UTM’s Maanjiwe nendamowinan recognized for excellence in design
Its name means ‘gathering of minds,’ but it also excels at gathering praise.
The U of T Mississauga’s Maanjiwe Nendamowinan (MN) building has earned a Citation Award from the American Institute of Architects, Canada Society, a fellowship of architects and design professionals based in Vancouver, BC.
The annual awards recognize excellence in Canadian architecture, urban design and interior design.
The six-storey, 210,000-sq.-ft. MN building was designed by Toronto firm Perkins and Will. Celebrating the win on Twitter, the firm noted: “The architecture expresses the coming together of diverse influences and celebrates the unique theatre of campus life.”
Perkins and Will also designed UTM’s Hazel McCallion Academic Learning Centre and Instructional Centre.
The firm was a big winner at this year’s AIA Canada Society awards, picking up prizes for several of its other projects. It also picked up an honourable mention for the design of its Toronto studio.
The MN building officially opened in September 2018. Pronounced Mahn-ji-way nen-da-mow-in-ahn, the Anishinaabemowin name was chosen from 700 suggestions in collaboration with the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation (MCFN), on whose traditional territory the campus now stands.
“We are very proud of the Maanjiwe nendamowninan building and pleased its design has been recognized for this AIA Canada Society award,” says Tammy Cook, executive director of Facilities Management and Planning at UTM. “It is not only beautiful but also contains state-of-the-art learning spaces and sustainability features.”
With 40,000-sq.-ft. of useable space, MN offers more than 500 study spaces and 29 classrooms for English and drama, philosophy, historical studies, language studies, political science and sociology, digital humanities research, the Centre for South Asian Civilizations and the Robert Gillespie Academic Skills Centre. The building has a LEED Silver designation for its many sustainability features, including rainwater recycling, energy-efficient mechanical systems, a green roof and special glass designed to deter bird strikes.
For more on the facility, visit https://www.utm.utoronto.ca/facilities/building/maanjiwe-nendamowinan