The 2025 Urban Design Awards in London, Ontario, recognize outstanding urban design projects that enhance public spaces and community life. Mayor Josh Morgan highlights the importance of placemaking and the contributions of various projects, including civic design, urban fragments, and urban architecture. The awards celebrate innovation and creativity, with notable winners and honorable mentions that exemplify excellence in design.
The Urban Design Awards serve as a platform to celebrate excellence in urban design, recognizing projects that significantly enhance the public realm and improve the quality of life in London, Ontario. Mayor Josh Morgan expresses pride in the awards, emphasizing that urban design transcends mere buildings and landscapes; it is fundamentally about placemaking, fostering community, and creating vibrant, welcoming spaces.
Mayor Morgan extends heartfelt thanks to all participants who submitted projects this year, acknowledging the immense talent, creativity, and dedication reflected in each entry. He also expresses gratitude to the jury for their thoughtful evaluation of the submissions. The awards highlight the contributions of these projects in shaping London's future and building a city that residents can proudly call home.
This year, the Urban Design Awards received 16 submissions across three main categories: civic design projects, urban fragments, and urban architecture. These categories align with the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada National Urban Design Awards Program. An independent jury of five members evaluated the submissions, awarding projects that exemplify urban design excellence and providing honorable mentions to those that demonstrated strong design qualities.
The jury consisted of:
In addition to the award recipients and honorable mentions, a People's Choice Award was also presented, determined through a public voting process where all submitted projects were eligible.
The civic design projects category recognizes parks, open spaces, plazas, public infrastructure, and environmental infrastructure that exemplify outstanding design. Projects in this category must be accessible to the public, regardless of whether they are on public or private property. Examples include streetscapes, courtyards, and parks.
The urban fragments category recognizes standalone elements that enhance the public realm's quality. These can include street furniture, public art, and light fixtures.
The urban architecture category honors buildings that achieve design excellence through their relationship to the public realm, massing, detailing, and pedestrian amenities. This includes residential, mixed-use, commercial, institutional, or industrial buildings.
Several projects received honorable mentions for their innovative designs:
The 2025 Urban Design Awards celebrate the remarkable contributions of various projects that enhance the urban landscape of London, Ontario. Mayor Morgan expresses gratitude to all participants, jury members, and the public for their involvement in recognizing design excellence. The awards not only honor outstanding projects but also inspire future endeavors in urban design, with anticipation for the next celebration at the 2027 Urban Design Awards.
