Media Release
(June 16 2017, Toronto, ON) Architects and EIFS industry professionals gathered on the night of June 13th in Toronto to celebrate the Finalist and Grand Prize Award Winners of the 2016‐17 ECC Architectural Design Awards. At the event the EIFS Council of Canada announced Mr. Barrie Ottenbreit and his team at Number TEN Architectural Group as the Grand Prize Award Winner from among the four finalists.
Above: Enchokay BIrchstick School
The ECC Architectural Design Awards Program received submissions from a variety of projects across Canada. The finalist projects exhibited excellence in the areas of design, contribution to community, sustainability and the innovative use of EIFS. The project finalists are as follows:
1. Seton Marriot Hotels, Calgary, AB – Don Dessario, NORR Architects, Engineers, Planners
2. 1st Avenue Residence, Montreal, QC – Guillaume Marcoux, Architecture Microclimat
3. Wilson’s Walk, Victoria, BC – Paul Hammond, Low Hammond Rowe Architects
4. Enchokay Birchstick School, Pikangikum, ON – Barrie Ottenbreit, Number TEN Architectural Group
The Enchokay Birchstick School was unanimously selected by the Judging Panel as the Grand Prize Winner from the four finalists. Mr. Michael Sigurdson from Number TEN Architectural Group was present to accept the Award on behalf of his firm.
“The Judging Panel could easily see that the Enchokay Birchstick School has become a vital part of the Pikangikum community,” says Dr. Ted Kesik, the representative for the Awards Judging Panel, “The original school was destroyed by a fire in 2007 and students were attending classes out of temporary portable classrooms. The new school is a focal point for the community and also serves as a gathering space.”
Above: ECC Architectural Award Grand Prize Winner with the ECC President/CEO and Judging Panel representative
From left to right:
John M. Garbin, President and CEO of the EIFS Council of Canada,
Michael Sigurdson, Number TEN Architectural Group, on behalf of Barrie Ottenbreit, Number TEN Architectural Group,
Dr. Ted Kesik, Professor of Building Science, John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design, University of Toronto
“We are indeed pleased to have the Enchokay Birchstick School as our inaugural Grand Prize Winner,” said John M. Garbin, President and CEO of the ECC, “This is an exemplary project. It presents a new way of building schools and responding to the harsh climate, remote location while at the same time respecting the distinct and proud culture of Pikangikum.”
“Number TEN would like to thank and share credit for this award to the entire project team, including design-builder Penn-Co Construction Canada, Crosier Kilgour & Partners, SMS Engineering and all of the specialist consultants for a job well done,” said Ottenbreit. “We would also like to recognize the contributions of the Pikangikum First Nation community and project managers Keewaitin-Aski Ltd., who were equally instrumental to the success of this project.”
The ECC Architectural Design Awards Program was established to recognize design professionals and firms which incorporate EIFS products into innovative and creative built projects. The goal of the ECC Awards Program is to create a new benchmark in EIFS construction, and will help professionals to achieve Canada’s national objective of creating resilient, sustainable buildings.
The EIFS Council of Canada (ECC) was formed to represent the Canadian EIFS (Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems) industry across Canada and all its user sectors. The EIFS Council looks back over the industry’s 40‐year history in Canada to chart the course forward – advancing innovation balanced with preservation and supported by independent and government validation. The ECC serves as the "official voice" of the EIFS industry with a mandate to provide for the advancement and growth of the industry across the country, through advocacy, education and marketing.