Scenes from the 2017 AZ Awards Gala - Azure Magazine: Design, Architecture, Interiors | Azure Magazine: Design, Architecture, Interiors

Scenes from the 2017 AZ Awards Gala

On June 23, Azure announced the winners of the 2017 AZ Awards at a gala at Toronto's Evergreen Brick Works, attended by local and international stars from the worlds of architecture and design. Here are a few of the highlights.

Words: Azure
Photos: Elena Zaralieva; Lelania Little
Posted: Jun 27, 2017
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2017 AZ Awards host, Denise Donlon, announced the winners at Toronto’s Evergreen Brick Works

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The post-industrial Brick Works space was the backdrop for the evening

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Lighting, provided by local designer Eric Charron of UpcycledXD, utilized recycled pop bottles to create one-of-a-kind chandeliers.

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Guests mixed and mingled against a dynamic pop-up installation of interwoven cardboard frames, designed for the event by Frontier

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Long-time AZ Awards partner George Brown College School of Design wows guest with their on-site activation

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The latest sporty Audi R8 Spyder V10 was on display

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The 2017 AZ Awards trophy designed by Philippe Malouin (a 2016 AZ Awards juror) sits next to the medallions awarded to People’s Choice picks

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Stylish guests from around the world, some from as far away China and Poland, joined in the festivities

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Wines from Ontario’s Stratus Vineyards were poured for attendees to toast this year’s winners and finalists

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Jean Verville, 2017 AZ Awards winner for FAHOUSE, enjoys a glass of Prosecco while George Brown’s installation captivates nearby

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Azure contributor Austin Macdonald, with Urban Capital’s David Wex

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Cosentino brought the curiosity in the form of painted models that posed for photos

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Toronto DJ Bellosound rocked the crowd

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The 2017 AZ Awards gift bag, produced by Italian brand Essent’ial contained lots of goodies from our partners, as well as a copy of Azure’s July.August Awards issue

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Tasty treats, courtesy of of Nugateau

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Branded treats look too good to eat!

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From left: John Gray Thomson, Lauren McCrimmon, Jeff Shaw, Stephanie Hosein and Omar Gandhi of Omar Gandhi Architects, the People’s Choice for Rabbit Snare Gorge in the Residential Architecture, Single Family category

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Sponsor Rado impressed crowds with their sleek and modern timepiece collection

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Sponsor Rado impressed crowds with their sleek and modern timepiece collection.

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Denise Donlon thanks the 2017 AZ Awards jury: Nina-Marie Lister (planner and landscape ecologist), Michael Vanderbyl (multidisciplinary designer), Alessandro Munge (interior designer), Theo Richardson (industrial designer), and Nader Tehrani (architect)

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Melody Song of BO-DA Architecture and guest cheer on fellow finalists; BO-DA picked up the People’s Choice for Group 8 Headquarters

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This year’s guest of honour, Italian architect Massimiliano Fuksas

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John Patkau receives the trophy for Best Architecture over 1000 square metres for the Audain Art Museum by Patkau Architects

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Guest of Honour, Massimiliano Fuksas takes in the show

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Azure staffers Karen Simpson and Vicky Lee

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Sponsor Euro-Line Appliances brought colourful tabletop appliances from Italian brand Smeg

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From left: Bulthaup’s Stefano Sybydlo with AZ Awards winners for Best Lighting Installation (for CHUM Passerelle), Lilia Koleva and Azad Chichmanian of NEUF Architect(e)s, David Goyne of Cannon Design and Gareth Burton, of First Capital Realty. The installation was also selected as the People’s Choice in the category

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Christian Lo of Anony and Cliff Smith of Augustus Jones chat with Richard Assaly, president of LightForm Canada

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The skies cleared just in time for hundreds of design and architecture heavyweights – from as far away as Poland, China and Italy – to pack the historic Evergreen Brick Works to find out who would take home top honours in the 2017 AZ Awards.

Seventy projects, in 20 different categories, vied for the Philippe Malouin-designed trophies, which were handed out in a ceremony led by Canadian television veteran Denise Donlon. The guest of honour, renowned Italian architect Massimiliano Fuksas, kicked things off with a special address.

During pre- and post-ceremony revelry, guests enjoyed wine from Stratus and Instagram-worthy desserts from NuGateau, while exploring a series of installations from the AZ Awards’ presenting partners. Rado presented watches from its True Thinline collection and Keilhauer brought along pieces from its Hangout series for guests to relax in. Next to slabs of its silestone surfacing, Cosentino had models donning body paint that realistically mimicked the colour and veining of the quartz material.

Attendees also admired the sleek new R8 Spyder V10 and RS 7 Sportback from Audi, and played with DXV‘s hydralophone and 3D-printed faucets. At the end of the evening, guests took home goodies inside Tyvek paper tote bags manufactured by essent’ial.

The industrial vibe of Evergreen Brick Works was complemented by chandeliers made from recycled plastic bottles, designed by Toronto architect Eric Anthony Charron, and the gala’s rebranded visual identity (plus gala decor and video content) created by Frontier, a local multidisciplinary design studio.

You can find a full list of this year’s award winners here, along with profiles of the winning projects. Pick up Azure’s July / August issue – available on June 29, on Canadian newsstands and online – to see the projects in print.

The 2017 AZ AWARDS is presented by Audi, Cosentino, DXV, Keilhauer, and Rado, and is sponsored by TD Bank Group, Urban Capital and George Brown School of Design.

The AZ Awards Gala is sponsored by Alpi, Bauhaus and Euro-Line and Farrow & Ball.