August 18, 2026

York University Markham Campus is one of 11 winners worldwide to win an International Architecture Award from the Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies in the Schools and Universities category.

Reimagining the urban academic environment as a vertical community shaped by interconnected spaces for gathering, collaboration and daily interaction, the campus brings a diverse mix of programs together within a ten-storey tower on a compact site. The design turns these spatial constraints into an advantage by fostering cross-disciplinary exchange through contiguous floors, fluid geometries and visually connected classrooms, workspaces and offices.

A five-storey podium with a welcoming double-height entry leads students, faculty and visitors into an expansive, interconnected atrium — the social and academic heart of the building. Teaching and learning spaces rise around this central forum, animated by a sculptural stair that reinforces the architectural character and enhances openness. Generous floor-to-floor heights draw daylight deep into the interior and create open sightlines across the program spaces. Dynamic shifts in scale and light create fluid interior environments that support teaching, research and campus life while reinforcing community. On the exterior, bronze-coloured aluminum cladding, spandrel panels and vision glass establish a refined architectural rhythm.

Challenging site conditions were transformed into an opportunity for placemaking. A six-metre grade change resolves geotechnical constraints and allows the building to open onto a terraced Campus Green, extending academic life outdoors through gathering spaces, study areas and teaching zones. An Indigenous talking circle anchors the outdoor environment as a place of reflection, dialogue and learning, while gently sloped pathways connect the campus to the adjacent athletic centre, nearby transit hub and commercial district.

The award will be presented at the official Awards Gala in Athens, Greece, on Friday, September 18, 2026.

Now in its 21st year, The International Architecture Award is among the oldest and most prestigious global building awards programs. This year, the program received a record number of submissions for new buildings, landscape architecture and urban planning from leading international firms — with an international jury selecting almost 190 winning projects from a shortlist of over 500.

Learn more and view the winners on The International Architecture Award's website.

Diamond Schmitt's past recognition from the International Architecture Award from the Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies includes the Buddy Holly Hall of Performing Arts and Sciences (2022, Museums and Cultural Buildings) and the Senate of Canada Building (2021, Government Buildings).