Media Advisory: Governor General Honours Outstanding Achievement in Architecture

Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaelle Jean, Governor General of Canada, and Mr. Jean-Daniel Lafond will present the Governor General's Medals in Architecture on Thursday, October 16, 2008, at 6:00 p.m., at Rideau Hall. On the previous day, Their Excellencies will host the 29th Art Matters forum, a discussion on the theme of How do we sustain buildings? How do buildings sustain us? at Carleton University's Azrieli School of Architecture and Urbanism.

Governor General's Medals in Architecture - Thursday, October 16, 2008, at 6:00 p.m.

The Governor General's Medals in Architecture recognize outstanding achievement in recently built projects by Canadian architects. This program, created by the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC), contributes to the development of the discipline and practice of architecture, and increases public awareness of architecture as a vital cultural force in Canadian society. These awards are administered jointly by the RAIC and the Canada Council for the Arts, which is responsible for the adjudication process and which contributes to the publication highlighting the medal winners. The winners were announced by the RAIC and the Canada Council for the Arts in May 2008.

The following built projects will be honoured this year:

- Terrence Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto (Toronto, ON) - architects Alliance & Behnisch Architekten

- Nk'Mip Desert Cultural Centre (Osoyoos, BC) - Hotson Bakker Boniface Haden Architects

- Jaypee Institute of Information Technology (Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India) - Le Groupe Arcop

- Canada's National Ballet School Project Grand Jete (Toronto, ON) - Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg Architects & Goldsmith Borgal & Company Ltd. Architects, Architects in Joint Venture

- ROAR_one (Vancouver, BC) - Lang Wilson Practice in Architecture Culture Inc. and Hotson Bakker Boniface Haden Architects, Associated Architects

- House at 4a Wychwood Park (Toronto, ON) - Ian MacDonald Architect Inc.

- New Canadian War Museum (Ottawa, ON) - Moriyama & Teshima Architects, Griffiths Rankin Cook Architects, Architects in Joint Venture

- Gleneagles Community Centre (West Vancouver, BC) - Patkau Architects

- Winnipeg Centennial Library Addition (Winnipeg, MB) - Patkau / LM Architectural Group

- Communication, Culture and Technology Building, University of Toronto (Mississauga, ON) - Saucier Perrotte architects

- Scarborough Chinese Baptist Church (Scarborough, ON) - Teeple Architects Inc.

- Trent Chemical Sciences Building (Peterborough, ON) - Teeple Architects Inc. and Shore Tilbe Irwin & Partners Architects, Architects in Joint Venture.

Descriptions, biographies and downloadable images of the architectural firms and their winning buildings are available at www.raic.org and www.canadacouncil.ca .

Public Art Matters Forum - Wednesday, October 15, 2008, at 7:00 p.m.

On the occasion of the presentation of the Governor General's Medals in Architecture, Their Excellencies, the Right Honourable Michaelle Jean, Governor General of Canada, and Mr. Jean-Daniel Lafond, will present the 29th Art Matters forum on the following theme: How do we sustain buildings? How do buildings sustain us? This discussion, which is open to the public, will take place on Wednesday, October 15, at 7:00 p.m., at Carleton University's Azrieli School of Architecture and Urbanism (1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa - Architecture Building AA). The discussion will be webcast live on www.architecture.gg.ca thanks to a partnership with Carleton University. For more information on the panelists or to join the online discussion, visit the Citizen Voices Web site ( www.citizenvoices.gg.ca ).

Members of the public who wish to participate may register at conference@gg.ca as spaces are limited.

Media wishing to cover the Art Matters Forum or the ceremony are asked

to confirm their presence in advance with the Rideau Hall Press Office.

Contacts: Media information: Rideau Hall Press Office Marie-Eve Letourneau or Isabelle Serrurier 613-998-0287 or 613-998-7280 meletourneau@gg.ca iserrurier@gg.ca For interviews with the recipients please contact: Royal Architectural Institute of Canada Denise MacDonald, Communications and Outreach 613-241-3600, ext. 205 dmacdonald@raic.org Canada Council for the Arts Carole Breton, Public Relations Officer 1-800-263-5588 or 613-566-4414, ext. 4523 carole.breton@canadacouncil.ca