Daily Commericial News

Montreal architect Mario Saia, co-founder of the firm of Saia Barbarese Topouzanov Architectes, is the recipient of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada’s prestigious Gold Medal for 2007. “Of the slate of significant and literate architects in Canada, there is little doubt that Mario Saia is one of the most provocative,” the institute’s Gold Medal selection committee said in a statement. “His buildings depart from the realm of the familiar, the comfortable, the conservative. “He pushes the frontiers of conventional design and incites both users and passers-by to reflect on the meaning and purpose of architecture, of city planning and of milieu. He consistently addresses context with concern and innovation, resulting in a body of work that is diverse, creative and meaningful.”