The University of British Columbia’s School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (SALA) has announced a call for nominations for the Margolese National Design for Living Prize, a $50,000 award recognizing a Canadian citizen who is making a profound and positive impact on the built environment through design.
“SALA is delighted to host the Margolese National Design for Living Prize — one of the richest awards in Canadian design,” says SALA director Ron Kellett. “We encourage candidates from a wide array of disciplines and backgrounds, whose work demonstrates the power of design to enhance social, cultural or environmental well-being. Through this prize, SALA hopes to draw attention to Canadian designers whose work offers creative solutions to the many challenges facing society and the planet, and to inspire others to do the same.”
Qualified Margolese Prize candidates must be Canadian citizens of any age and profession including architects, landscape architects, planners, engineers, designers and practitioners in allied fields. Individuals may nominate themselves or someone else through the portal on the prize website.
Nominations are open from now until March 26, 2021. Candidates will be evaluated by a peer jury and shortlisted candidates will be notified in May 2021. A winner will be announced in September 2021 and awarded an unconditional $50,000 CAD to support their interests. An event celebrating the winner’s achievements will be held in October 2021.
Since 2012 the Margolese Prize has recognized six outstanding individuals including landscape architect Cornelia Hahn Oberlander, best known for her public spaces at Robson Square in Vancouver and the National Gallery of Canada, among others; and activist Sylvia McAdam (Saysewahum), cofounder of the global grassroots Indigenous and environmental rights movement, Idle No More and small houses initiative One House Many Nations.
This will be the first year that the prize has been awarded since 2018, when SALA paused the prize to review its terms, significance and brand identity.
