Massey Medals were awards in Canadian architecture that were presented from 1950 to 1970. In 1950, Vincent Massey announced a "Scheme for the Award of Massey Medals in Architecture by the Massey Foundation" with the goal of recognizing “outstanding examples of Canadian achievement in the fields of architecture and thus to give encouragement to the members of the architectural profession and to promote public interest in their work".[1]
Working in consultation with the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC), awards were made in 1950, 1952, 1955, 1958, 1961, 1964, 1967, and 1970. The structure of the awards varied over the years (usage of project categories, gold and silver medals, inclusion of mentions as part of the results, recognition of consultants, etc.).
As Canada’s first national architectural awards program, the Massey Medals for Architecture program is regarded as an important step in elevating public awareness of modern architecture in the nation.[2] [3] [4]
Notable architects and architectural firms which received the award included:
- Arthur Erickson
- Geoffrey Massey
- John B. Parkin Associates
- Gordon Adamson
- Page & Steele
- Raymond Moriyama
- Webb Zerafa Menkes
- Thompson, Berwick & Pratt
- Affleck, Desbarats, Dimakopoulos, Lebensold, Michaud, Sise
- Moshe Safdie
- Peter Dickinson
- Eberhard Zeidler
In later year’s, criticism of the awards program’s selection of winners (with many considering mediocre projects being awarded instead of clearly superior projects) was exemplified by the November 1970 issue of The Canadian Architect whose feature article addressed this issue and cover featured an image of the award’s medal and the title, “If you failed to win this medal, turn to page 27.” [5][6]
In 1982, the Governor-General’s Awards for Architecture was created to re-establish a major national architectural awards program.[7]
Further reading
edit- ^ "Massey Medals for Architecture". Royal Architectural Institute of Canada Journal. 28 (2): 34–38. February 1951.
- ^ "Toronto's modernist legacy: Uncovering the Massey Medals' architectural gems". The Globe and Mail. 2018-03-15. Retrieved 2024-10-21.
- ^ Purdie, James (November 24, 1972). "Nostalgic reflections on three centuries of Canadian building". The Globe and Mail. pp. B2.
- ^ Price, Fred (January 10, 1972). "Wanted: a new blueprint for Canada's architects". The Globe and Mail. p. 7.
- ^ Novakovic, Stefan (2018-05-07). "Editorial: A Modest Proposal for Architecture Awards". Canadian Architect. Retrieved 2024-10-21.
- ^ Moffat, Robert (2010-10-20). "Massey Medals for Architecture 1950-1970". Toronto Modern. Retrieved 2024-10-21.
- ^ Moffat, Robert (2010-10-20). "Massey Medals for Architecture 1950-1970". Toronto Modern. Retrieved 2024-10-21.
1950 Awards
editPublished: RAIC Journal - February 1951 - Serial 306 / Vol 28 / No 2
| CATEGORY | AWARD | PROJECT | LOCATION | ARCHITECT |
| Educational Buildings | Gold Medal | Oshawa High School | Oshawa, ON | John B. Parkin Associates |
| Office Buildings | Silver Medal | Architects and Medical Offices | Vancouver, BC | Gardiner and Thornton |
| Recreation Buildings | Silver Medal | Canadian National Exhibition Grandstand | Toronto, ON | Marani and Morris |
| Ecclesiastical Buildings | Silver Medal | Central Christadelphian Church | Toronto , ON | John B. Parkin Associates |
