APPROACH
Mandaworks is committed to improving our buildings, public realms and cities through design solutions that are unexpected, imaginative and contextually sensitive. We place human experience at the centre of our work. Striving to create places that make people feel connected, stimulated and joyful.
Urban Optimists
At the core of our thinking is the firm belief that great urban environments make our lives better. The contemporary city is a dynamic place and we invest our time imagining how it can be improved.
Projects are Opportunities
We are committed to the idea that every component of the city - big or small - contributes to the overall urban experience. Therefore we consider each and every project an important opportunity to give back to the building, street, neighbourhood, city or region.
Thinking in Scales
We fully embrace the challenges of modern city building in our work. We aim to provide holistic solutions that blend ecosystem, economy, technology, identity and community.
METHOD
Mandaworks projects are driven by a flexible set of methods that guide us through the design process. We have three consistent cornerstones of our work: comprehensive analysis of a project site, a rigorous and thorough experimentation process and the development of clear conceptual narratives.
The studio is proficient in a variety of design tools and utilises them to engage with projects on many scales - from comprehensive planning to urban furniture design. We seek to understand and consolidate the needs of a project on multiple scales, combining site specific spatial thinking, regional urban dynamics and an imaginative approach to the future of our cities.
We understand that great work comes from great partnerships. We endeavour to form forward thinking collaborations with our clients and partners by clearly and concretely communicating ideas early in the design process. We thrive in open and creative dialogues where our experienced project leaders can work together with clients and collaborators to formulate inspiring design directions and solutions.
Curiosity!
We begin with thorough research and analysis that seeks to reframe problems and reveal hidden or forgotten layers.
Experimentation!
We rigorously test multiple conceptual directions to maximise our ability to find and develop creative and effective solutions.
Narrative!
We think a big part of the design process is invisible, and sometimes the narrative is the design itself.
SELECTED AWARDS
2021
Gold Prize - Grand Prix du Design - McGill College Avenue
Award of Planning Excellence - Boulevard Taschereau Master Plan, Canada
World Landscape Architecture Honorable mention - McGill College Avenue, Montreal, Canada
Finalist Mérite Ovation Municipale Prize - McGill College Avenue, Montreal, Canada
1st Prize - Xiakewan Science City, Jiangyin, China
1st Prize - Lake Milada, Czechia
2nd prize - Wanzhou Jiagnwan New town, China
1st Prize - Saratov Tsentralny Airport & Glebuchev Ravine Masterplans, Russia
1st Prize - McGill College, Reinventing the Avenue, Montreal, Canada
2020
3rd Prize - Taihu Science City - invited international architectural competition, Suzhou, China
1st Prize - Panorama - invited international architectural competition, the Netherlands
1st Prize - McGill Avenue - general urban design competition, Montreal, Canada
1st Prize - Uppsala Business Park - invited city building competition, Sweden
1st Prize - Urban design for Chengdu, China
4th Prize - Viinikanlahti - general urban building competition, Tampere, Finland
2019
2nd Prize Grasbrook - invited city building competition, Hamburg Germany
Honorary Mention - I ♥ MY! - invited International Urban Design Competition, Vaanta, Finland
2018
2nd Prize - Victory Square - open international urban planning competition, Prague, Czech republic
Honorable Mention - Gardiner Green - open architecture competition, Toronto, Canada
1st Prize - Hlemmur Square - invited competition, Reykjavik, Iceland
2017
1st Prize - South China Design Capital - international design competition, Guangzhou, China
1st Prize - Where the World Meets Finland - open international ideas competition, Vantaa, Finland
1st Prize - Hiedanranta Innovation Bay - open international ideas competition, Tampere, Finland
2014
1st Prize - Royal Neighbour - invited architecture competition, Stockholm, Sweden
1st Prize - Inside/Outside Vaasa - open architecture competition, Vaasa, Finland
1st Prize - Tracing Trencin - open architecture competition, Trencin, Slovakia
3rd Prize - Framing Future - invited architecture competition, Kaliningrad, Russia
Honorable Mention - North Port Park - invited architecture competition, Busan, South Korea
2013
1st Prize - Down by the River - open architecture competition, Floda, Sweden
3rd Prize - Resilient Mikkeli - open architecture competition, Mikkeli, Finland
2012
Honorable Mention - The Adventure - open architecture competition, Linköping, Sweden
2011
1st Prize - Cultural Axis - invited architecture competition, Vänersborg, Sweden
