year, the New Vic Project was awarded a Canadian Architectural Award of Excellence for its designs.
Learn more on the New Vic Project website.