| Industrial Buildings | Silver Medal | Faberge Perfumes (Canada) Limited - Office and Factory | Etobicoke, ON | John B. Parkin Associates |
| Apartment Houses | Silver Medal | Garden Court Apartments | Toronto, ON | Page and Steele |
| Hospitals and Clinics | Silver Medal | Humber Memorial Hospital | Weston, ON | John B. Parkin Associates |
| Miscellaneous | Silver Medal | Shipshaw No. 2 Power Development | Saguenay River, QC | J.C. Meadowcroft |
| Commercial Buildings | Silver Medal | York Township Hydro Electric System – Office and Garage | York Township, ON | John B. Parkin Associates |
| Group Housing | No award | |||
| Municipal and Government Buildings | No award | |||
| Residences up to $15,000 | No award | |||
| Residences over $15,000 | No award | |||
| Transportation Buildings | No award |
1952 Awards
editPublished: RAIC Journal - January 1953 - Serial 329 / Vol 30 / No 1
| CATEGORY | AWARD | PROJECT | LOCATION | ARCHITECT |
| Office Buildings | Gold Medal | Marwell Office Building | Vancouver, BC | Semmens & Simpson |
| Apartment Houses | Silver Medal | 130 Old Forest Hill Road Apartment Building | Toronto, ON | Gordon S. Adamson |
| Ecclesiastical Buildings | Silver Medal | Knox Presbyterian Church | Goderich, ON | Philip Carter Johnson |
| Educational Buildings | Silver Medal | Marmora High School | Marmora, ON | Craig & Madill |
| Residences Costing Up To $15,000 | Silver Medal | Residence of Dr. Harold Copp | Vancouver, BC | Sharp & Thompson, Berwick, Pratt |
| Residences Costing Over $15,000 | Silver Medal | Residence of Mr. John C.H. Porter | Vancouver, BC | Davison and Porter |
| Commercial Buildings | Silver Medal | Tilden Drive Yourself - Rental Office | Vancouver, BC | Sharp & Thompson, Berwick, Pratt |
| Recreational Buildings | Silver Medal | University of British Columbia - War Memorial Gymnasium | Vancouver, BC | Sharp & Thompson, Berwick, Pratt |
| Municipal and Governmental Buildings | Silver Medal | York Township Municipal Offices | York Township, ON | Shore & Moffat |
| Group Housing other than Apartment Houses | no entry | |||
| Hospitals and Clinics | no award | |||
| Hotels and Restaurants | no award | |||
| Industrial Buildings | no award | |||
| Transportation Buildings | no award |
1955 Awards
editPublished: RAIC Journal - December 1955 - Serial 364 / Vol 32 / No 12
| CATEGORY | AWARD | PROJECT | LOCATION | ARCHITECT |
| Group Housing other than Apartment Buildings | Gold Medal | Kiwanis Village | Victoria, BC | Sharp & Thompson, Berwick, Pratt and Charles E. Craig |
| Office Buildings | Silver Medal | B.C. Sugar Refinery, Limited | Vancouver, BC | Semmens and Simpson |
| Commercial Buildings | Silver Medal | Convenience Centre | Don Mills, ON | John B. Parkin Associates |
| Residences over $15,000 | Silver Medal | Hamilton House | Peterborough, ON | Blackwell, Craig and Zeidler |
| Residences up to $15,000 | Silver Medal | House of Mr. Gordon Smith | West Vancouver, BC | Erickson & Massey |
| Miscellaneous | Silver Medal | Ontario Association of Architects Offices | Toronto, ON | John B. Parkin Associates |
| Hotels and Restaurants | Silver Medal | Seaway Hotel | Toronto, ON | A. Elken & R.W. Becksted |
| Industrial Buildings | Silver Medal | Simpsons-Sears Industrial Development | Etobicoke, ON | John B. Parkin Associates |
