Jurors

2011 Jurors

The Mayor's Urban Design Awards 2011 is proud to announce this year's Jury:

Ian Chodikoff

Carmen Fiol Costa

James Mary O’Connor

Dr Nancy Pollock-Ellwand

Jeffery Spalding

Ian Chodikoff is an architect and editor of Canadian Architect magazine. He has a background in political science, public administration and urban design. His interests range from the effects of transnational migration on urbanization to issues relating to social inclusion and cultural diversity.  Ian currently serves on the City of Ottawa Urban Design Review Panel and the External Advisory Board member at York University's CITY Institute.  His research entitled Fringe Benefits:  Cosmopolitan Dynamics of a Multicultural City explores the influences of multiculturalism on the suburban communities, illustrating opportunities for social and economic development. He has taught and lectured in various universities and cities across North America and Europe, has served on many design juries and has written in a variety of magazines and journals.  His research on the effects of migration on the Senegalese economy was recently part of an exhibition entitled "Journeys" at the Canadian Centre for Architecture in Montreal.  He is a Fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada.

 Carmen Fiol Costa, a Barcelonian by birth (1956), she graduated in architecture at the E.T.S. d'Arquitectura de Barcelona in 1981 and received her Master in Architecture from Columbia University in New York (1985-86). From 1981-1988 she was a leading architect in the new Urban Design Department of the City of Barcelona whose Public Spaces between 1981 and 1987 were awarded the Harvard University Prince of Wales Prize in 1990. Since 1993 she has been a professor of Urban Design at the E.T.S. d'Arquitectura de Barcelona.

In 1982 she started a joint professional practice in Barcelona with Andreu Arriola which has won awards in international and national competitions such as: Expo 2000, Hannover, Germany 1996; Thames Barrier Park, London 1995; Premio Architécti 1994, Centro Cultural de Belem, Lisbon; FAD Awards in 1999, 1989, 1987 and 1986 and 1st Prize ex-aequo in the competition for the Parc de la Villette in Paris 1982-83. Their work has participated in the following exhibitions: Mobility: a room with a view, Rotterdam 2003; Building from the inside, The Order of Engineers and Architects, Beirut 2002; Territories: Contemporary European Landscape Design, Harvard University (USA) 2001; Architteture Catalane Contemporane: A&F, Mostra delle Opere, Università degli Studi La Sapienza, Roma 2000; Remaking Landscapes, Col•legi d’Arquitectes de Catalunya, Barcelona 1999; La Reconquesta d’Europa, Espai públic urbà 1980-1999, CCCB, Barcelona 1999; Uter Rom, A&F Works and projects, Galleri ROM, Oslo 1997; Diez Años de Arquitectura Española, 1983-1993; La Ville, Art et Architecture en Europe, 1870-1993, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris 1994; Catalan Architecture Abroad, Chicago 1993; Barcelona: Spaces and Sculptures, Fundació Joan Miró, Barcelona 1986. Among the most recent publications are: Oasis from a wounded landscape, M. Treib, LAM, Washington (USA), Feb. 2004; Quaderns, 240, COAC, Barcelona, gen. 2004; Nueva Arquitectura, Madrid 1999, Protecció de les Termes Romanes de Sant Boi de Llobregat; Inside Outside, between architecture and landscape, A.Berrizbeitia/L. Pollak, Rockport Publ., Gloucester MA, 1999; Topos 15, European Landscape Magazine, München, Jun.1996; Around Barcelona 2RA CD-ROM, Archi Ed., Barcelona 1995; Triptych of Catalan Architecture, Quaderns 207-208-209, Barcelona 1995; Barcelona 1929-1994, Architectural Guide, GG Ed., Barcelona 1995. The following is a selection of their projects including urban design, architecture and interior design: Residential tower of 98 youth dwellings, Barcelona 2004; Fire Station, Montblanc 2004; Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, Barcelona 2004; Museum of Music of Barcelona, 2004; School of Music of Catalonia, Barcelona 2004; Parc Central de Nou Barris, Barcelona 2003; Institut d’Estudis Financers, Barcelona 2003; Plaça Virrei Amat, Barcelona 1999; Mercat dels Encants, flea market in Barcelona 1998; Roman Baths Exhibition Shelter, Sant Boi de Llobregat 1998; Plaça d'Islàndia, Barcelona 1995; El Mercadal: historic centre of Girona 1994; Casa Madorell, residential building, Molins de Rei 1992; Plaça de Les Glòries, Barcelona 1992; Parc de l'Estació del Nord, Barcelona 1991; Garden at Calle Madrid, Badalona 1991; Fossar de les Moreres, plaza and memorial, Barcelona 1989; Parc del Molinet, Santa Coloma de Gramenet 1987.

James Mary O’Connor, AIA
Principal
Moore Ruble Yudell Architects & Planners

In his 30-year career, architect James Mary O’Connor has demonstrated a steadfast, passionate commitment to design excellence.  He is helping lead his own generation – and, through his teaching and mentoring, the one behind it – towards a renewed commitment to the art of building.  Abstract theory has had a growing dominion in architecture; James is helping to restore humane and inspired practice to its rightful place.  His contributions and leadership are of international significance as our profession shapes the new buildings and cities of this challenging era.

