Massey Medals were awards in Canadian architecture that were presented from 1950 to 1970. In 1950, Vincent Massey announced a "Scheme for the Award of Massey Medals in Architecture by the Massey Foundation" with the goal of recognizing “outstanding examples of Canadian achievement in the fields of architecture and thus to give encouragement to the members of the architectural profession and to promote public interest in their work".
Working in consultation with the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC), awards were made in 1950, 1952, 1955, 1958, 1961, 1964, 1967, and 1970. The structure of the awards varied over the years (usage of project categories, gold and silver medals, inclusion of mentions as part of the results, recognition of consultants, etc.).
As Canada’s first national architectural awards program, the Massey Medals for Architecture program is regarded as an important step in elevating public awareness of modern architecture in the nation.
Notable architects and architectural firms which received the award included:
Arthur Erickson Geoffrey Massey John B. Parkin Associates Gordon Adamson Page & Steele Raymond Moriyama Webb Zerafa Menkes Fred Hollingsworth Barry Downs Thompson, Berwick & Pratt Affleck, Desbarats, Dimakopoulos, Lebensold, Michaud, Sise Moshe Safdie Peter Dickinson Eberhard Zeidler
In later year’s, criticism of the awards program’s selection of winners (with many considering mediocre projects being awarded instead of clearly superior projects) was exemplified by the November 1970 issue of The Canadian Architect whose feature article addressed this issue and cover featured an image of the award’s medal and the title, “If you failed to win this medal, turn to page 27.”
In 1982, the Governor-General’s Awards for Architecture was created to re-establish a major national architectural awards program.
1950 Awards Published: RAIC Journal - February 1951 - Serial 306 / Vol 28 / No 2 +CATEGORYAWARDPROJECTLOCATIONARCHITECTEducational BuildingsGold MedalOshawa High SchoolOshawa, ON John B. Parkin AssociatesOffice BuildingsSilver MedalArchitects and Medical Offices Vancouver, BCGardiner and ThorntonRecreation BuildingsSilver MedalCanadian National Exhibition Grandstand Toronto, ONMarani and MorrisEcclesiastical BuildingsSilver MedalCentral Christadelphian ChurchToronto , ONJohn B. Parkin AssociatesIndustrial BuildingsSilver MedalFaberge Perfumes (Canada) Limited - Office and FactoryEtobicoke, ONJohn B. Parkin AssociatesApartment HousesSilver MedalGarden Court Apartments Toronto, ON Page and SteeleHospitals and ClinicsSilver MedalHumber Memorial HospitalWeston, ONJohn B. Parkin AssociatesMiscellaneousSilver MedalShipshaw No. 2 Power Development Saguenay River, QCJ.C. MeadowcroftCommercial BuildingsSilver MedalYork Township Hydro Electric System – Office and GarageYork Township, ONJohn B. Parkin AssociatesGroup HousingNo awardMunicipal and Government BuildingsNo awardResidences up to $15,000No awardResidences over $15,000No awardTransportation BuildingsNo award
1952 Awards Published: RAIC Journal - January 1953 - Serial 329 / Vol 30 / No 1 CATEGORYAWARDPROJECTLOCATIONARCHITECTOffice BuildingsGold MedalMarwell Office BuildingVancouver, BCSemmens & Simpson Apartment HousesSilver Medal130 Old Forest Hill Road Apartment Building Toronto, ONGordon S. AdamsonEcclesiastical BuildingsSilver MedalKnox Presbyterian ChurchGoderich, ONPhilip Carter Johnson Educational BuildingsSilver MedalMarmora High SchoolMarmora, ONCraig & MadillResidences Costing Up To $15,000Silver MedalResidence of Dr. Harold CoppVancouver, BCSharp & Thompson, Berwick, PrattResidences Costing Over $15,000Silver MedalResidence of Mr. John C.H. PorterVancouver, BCDavison and Porter Commercial BuildingsSilver MedalTilden Drive Yourself - Rental OfficeVancouver, BCSharp & Thompson, Berwick, PrattRecreational BuildingsSilver MedalUniversity of British Columbia - War Memorial Gymnasium Vancouver, BCSharp & Thompson, Berwick, PrattMunicipal and Governmental BuildingsSilver MedalYork Township Municipal OfficesYork Township, ONShore & MoffatGroup Housing other than Apartment Housesno entryHospitals and Clinicsno awardHotels and Restaurantsno awardIndustrial Buildingsno awardTransportation Buildingsno award
