UBC's Musem of Anthropology in Vancouver on September 15th, 2010.Simon Hayter For The Globe and Mail
Two Vancouver landmarks - the Museum of Anthropology and Robson Square - are among four buildings to win the 2011 Prix du XXe Siècle Award for 'enduring excellence in Canadian architecture'.
The awards, from Architecture Canada and the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, were announced May 3.
Both B.C. buildings to win the award this year were designed by the late Arthur Erickson, a renowned architect whose work at Simon Fraser University was recognized with the same prize in 2007.
The other buildings recognized with this year's award were the Heating and Cooling Plant at the University of Regina, by architect Clifford Wiens, and the Ottawa Train Station, by John B. Parkin Architects.
"These iconic buildings have stood the test of time and become national landmarks," Alex Rankin, Chancellor of the RAIC College of Fellows, said in a statement. "They are a testament to how architecture can add quality-of-life to society. They are proof positive that architecture matters."
Located on the University of British Columbia campus, the 80,000-square-foot Museum of Anthropology - on the traditional lands of the Musqueam First Nation - is known for its Pacific Northwest Coast collections and draws more than 140,000 visitors a year.
The museum, which received a $52-million facelift and expansion last year, features an outdoor reflecting pool and grounds designed by landscape architect Cornelia Oberlander, whose design includes ten full-scale totem poles.
"Having the Museum of Anthropology recognized as one of Canada's most significant buildings is truly an honour," Moya Waters, Acting Director, Museum of Anthropology, said in a statement Wednesday. "The award is a fitting tribute to Arthur Erickson and landscape architect Cornelia Oberlander, whose passion, vision and commitment to creating an iconic building and landscape that are respectful of the collections and cultures represented here, is appreciated by all Canadians and citizens of the world."
Robson Square, a three-block complex, houses UBC's downtown programs and the Vancouver Law Courts.
The Prix du XXe Siècle Award was created in 2007 and recognizes the enduring excellence of nationally significant architecture, such as landmark buildings in the historical context of Canadian Architecture. The award can go to a building in Canada, designed by an architect from any country, or a building anywhere designed by a Canadian architect.