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2004 News Releases

City Crossing winners announced

WINNIPEG - April 30, 2004 - City Crossing winners announced Glass silos punctuating an urban forest of light and trees, prairie grasses and a field of wind turbines, along with new pedestrian crossings could transform Winnipeg’s already famous corner of Portage and Main into a world-class architectural showpiece.

The design proposal by Toronto-based Janet Rosenberg & Associates Landscape Architects, together with Corbett Cibinel Architects of Winnipeg, is the first-place winner in City Crossing, the 2004 International Design Competition for the redevelopment of Portage and Main.

In submitting their design, the winners said their proposal is a “bold and simple solution - grounded in the history and culture of Winnipeg, using the rivers as inspiration.”

Five award winners, chosen by a blue-ribbon international jury, were selected from 72 entries from around the world, including Canada, the United States, Europe, South America, Asia, Australia and Mexico.

The first-place winner will receive a $70,000 prize. Other winners, who will receive prizes totaling $25,000, include:

  • Second place - LM Architectural Group, Winnipeg.
  • Third place - Yoshihara McKee Architects, New York, NY.
  • Honourable mention - Quadrangle Architects Limited, Toronto, Ont.
  • Honourable mention - Julie Snow Architects Inc., Minneapolis, Minn.
Juror Donald Carter, president of Urban Design Associates in Pittsburgh, Pa., said he and his fellow jurors are not aware of any other city embarking on such an aggressive design agenda.

“It’s very progressive for Winnipeg to be doing an annual design competition for the betterment of the city,” Carter said, referring to Winnipeg’s first competition focused on Waterfront Drive.

Mayor Glen Murray said: "Through initiatives such as City Crossing 2004, Esplanade Riel, the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, the MTS Centre and Red River College, we are breathing new life into our downtown - creating structures that make a bold architectural statement and draw people back to our city centre."

Planning, Property and Development Director Harry Finnigan said the 2004 competition marks the take-off point for more focused discussions on giving this corner back to the community.

“Nobody is under-estimating the work ahead to build commitment and consensus around this winning idea, but we couldn’t ask for a better way of launching enthusiasm for this task,” Finnigan said.

“Implementation of the winning design will take place only if the community wants it to happen. However, the City is committed to working with Portage and Main property owners, other downtown stakeholders and the community at large.”

Beginning Saturday, May 1, 2004, all 72-competition entries will be on display on the main floor of the TD Centre, 201 Portage Ave., and in the concourse of the Richardson Building, One Lombard Place. Citizens are encouraged to tour the exhibit and cast a vote for the design that best promotes connections within the downtown.

The winning design in this Prix du Public will be announced at a media conference on Friday, May 14. While the exhibit will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily until Saturday, May 15, those wanting to cast a vote only have until 6:00 p.m., Thursday, May 13.

Last update: 30.04.2004

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