Athabasca University wins 2012 Prairie Wood Design Award

November 29, 2012

Fast + Epp was honoured with the Engineer Advocate Award at this year’s Prairie Wood Design Awards for its structural contribution on the Athabasca University Academic Research Centre project.

The three-storey distance education facility was designed by Manasc Isaac Architects. Targeting LEED® Gold certification, the new building combines energy efficient building technologies with leading-edge networking and communications technologies to facilitate online and distance learning.

The widespread use of wood in the facility’s design celebrates the region’s timber-based economy, encouraging future use of the rapidly-renewable resource in educational buildings.

It was selected from among 60 projects, all of “extremely high” caliber this year, according to the jury panel. Judges chose winners based on considerations for creativity, appropriate use of wood materials, client satisfaction with regards to building and site requirements, and overall aesthetic appeal.

Stephan Pasche, who oversees the firm’s recently-opened Edmonton branch office, accepted the Alberta WoodWORKS! award on November 5.