A beach is a place for fun in the sun. In the winter, it should at least still be a place for fun. Architectural firms RAW Design and Ferris and Associates joined forces with public art management company Curio in organizing a competition to transform Toronto’s snow-clad steel lifeguard stands into interactive works of art.
In October 2014, the organizers invited designers, artists, and architects to design lifeguard stand redesigns that would attract visitors to the beach in winter, Torontoist reports.
“The beach is obviously super well-used in the summer months,” RAW Founder Roland Rom Colthoff told the Torontoist. “However, in the wintertime it’s rather grey, to say the least. It’s cold and windy, and not a lot of people are down there because it’s a tough environment to be in."
Out of the 196 submissions they received from all over the world, four designs were selected on Dec. 9, 2014 by a panel that included Toronto Star architecture critic Christopher Hume, as well as a city official and several people in the city’s art scene.
Organizers and the winning designers are currently working out the logistics of the building structures, which will be complete for the public’s enjoyment on Feb. 16, Canada’s Family Day.
Ultimately, five lifeguard stands will be constructed, consisting of the four winning designs and a scheme by Ryerson University architecture students.
Here’s a look at the renderings with a short description (both courtesy of each design team):
Sling Swing, by Ed Butler, Dan Wiltshire, and Frances McGeown of WMB Studio
“Playfully imagines how a group of summer deckchairs might adapt themselves to the cold winter months. Just as animals in cold climates huddle together to keep warm, the chairs cluster around a fellow seat, the lifeguard stand.”
Driftwood Throne, by Daniel Madeiros of DM_Studio
“The modest lifeguard stand is decorated with a valance of reused timber, transforming it from a simple, discreet metal object on the landscape to a strong, faceted sculptural form.”
WingBack, by Tim Olson of Bensonwood Designers
“A vibrantly stained semi-circular form is sited south-facing to capture solar energy. The bench seat configuration gathers the warmth of co-occupants while the tall walls provide shelter from north winter winds.”
Snowcone, by fourth-year Ryerson Architectural Science students Diana Koncan and Lily Jeon
“A playful outdoor project that mimics the protective organic form of the pinecone and borrows the simple, effective technology of the native igloo.”
Hot Box, by Michaela MacLeod of Polymétis Architecture and Nicholas Croft
“Entering from the harsh landscape through a cold, dark, rubber exterior, one finds themselves in an insulated, soft, muffled and light-filled space that conjures feelings of shelter, intimacy, quietude.”
Learn more at Torontoist.
Related Stories
| Oct 21, 2014
Norman Foster, Zaha Hadid release plans for resorts in Nanjing and Wuhan, China
Jumeirah Group, a hotel group forming a part of investment group Dubai Holding, has chosen Zaha Hadid and Norman Foster to design two of three of its proposed resorts in Nanjing, Wuhan, and Haikou.
| Oct 21, 2014
Inside LEED v4: The view from the MEP engineering seats
Much of the spirited discussion around LEED v4 has been centered on the Materials & Resources Credit. At least one voice in the wilderness is shouting for greater attention to another huge change in LEED: the shift to ASHRAE 90.1-2010 as the new reference standard for Energy & Atmosphere prerequisites and credits.
| Oct 21, 2014
Perkins Eastman white paper explores state of the senior living industry in the Carolinas
Among the experts interviewed for the white paper, there was a general consensus that the model for continuing-care retirement communities is changing, driven by both the changing consumers and more prevalent global interest on the effects of aging.
| Oct 20, 2014
Singapore Sports Hub claims world's largest free-spanning dome
The retractable roof, which measures a whopping 1,017-feet across, is made from translucent ETFE plastic panels supported with metal rigging that arches over the main pitch.
| Oct 20, 2014
Institute for young innovators breaks ground at the University of Utah
The five-story, 148,000-sf building is designed to function like a student union for entrepreneurs and innovators, with a 20,000-sf “garage” that will be open for any student to attend events, build prototypes, and launch companies.
| Oct 20, 2014
UK's best new building: Everyman Theatre wins RIBA Stirling Prize 2014
The new Everyman Theatre in Liverpool by Haworth Tompkins has won the coveted RIBA Stirling Prize 2014 for the best building of the year. Now in its 19th year, the RIBA Stirling Prize is the UK’s most prestigious architecture prize.
Sponsored | | Oct 19, 2014
The Exploration Tower in Port Canaveral dazzles visitors
With a mission to provide the experience of a lifetime, the Exploration Tower at Port Canaveral, Fla., is designed to inspire, as visitors learn about the history and nature of the port and beyond. SPONSORED CONTENT
Sponsored | | Oct 19, 2014
What to do if your team is in a rut
Another brainstorming session, another slew of tired ideas. How can you push your team to be more creative and bring in new perspectives? SPONSORED CONTENT
| Oct 19, 2014
White House Visitor Center reopens in Washington, D.C.
Designed by SmithGroupJJR and Gallagher & Associates, renovated center shows public its unique role as office, stage, museum, park, and home.
| Oct 16, 2014
Must see: Illustrator interprets iconic windows concocted by renowned architects
Graphic designer Federico Babina has made a name for himself when it comes to art inspired by architecture, or more accurately, art inspired by architecture that's inspired by other forms of art.