| Ecclesiastical Buildings | Silver Medal | St. Anthony's Church | Agassiz, BC | Gardiner, Thornton, Gathe & Associates |
| Educational Buildings | Silver Medal | Toronto Teachers' College | Toronto, ON | Page & Steele |
| Apartment Houses | no award | |||
| Hospitals and Clinics | no award | |||
| Municipal and Governmental Buildings | no award | |||
| Recreational Buildings | no award | |||
| Transportation Buildings | no award |
1958 Awards
editPublished: RAIC Journal - December 1958 - Serial 400 / Vol 35 / No 12
| CATEGORY | AWARD | PROJECT | LOCATION | ARCHITECT |
| Recreation | Gold Medal | Stratford Festival Theatre | Stratford, ON | Rormthwaite & Fairfield |
| Educational | Silver Medal | Beamsville Central Elementary School | Beamsville, ON | Huget, Secord & Pagani |
| Commercial | Silver Medal | CKWX Radio Station | Vancouver, BC | Thompson, Berwick & Pratt |
| Houses over 1,200 sq. ft. | Silver Medal | House in West Vancouver | West Vancouver, BC | Arthur Erickson & Geoffrey Massey |
| Miscellaneous | Silver Medal | Hog's Back Structures | Ottawa, ON | Hart Massey |
| Industrial | Silver Medal | Ortho Pharmaceutical Corporation (Canada) Limited Factory | Don Mills, ON | John B. Parkin Associates |
| Municipal | Silver Medal | Ottawa City Hall | Ottawa, ON | Rother, Bland & Trudeau |
| Group Housing | Silver Medal | South Hill Village | Don Mills, ON | James A. Murray & Henry Fliess |
| Hospitals | Silver Medal | Workmen's Compensation Board Hospital & Rehabilitation Centre | Downsview, ON | Page & Steele and Thomas R. Wiley |
| Apartment Houses | no award | |||
| Ecclesiastical | no award | |||
| Hotels | no award | |||
| Houses under 1200 sq. ft. | no award | |||
| Offices | no award | |||
| Transportation | no award | |||
| Mention | Airport Terminal | Calgary, AB | Clayton, Bond & Mogridge | |
| Mention | B.C. Electric Building | Vancouver, BC | Thompson, Berwick & Pratt | |
| Mention | Bank of Nova Scotia / Bank of Montreal - Branches | Don Mills, ON | John B. Parkin Associates | |
| Mention | Blackwoods Beverages Bottling Plant | Winnipeg, MB | Waisman, Ross & Associates | |
| Mention | Construction Equipment Ltd. | Vancouver, BC | Thompson, Berwick & Pratt | |
| Mention | Dining Lodge | Dill Township, ON | Fabbro & Townend | |
| Mention | Federal Building | Don Mills, ON | John B. Parkin Associates | |
| Mention | Georgian Manor, Home for the Aged | Penetanguishene, ON | Craig and Zeidler | |
| Mention | Hirshhorn Residence | Bootlegger's Bay, ON | John B. Parkin Associates | |
| Mention | Holt Renfrew Building | Toronto, ON | Gordon S. Adamson & Associates | |
| Mention | Langley Centennial Museum | Langley, BC | J. Calder Peeps | |
| Mention | Mandarin Gardens Motel | Sudbury, ON | Fabbro & Townend | |
| Mention | Manitoba Teachers' Society Headquarters | Winnipeg, MB | Libling, Michener & Associates | |
| Mention | New Woodbine Racetrack | Etobicoke, ON | Earle C. Morgan | |
| Mention | Norman MacKenzie Art Gallery – Addition | Regina, SK | lzumi, Arnott & Sugyama | |
| Mention | North York Municipal Offices | Willowdale, ON | Sproatt & Rolph | |
| Mention | Pacific Great Eastern Railway Station | Squamish, BC | R. C. Hale & R. F. Harrison | |
| Mention | Peterborough Community Centre | Peterborough, ON | Craig and Zeidler | |
| Mention | Plastic Cabana | Vancouver, BC | Arthur Erickson | |
