OTTAWA-BASED JUXTA ARCHITECTS WINS OAA'S BEST EMERGING PRACTICE AWARD

HERITAGE OTTAWA

A young Ottawa-based firm, Juxta Architects Inc., was selected by the Ontario Association of Architects' awards jury as this year's recipient of the OAA Best Emerging Practice Award. 

Founded in 2020, Juxta Architects has built its practice around heritage conservation paired with deep building science and envelope expertise, restoring and reimagining some of the area's most storied buildings. 

"Guided by a passion for heritage architecture and grounded in building science, we work with clients to create, conserve, and revitalize spaces with lasting value," states the firm's website. 

The above photo of Observatory House on the Central Experimental Farm, a recognized federal heritage building, is just one of the firm's restoration success stories: a fully renewed exterior that restored the building's historic character and, combined with new maintenance practices, ensures its preservation into the future. 

The OAA also awarded ten Design Excellence Awards that included the Kìwekì Point project: Janet Rosenberg & Studio Inc. and Patkau Architects Inc.

The 2026 Medal of Service was bestowed upon Michael McClelland, a principal of ERA Architects Inc., for his outstanding dedication and leadership for more than 30 years. As one of the top heritage architects and advocates in the profession, Michael has played a key role in the revitalization of hundreds of heritage structures, integrating the existing building fabric into changing cities.

Photo (above): Observatory House, Central Experimental Farm, Juxta Architects Inc.