James has been recognized with over 100 national and international awards for his design leadership on projects.  In each of the past three years, his projects have been short-listed as finalists for award recognition at the prestigious international World Architecture Festival (WAF) program and exhibition in Barcelona:  the Grangegorman Urban Quarter Masterplan in Dublin, Ireland, the Chun Sen Bi An Masterplan and Housing project in Chongqing, China, and the Santa Monica Civic Center Parking Structure in California.  Two of these received WAF award citations — the Grangegorman and Chun Sen Bi An projects.  James’ efforts as Principal-in-Charge on projects helped Moore Ruble Yudell Architects & Planners in Santa Monica, California, win the coveted American Institute of Architects (AIA) National Firm Award in 2006 — the highest award bestowed by the AIA each year.  For his outstanding achievements, James has also received the AIA Young Architect Award, cited as “a virtual ambassador for American architects… he brings excellence, humanity, and honour to his profession.” 

Born in Dublin, Ireland, James Mary O’Connor received his Diploma in Architecture from the Dublin Institute of Technology, his Bachelor of Science in Architecture degree from Trinity College, Dublin and his Master of Architecture from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). 

As Principal-in-Charge, James has provided spirited design leadership and project management for numerous large-scale, residential, academic, mixed-use and Master Planning projects throughout the United States and the world.  The current Grangegorman Urban Quarter Master Plan in Dublin, Ireland provides world-class, innovative primary care and psychiatric facilities for Ireland’s national healthcare service (the HSE) on a new campus in the historic core of the city.  It represents the largest higher-education campus development ever undertaken in the history of the state of Ireland, and is likely to set an influential standard for future campus and urban development projects.  The Master Plan design for the COFCO Agricultural Eco-Valley Project outside Beijing envisions a state-of-the-art sustainable project that will become the first net zero-carbon project of its kind in the world.  Other large-scale international housing and planning projects include the Potatisåkern and Tango projects in Malmö, Sweden, the Serendra mixed-use development for 5,000 housing units in Manila, Philippines, Chun Sen Bi An Master Plan & Housing in Chongqing, China, and Tianjin Xinhe New Town in Tianjin, China.

James has a special interest in projects with a strong sustainability component, as reflected in his work on the award-winning Santa Monica Civic Center Parking Structure, one of the first buildings of its type to be LEED-Certified in the United States, and the “Village” housing development nearby, which is on track for LEED-Silver certification.  The highly-sustainable Tango Building for the innovative Bo01 Housing Exhibition in Malmö, Sweden has received numerous awards for design excellence, and was selected as The Year’s Building 2001 in Sweden. 

James has participated as presenter/session speaker at numerous national and international lectures, conferences/exhibitions.  To date in 2011, he has delivered lectures for a Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI) event at Emmet Theatre in Trinity College, Dublin (Program title:  Moore Ruble Yudell—Evolution and Departure); the American Institute of Architects (AIA) National Convention in Miami, Florida (Program title:  Urban Campus Strategies-Bridging Academic and Civic Communities); and the Society of College and University Planning (SCUP) Pacific Regional Conference in Seattle, Washington with DIT Campus Planner, Dr. Noel O’Connor (Program title:  Building Community—the Grangegorman Masterplan for Dublin Institute of Technology).

Some earlier presentations include the RIAI 2009 Annual Conference in Limerick, Ireland (Program title: The Grangegorman Urban Quarter — A Project of National Importance for Ireland); and the 2009 XII Biennale in Buenos Aires, Argentina (Program title:  Moore Ruble Yudell—Innovative Design for University & Master Planning Projects).

Over the past 20 years, James has taught design studios, lectured, and been invited as guest critic in the U.S. and throughout the world.  James has taught design at UCLA’s Interior and Environmental Design Program, where he received the Distinguished Faculty Award in 1996.  He has also guest taught and lectured at the University of Southern California, Southern California Institute of Architecture, the University of Hawaii-Manoa, and Ball State University College of Architecture & Planning in Muncie, Indiana.  International institutions where James has lectured include the University of Calgary-Alberta, the Dublin Institute of Technology, the Institute of Architects in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Hong-Ik University-Department of Architecture, Seoul, Korea.  Over these past five years, James has lectured intensively in China, including the following institutions:  Tianjin University School of Architecture, Tongji University School of Architecture in Shanghai, Southeast University School of Architecture in Nanjing, Chongqing University School of Architecture and Guangzhou Academy of Fine Art, Guangzhou, China, and the Chinese University in Hong Kong.

James has served as juror on several major architectural competitions, including the University College Dublin’s Gateway Project Competition, 2007, and the Lake Elsinore Civic Center Competition in California, 2007.

He is a member of the American Institute of Architects and a Registered Architect in the State of California.

Dr. Nancy Pollock-Ellwand is the Dean of the Faculty of Environmental Design.  She holds a PhD in Planning (University of Waterloo), Masters of Architecture (University of Manitoba) and a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (University of Guelph).  This background suits her well for the interdisciplinary faculty she has led since January, 2010. 

Her research areas include sustainable urban and regional planning and design; the history and theory of environmental design, and landscape architecture. 

With a background in this broad spectrum of design, Professor Pollock-Ellwand advocates and practices a collaborative approach to teaching and research, as well as with those that she supervises and leads.  Her current research focuses on the history of landscape as it is manifest in urban reform, landscape design and heritage conservation.  Professor Pollock-Ellwand is currently writing a book on the Olmsted Firm in Canada, and serves as an Expert Advisor to the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) as a Cultural Landscape specialist.

Prior to coming to Calgary Dr. Pollock-Ellwand headed the School of Architecture, Landscape Architecture and Urban Design at the University of Adelaide, in Adelaide, South Australia.

Jeffrey Spalding is an artist, author, curator and educator.  Born in Edinburgh, Scotland 1951, he lives and works in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.