| Mention | R. Laidlaw Lumber Company Limited | Weston, ON | Pentland & Baker | |
| Mention | Rideau Towers | Calgary, AB | Peter Caspari and C. M. Bakker | |
| Mention | Sarnia & District High School | Sarnia, ON | John B. Parkin Associates | |
| Mention | Shaw Cottage | Muskoka, ON | Eugene Z. Lilitzak | |
| Mention | St. Augustine's School and Parish Hall | Brandon, MB | Waisman, Ross & Associates | |
| Mention | St. John Brebeuf | Winnipeg, MB | Libling, Michener & Associates | |
| Mention | Stanrock Uranium Mines - Group Housing | Blind River, ON | Jerome Markson | |
| Mention | Steinbergs Store | Montreal, QC | Keith L. Graham Associates | |
| Mention | Summer House on Vancouver Island | Vancouver Island, BC | Watkins & Massey | |
| Mention | Tache Primary School | Winnipeg, MB | Libling, Michener & Associates | |
| Mention | Toronto Parking Authority - Dundas Square Parking Garage | Toronto, ON | John B. Parkin Associates | |
| Mention | University of British Columbia - Arts Building | Vancouver, BC | Thompson, Berwick & Pratt | |
| Mention | University of British Columbia - St. Mark's Residential College | Vancouver, BC | Gardiner, Thornton, Gathe & Associates | |
| Mention | W.H. Collins, Community Centre | Elliot Lake, ON | John B. Parkin Associates | |
| Mention | Warren Grade School | Winnipeg, MB | Libling, Michener & Associates |
1961 Awards
editPublished: RAIC Journal - November 1961 - Serial 435 / Vol 38 / No 11
| AWARD | PROJECT | LOCATION | ARCHITECT |
| Gold Medal | University of British Columbia - Thea Koerner House | Vancouver, BC | Thompson, Berwick & Pratt |
| Silver Medal | Bell Telephone Company of Canada | Pickering-Ajax, ON | Gordon S. Adamson & Associates |
| Silver Medal | Chapel St Louis Le Roi | St Boniface, MB | Libling, Michener and Associates |
| Silver Medal | Eglise St-Raphael | Jonquiere, QC | St Gelais and Tremblay |
| Silver Medal | Executive House Apartments | Winnipeg, MB | Libling, Michener and Associates |
| Silver Medal | Imperial Oil Limited Research Building | Sarnia, ON | Shore and Moffat |
| Silver Medal | Kipling Collegiate Institute | Etobicoke, ON | Gordon Adamson and Associates |
| Silver Medal | Lapierre Residence | St Catharines, ON | James E. Secord and Saul Herzog |
| Silver Medal | Moose Jaw Civic Centre | Moose Jaw, SK | Joseph Pettick |
| Silver Medal | Niagara Parks Commission Foot Bridge | Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON | Huget and Secord |
| Silver Medal | Parkwood Terrace | South Burnaby, BC | Hale, Harrison, Buzzelle |
| Silver Medal | Private Golf Course | Toronto, ON | Raymond Moriyama and Associates |
| Silver Medal | Regent Park South High-Rise Apartments | Toronto, ON | Page and Steele |
| Silver Medal | Richmond Hill Public Library | Richmond Hill, ON | Philip R. Brook |
| Silver Medal | Rockland Shopping Centre | Town of Mount Royal, QC | Ian Martin and Victor Prus |
| Silver Medal | Summer Residence | Husavick, MB | Waisman, Ross and Associates |
| Silver Medal | Thompson Municipal Offices | Thompson, MB | Waisman, Ross and Associates |
| Silver Medal | Town of Mount Royal Post Office | Town of Mount Royal, QC | Jean Michaud and R. T. Affleck of Affleck, Desbarats, Dimakopoulos, Lebensold, Michaud, Sise |
| Silver Medal | University of British Columbia - Commons Block | Vancouver, BC | Thompson, Berwick & Pratt |
