Winter Stations Design Competition

Although the Beaches neighbourhood of Toronto is a summer long festival of colour and pageantry, this is not true of the winter months. This year we begin what we hope will become an expanded annual celebration of Toronto's winter landscape, focusing on the intersection between land and water.

We are beginning with the Kew, Scarborough and Balmy Beaches located in the heart of the Beach community, broadly located south of Queen Street East, between Woodbine and Victoria Park Avenues. Located on the beach between the Leuty Lifeguard Station and the Balmy Beach Club are five evenly spaced metal life guard stands. These utilitarian structures are to be used as the armature or foundation for pieces of public art. The pieces are temporary installations and need to be able to withstand the rigours of Toronto winter weather. They are to be installed February 16, 2015 until March 20, 2015.

This is an open international competition, welcoming artists, designers, architects and landscape architects.

We have chosen a theme of Warmth this year. Competitors are asked to create installations anchored to the lifeguard stands which can add among other things, colour, movement and humour to the landscape. It is hoped these installations will engage the audience in a dialogue with designers and their intent. There is no limit to the size of the installation, but please note that included in the jurors instructions will be durability and constructability.

Winning teams will spend time in Toronto during the last phase of construction and for the activities surrounding the opening. These events include an opening party at the Balmy Beach Club and a speaking engagement at Toronto's Design Exchange, where the team's entry and portfolio will be exhibited. This will provide opportunities for citizens of Toronto to engage directly with the designers, as well as to encourage the students of various design schools in the city to meet with them. Members of the design team will be expected to meet with media to explain their designs and ideas.

Ryerson University Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science will lead a team of students to create an installation for one of the stands.