1955 Awards Published: RAIC Journal - December 1955 - Serial 364 / Vol 32 / No 12 CATEGORYAWARDPROJECTLOCATIONARCHITECTGroup Housing other than Apartment BuildingsGold MedalKiwanis VillageVictoria, BCSharp & Thompson, Berwick, Pratt and Charles E. Craig Office BuildingsSilver MedalB.C. Sugar Refinery, LimitedVancouver, BCSemmens and Simpson Commercial BuildingsSilver MedalConvenience CentreDon Mills, ONJohn B. Parkin AssociatesResidences over $15,000Silver MedalHamilton HousePeterborough, ONBlackwell, Craig and ZeidlerResidences up to $15,000Silver MedalHouse of Mr. Gordon SmithWest Vancouver, BCErickson & Massey MiscellaneousSilver MedalOntario Association of Architects OfficesToronto, ON John B. Parkin AssociatesHotels and RestaurantsSilver MedalSeaway HotelToronto, ONA. Elken & R.W. Becksted Industrial BuildingsSilver MedalSimpsons-Sears Industrial DevelopmentEtobicoke, ONJohn B. Parkin AssociatesEcclesiastical BuildingsSilver MedalSt. Anthony's ChurchAgassiz, BCGardiner, Thornton, Gathe & Associates Educational BuildingsSilver MedalToronto Teachers' CollegeToronto, ONPage & SteeleApartment Housesno awardHospitals and Clinicsno awardMunicipal and Governmental Buildingsno awardRecreational Buildingsno awardTransportation Buildingsno award
1958 Awards Published: RAIC Journal - December 1958 - Serial 400 / Vol 35 / No 12 CATEGORYAWARDPROJECTLOCATIONARCHITECTRecreationGold MedalStratford Festival TheatreStratford, ONRormthwaite & FairfieldEducationalSilver MedalBeamsville Central Elementary SchoolBeamsville, ONHuget, Secord & PaganiCommercialSilver MedalCKWX Radio Station Vancouver, BCThompson, Berwick & PrattHouses over 1,200 sq. ft.Silver MedalHouse in West Vancouver West Vancouver, BCArthur Erickson & Geoffrey MasseyMiscellaneousSilver MedalHog's Back StructuresOttawa, ONHart MasseyIndustrialSilver MedalOrtho Pharmaceutical Corporation (Canada) Limited FactoryDon Mills, ONJohn B. Parkin AssociatesMunicipalSilver MedalOttawa City HallOttawa, ONRother, Bland & TrudeauGroup HousingSilver MedalSouth Hill VillageDon Mills, ONJames A. Murray & Henry FliessHospitalsSilver MedalWorkmen's Compensation Board Hospital & Rehabilitation CentreDownsview, ONPage & Steele and Thomas R. WileyApartment Housesno awardEcclesiasticalno awardHotelsno awardHouses under 1200 sq. ft.no awardOfficesno awardTransportationno awardMentionAirport TerminalCalgary, AB Clayton, Bond & Mogridge MentionB.C. Electric BuildingVancouver, BC Thompson, Berwick & PrattMentionBank of Nova Scotia / Bank of Montreal - BranchesDon Mills, ONJohn B. Parkin AssociatesMentionBlackwoods Beverages Bottling PlantWinnipeg, MB Waisman, Ross & AssociatesMentionConstruction Equipment Ltd.Vancouver, BCThompson, Berwick & PrattMentionDining LodgeDill Township, ONFabbro & TownendMentionFederal BuildingDon Mills, ONJohn B. Parkin AssociatesMentionGeorgian Manor, Home for the AgedPenetanguishene, ONCraig and ZeidlerMentionHirshhorn ResidenceBootlegger's Bay, ONJohn B. Parkin AssociatesMentionHolt Renfrew BuildingToronto, ON Gordon S. Adamson & AssociatesMentionLangley Centennial MuseumLangley, BCJ. Calder PeepsMentionMandarin Gardens MotelSudbury, ONFabbro & TownendMentionManitoba Teachers' Society HeadquartersWinnipeg, MBLibling, Michener & AssociatesMentionNew Woodbine RacetrackEtobicoke, ONEarle C. MorganMentionNorman MacKenzie Art Gallery – AdditionRegina, SKlzumi, Arnott & SugyamaMentionNorth York Municipal OfficesWillowdale, ONSproatt & RolphMentionPacific Great Eastern Railway StationSquamish, BCR. C. Hale & R. F. HarrisonMentionPeterborough Community CentrePeterborough, ONCraig and ZeidlerMentionPlastic Cabana Vancouver, BCArthur EricksonMentionR. Laidlaw Lumber Company LimitedWeston, ONPentland & BakerMentionRideau TowersCalgary, ABPeter Caspari and C. M. BakkerMentionSarnia & District High School Sarnia, ONJohn B. Parkin AssociatesMentionShaw CottageMuskoka, ONEugene Z. LilitzakMentionSt. Augustine's School and Parish HallBrandon, MBWaisman, Ross & Associates MentionSt. John BrebeufWinnipeg, MBLibling, Michener & AssociatesMentionStanrock Uranium Mines - Group HousingBlind River, ONJerome MarksonMentionSteinbergs StoreMontreal, QCKeith L. Graham AssociatesMentionSummer House on Vancouver IslandVancouver Island, BCWatkins & MasseyMentionTache Primary SchoolWinnipeg, MBLibling, Michener & AssociatesMentionToronto Parking Authority - Dundas Square Parking Garage Toronto, ONJohn B. Parkin AssociatesMentionUniversity of British Columbia - Arts BuildingVancouver, BCThompson, Berwick & PrattMentionUniversity of British Columbia - St. Mark's Residential CollegeVancouver, BCGardiner, Thornton, Gathe & AssociatesMentionW.H. Collins, Community CentreElliot Lake, ONJohn B. Parkin AssociatesMentionWarren Grade SchoolWinnipeg, MBLibling, Michener & Associates
1961 Awards Published: RAIC Journal - November 1961 - Serial 435 / Vol 38 / No 11 AWARDPROJECTLOCATIONARCHITECTGold MedalUniversity of British Columbia - Thea Koerner HouseVancouver, BCThompson, Berwick & PrattSilver MedalBell Telephone Company of CanadaPickering-Ajax, ON Gordon S. Adamson & AssociatesSilver MedalChapel St Louis Le RoiSt Boniface, MBLibling, Michener and Associates Silver MedalEglise St-RaphaelJonquiere, QC St Gelais and Tremblay Silver MedalExecutive House ApartmentsWinnipeg, MBLibling, Michener and Associates Silver MedalImperial Oil Limited Research Building Sarnia, ONShore and MoffatSilver MedalKipling Collegiate InstituteEtobicoke, ONGordon Adamson and AssociatesSilver MedalLapierre ResidenceSt Catharines, ONJames E. Secord and Saul Herzog Silver MedalMoose Jaw Civic CentreMoose Jaw, SKJoseph Pettick Silver MedalNiagara Parks Commission Foot Bridge Niagara-on-the-Lake, ONHuget and Secord Silver MedalParkwood TerraceSouth Burnaby, BCHale, Harrison, Buzzelle Silver MedalPrivate Golf CourseToronto, ONRaymond Moriyama and AssociatesSilver MedalRegent Park South High-Rise ApartmentsToronto, ONPage and SteeleSilver MedalRichmond Hill Public LibraryRichmond Hill, ONPhilip R. Brook Silver MedalRockland Shopping CentreTown of Mount Royal, QCIan Martin and Victor PrusSilver MedalSummer ResidenceHusavick, MBWaisman, Ross and Associates Silver MedalThompson Municipal OfficesThompson, MBWaisman, Ross and Associates Silver MedalTown of Mount Royal Post OfficeTown of Mount Royal, QCJean Michaud and R. T. Affleck of Affleck, Desbarats, Dimakopoulos, Lebensold, Michaud, SiseSilver MedalUniversity of British Columbia - Commons BlockVancouver, BCThompson, Berwick & PrattSilver MedalWinnipeg Hydro-Electric System Sub-Station No. 21Winnipeg, MBLibling, Michener and Associates MentionCIBA BuildingDorval, QCPercy BoothMentionFour Seasons MotelToronto, ONPeter Dickinson and AssociatesMentionJohn Meyer HouseWest Vancouver, BCWensley and Rand MentionSalle Desjeunesses musicales Du CanadaMont Orford, QCDesgagne and Cote MentionWillmington Park Community CentreNorth York, ON Jack Klein and Henry Sears
1964 Awards Published: RAIC Journal - November 1964 - Serial 470 / Vol 41 / No 11