| Silver Medal | Winnipeg Hydro-Electric System Sub-Station No. 21 | Winnipeg, MB | Libling, Michener and Associates |
| Mention | CIBA Building | Dorval, QC | Percy Booth |
| Mention | Four Seasons Motel | Toronto, ON | Peter Dickinson and Associates |
| Mention | John Meyer House | West Vancouver, BC | Wensley and Rand |
| Mention | Salle Desjeunesses musicales Du Canada | Mont Orford, QC | Desgagne and Cote |
| Mention | Willmington Park Community Centre | North York, ON | Jack Klein and Henry Sears |
1964 Awards
editPublished: RAIC Journal - November 1964 - Serial 470 / Vol 41 / No 11
| AWARD | PROJECT | LOCATION | ARCHITECT |
| Silver Medal | Bowring Park Footbridge | St John’s, NL | Blanche van Ginkel |
| Silver Medal | C.G. Brown Memorial Pool | Burnaby, BC | McCarter, Nairne & Partners |
| Silver Medal | Central Technical School Art Centre | Toronto, ON | Fairfield & DuBois |
| Silver Medal | Church of St Gerard Majella | St Jean, QC. | Affleck, Desbarats, Dimakopoulos, Lebensold, Sise |
| Silver Medal | Country Residence | Bowen Island, BC | Ian Davidson |
| Silver Medal | Don Valley Woods - Phase 1 | North York, ON | Jack Klein & Henry Sears |
| Silver Medal | Forrest Residence | West Vancouver, BC | Thompson, Berwick, Pratt & Partners |
| Silver Medal | Group Health Centre | Sault Ste. Marie, ON | Jerome Markson |
| Silver Medal | Hart Massey Residence | Rockcliffe, ON | Hart Massey |
| Silver Medal | Imperial Oil Limited Ontario Regional Headquarters | Don Mills, ON | John B. Parkin Associates |
| Silver Medal | John Grinnell Residence | West Vancouver, BC | Thompson, Berwick, Pratt & Partners |
| Silver Medal | Lothian Mews | Toronto, ON | Webb Zerafa Menkes |
| Silver Medal | Maltby Residence | West Vancouver, BC | Fred Thornton Hollingsworth |
| Silver Medal | McGill University Laboratories & Dormitories | Mont St-Hilaire, QC | LeMoyne, Edwards, Shine and Charles Elliott Trudeau |
| Silver Medal | Rayer Residence | West Vancouver, BC | Fred Thornton Hollingsworth and Barry Vance Downs |
| Silver Medal | St Paul's College High School | Tuxedo, MB | Libling, Michener & Associates |
| Silver Medal | Thomas J. Lipton Ltd | Bramalea, ON | John B. Parkin Associates |
| Silver Medal | Toronto International Airport Control Tower | Malton, ON | John B. Parkin Associates; W. A. Ramsey, Chief Architect, Air Services, Government of Canada |
1967 Awards
editPublished: RAIC Journal (Architecture Canada) - June 1967 - Serial 501 / Vol 44 / No 6
| AWARD | PROJECT | LOCATION | ARCHITECT |
| Medal | 1965 Tokyo International Trade Fair - Canadian Pavilion | Tokyo, Japan | Erickson/Massey |
| Medal | Ceterg Office Building | Don Mills, ON | Fairfield and DuBois |
| Medal | Confederation Centre | Charlottetown, PE | Affleck Desbarats Dimakopoulos Lebensold Sise |
| Medal | Dominion Astrophysical Observatory - 16" Telescope Housing | Victoria, BC | Roger Kemble (as consultant to Chief Architect Department of Public Works, Ottawa) |
| Medal | Don Valley Woods - Phase Two | North York, ON | Klein and Sears |
| Medal | Etobicoke Public Library - Richview Branch | Etobicoke, ON | Dunlop, Wardell, Matsui, Aitken |
| Medal | Expo 67 - Administration & News Pavilion | Montreal. QC | Irving Grossman |
| Medal | Expo 67 - Habitat 67 - Phase 1 | Montreal, QC | Moshe Safdie & David, Barott, Boulva |
