Winners of the HODI Award in Built Heritage Conservation
Carleton University and the Board of Directors of Historic Ottawa Development Inc. (HODI) have announced the winners of the 2021 HODI Award in Built Heritage Conservation.
This is the fifth annual award since the first HODI competition in 2016. Because there was no award in 2020, the current award included submissions from 2020 and 2021.
This year all entrants were undergraduate students in both the Design and Conservation and Sustainability programs at the Azrieli School of Architecture & Urbanism. There were five winning entries.
Two students share the first-place award and will receive $2,500 each:
• Jessica Babe, for her project Wampum to retrofit 24 Sussex Drive
Jury Comments: This is a very well-presented and articulate proposal for the rehabilitation of the official residence at 24 Sussex Drive, with beautiful illustrations, diagrams, and drawings. A thorough reading of the historical context and evolution of the site informs a respectful and holistic conservation strategy that aims to recognize the multiple layers of associated history while incorporating significant sustainability features. The jury appreciated the poetic and critical examination of shared and competing values associated with the building and landscape through the lens of the Wampum Belt and its notions of exchange and interaction.
Jessica Babe completed the undergraduate program in Conservation and Sustainability in 2021.
• Rory Peckham, for his project Eyes which see (connect) for adaptive reuse of Southminster United Church
Jury Comments: Informed by the history and heritage attributes of the Southminster United Church building and site, this project presents a thoughtful and well-expressed approach to rehabilitation and renewal. Through a few simple yet deliberate moves, the underutilized church is transformed into thinking, worship, and creation spaces. The strategic uncovering and opening of the basement level to a reinterpreted Memorial Garden, the reorientation of the entry sequence, and the bold decision to demolish the 1950s portion of the church open many possibilities for new uses and community connections, along with enhanced visual connections to the Rideau Canal. The addition’s light volumes against the stately church building make convincing use of contrast while addressing the required structural upgrades to the existing building.
Rory Peckham is entering the fourth year of the undergraduate program in Design.
• Gerald Rafael-White was awarded second place for his project Bridging Together a Community for adaptive reuse of Trinity Anglican Church and will receive $1,000.
Jury Comments: Supported by excellent analysis and graphics, this proposal conceptualizes a bold intervention to Trinity Anglican Church that will revitalize the church building and site and provide new community spaces. Grounded in an understanding of the heritage character of the existing church building, the massing, materials and form of the addition maintain the character of the streetscape.
Gerald Rafael-White is entering the fourth year of the undergraduate program in Design.
Two teams of students received honourable mentions and will share awards of $500 per team:
• Angela Jang and Lauren Johnson, for their project Tying 24 Sussex Together
• Emeline Auguste, Joanne Chen, and Saruga Raveendran, for their project Symbiosis, adaptive reuse of the Wright-Scott House
Established in 2015, the HODI Award for Built Heritage Conservation is awarded annually to outstanding students at Carleton University in the Azrieli School of Architecture & Urbanism, the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, or the School of Indigenous and Canadian Studies. Recipients are involved in projects aimed at safeguarding and rehabilitating historic buildings and sites in Ottawa.
The award provides the opportunity for HODI to support the emerging generation of conservation professionals in researching, learning, and practicing in Ottawa. It helps build the capacity needed to deliver conservation best practices for Ottawa’s built heritage, now and into the future.
The formal awards ceremonies will take place in June at a date to be decided.
The HODI competition for 2022-23 will launch at the Carleton University Welcome Day event in September 2021.
The awards jury for 2021 comprised:
• Heather McArthur, Senior Project Manager, ERA Architects Inc.
• Barbara Myslinski, HODI;
• Mariana Esponda, Associate Professor and Coordinator, Heritage Conservation and Sustainability Program, Azrieli School of Architecture & Urbanism, Carleton University;
• Laurie Smith, NSERC CREATE Heritage Engineering Program, Carleton Immersive Media Studio, Carleton University.
The jury was impressed with the overall quality of all of the submissions in what has been a very difficult year for students and commends each of the entrants for participating in HODI. In addition, the jury provided a few comments on each of the winning entries.
Historic Ottawa Development Inc. (HODI) offers professional advice, advocacy support, and partnership opportunities to inspire and celebrate the conservation of Ottawa’s built heritage. Its board of directors has expertise in architecture, restoration, and historical research. It can provide loans and grants to assist with the rehabilitation of historic properties and public education projects.