Photo courtesy The Plastic Surgery Clinic

Mississauga's 2009 Urban Design Awards were presented last week. An award of excellence went to The Plastic Surgery Clinic by Teeple Architects and the MBTW Group.

A plastic surgery clinic and a community centre were among the winners at the City of Mississauga's 2009 Urban Design Awards presentation last week.

A suburb of Toronto and the sixth most populated municipality in the country, Mississauga presented awards of excellence to Teeple Architects and the MBTW Group for their work on The Plastic Surgery Clinic building. Parkin Architects and John George Associates also claimed the same prize for the Vic Johnston Community Centre and Streetsville Arena.

Additional awards of merit were given in three categories:
• Efficient Design: Daniels FirstHome Eglinton West–Graziani+Corazza Architects and LandArt Design;
• Significance (Citywide Scale): Eve Condominium–E. I. Richmond Architects and Alexander Budrevics & Associates; and
• Execution and Context: Watercolours Community–STLA and Landscape Architects.

Ed Sajecki, planning and building commissioner and jury member, said the program allows the city to "highlight and pay tribute to projects that promote excellence in urban design, and to raise awareness of the significant role that urban design plays in contributing to the quality of life in Mississauga."

Designs were judged based on:
• contributing to city image, visual identity, vistas, skyline, streetscapes, recognition of sites, and location opportunities;
• helping a community's quality of environment and enhancing a sense of place and personal safety or reinforcing a history;
• demonstrating creative response to program requirements, site constraints, and the ability to influence trends;
• blending of built forms and spaces with existing and planned development, and respect for and enhancement of the area's character;
• interpreting the design into reality and the quality of construction materials used; and
• supporting the Strategic Pillars for Change (i.e. 'move,' 'belong,' 'connect,' 'prosper,' and 'green').

Photo courtesy City of Mississauga

An award of excellence was also presented to the design team behind Vic Johnston Community Centre and Streetsville Arena. The building was designed by Parkin Architects and John George Associates.