| Medal | Frank B. Mayrs House | Lucerne (South Hull), QC | Barry Leonard Padolsky |
| Medal | G.E. Melchin and H. Melchin Summer Homes | Windermere, BC | Gordon L. Atkins |
| Medal | Grant Sine Public School | Cobourg, ON | Craig, Zeidler & Strong |
| Medal | Mimico Centennial Library | Mimico, ON | Banz-Brook-Carruthers-Grierson-Shaw |
| Medal | Ottawa Station | Ottawa, ON | John B. Parkin Associates, Architects and Engineers |
| Medal | Peel Subway Station | Montreal, QC | Papineau, Gerin- Lajoie, Le Blanc |
| Medal | Pickering Municipal Building | Pickering, ON | Craig, Zeidler & Strong |
| Medal | Place Victoria - Stock Exchange Tower | Montreal, QC | Greenspoon, Freedlander, Dunne and Luigi Moretti |
| Medal | Residence Des Missionnaires de Ia Consolata | Cap Rouge, QC | Jean-Marie Roy |
| Medal | Simon Fraser University | Burnaby, BC | Erickson/Massey / Rhone & lredale / Zoltan Kiss / Robert F. Harrison & Associates / McNab, Lee and Logan |
| Medal | Smith Residence | West Vancouver, BC | Erickson/Massey |
| Medal | St Mark's Shop | Lumsden, SK | Clifford Wiens |
| Medal | Toronto International Airport - Automotive Service Centre | Malton, ON | John B. Parkin Associates, Architects and Engineers |
| Medal | University of Montreal - Girls' Residence | Montreal. QC | Papineau, Gerin- Lajoie, Le Blanc |
| Medal | University of Toronto - Scarborough College | Scarborough, ON | Page & Steele and John Andrews |
| Medal | Upper Canada College - Stephen House | Norval, ON | C. Blakeway Millar |
| Medal | Wayland Drew House | Port Perry, ON | Carmen Corneil |
| Special Medal | Montreal Metro | Montreal, QC |
1970 Awards
editPublished: RAIC Architecture Canada - October 12, 1970 - Serial 545 / Vol 47
| AWARD | PROJECT | LOCATION | ARCHITECT |
| Medal | Canyon Manor | North Vancouver, BC | Wilfred D. Buttjes & Associates |
| Medal | MacMillan Bloedel Building | Vancouver, BC | Erickson/Massey Architects and Planners and Francis Donaldson |
| Medal | Coronation Swimming Pool | Edmonton, AB | Peter Hemingway / Consulting architect: G. Beatson |
| Medal | Stanley Building | Edmonton, AB | Peter Hemingway |
| Medal | Sitton Chapel | Sitton, SK | Clifford Wiens |
| Medal | National Arts Centre | Ottawa, ON | Chief architect: Department of Public Works / Consulting architects: Affleck Desbarats Dimakopoulos Lebensold Sise |
| Medal | Shell Canada Ltd. Research Centre | Oakville, ON | Shore & Moffat and Partners |
| Medal | Chalet de Ski | Mont Ste-Anne, QC | Gauthier, Guite & Jean-Marie Roy |
| Medal | Ilots St-Martin, La Petite Bourgogne | Montreal, QC | Jean Ouellet / Associate architects: Ouellet, Reeves, Alain |
| Medal | Westmount Square | Westmount, QC | Greenspoon Freedlander Plachta & Kryton / Consulting architect: Mies Van Der Rohe |
| Medal | Place Bonaventure | Montreal, QC | Affleck Desbarats Dimakopoulos Lebensold Sise |
| Medal | Saidye Bronfman Cultural Centre of the YM-YWHA | Montreal, QC | Webb, Zerafa, Menkes |
| Medal | Expo 67 - Man in the Community and Man and His Health Theme Pavilion | Montreal, QC | Erickson/Massey Architects and Planners |
| Medal | Expo 67 - Quebec Pavilion | Montreal, QC | Papineau/Gerin-Lajoie/Le Blanc / Associate architect: Luc Durand |
| Medal | Universite de Montreal - Garage Louis-Colin | Montreal, QC | Jean Ouellet / Associated architects: Ouellet, Reeves, Alain |