I know a spot…

If you think Edmonton is boring, maybe you’re looking in the wrong places! This year, I had the opportunity to attend the 2025 Edmonton Urban Design Awards gala with fellow GAPSS friends at city hall!! We ate good food, learned from architects/engineers/planners about current projects, and rediscovered parts of Edmonton that I want to visit ASAP (even in the winter). 

me + some GAPSS members enjoying the event together

I loved seeing all of the reconciliation-driven projects woven into our urban fabric, every contribution showed its commitment to excellence. Out of all of the outstanding projects, one of my favourites belongs to Public City Architects, a firm based in Winnipeg (they have an Edmonton studio), who created a strategic plan for the Northeast River Valley Park that won the Climate Resilience award of excellence! I actually got the chance to meet Liz Wreford, who is the Principal Landscape Architect of PCA. Speaking to her, I loved how intentional their work is and the lengths they are willing to go, to meaningfully integrate Indigenous knowledge into the design process. 

Another project I would love to visit once it has opened up is Coronation Park sports and recreation centre by hcma architecture + design and Dub Architects, who won the Urban Architecture award of merit! It has a gorgeous exterior and interior, judging from their published renderings. The structure and landscape focus on organic movement, year round opportunities, and mindfulness. With a respectful low profile, the architecture allows for existing structures in the area to shine, reinforcing the site’s historic character while still offering a contemporary anchor for the community. 

There are so many notable projects so please check out their booklet! Or, maybe just take a really really long walk around Edmonton, there’s so many new places to stop by!!! 

Links: 

2025 Urban Design Award Winners Announced

Written by GAPSS media committee member Anjeli F.