TORONTO – A four-storey, 17,500-square-foot commercial building in downtown Toronto has been named among several gold winners as part of the Brick in Architecture (BIA) Awards competition, which showcases clay brick projects from across the globe.
Undertaken for client Hullmark, Toronto’s 12 Ossington balances landmark presence with sensitivity to its historic context and won the award in the commercial category.
“Featuring retail at grade and offices above, the design uses handcrafted, water-struck brick and expressive arches to reflect the grit and heritage of the Ossington neighbourhood,” a release describes. “A solid, textured brick base contrasts with light, set-back upper floors, creating a dialogue between past and present. Rich masonry details, arched forms, and finely crafted materials give the building a strong street presence while honouring local history and elevating the area’s main-street character.”
The masonry on the project was carried out by Oliynyk Masonry Inc. and the architects were Hariri Pontarini Architects. It was completed in 2022, the architect notes.
The 2025 BIA awards featured 42 projects that placed in Best In Class, Gold, Silver and Bronze across the nine different categories as well as an overall Craftsmanship Award, which only one project earns.
The categories are Craftsmanship, Thin Brick, International, Residential Single Family, Commercial, Residential Multi-Family, Education (Colleges and Universities), Paving and Landscaping, Education (K-12), and Historic Renovation.
A full list of winners can be seen here.
