July 10, 2026

Canadian Interiors has announced the winners of its 29th annual Best of Canada Awards, in which Canadian designers were recognised for design focused on meaningful, experiential environments that balance contemporary expression with cultural memory, heritage, and narrative depth.

Recognized in the Institutional category, York University Markham Campus was selected for a design that places emotional comfort, social engagement, wellness, and intuitive movement at the centre of the design agenda.

The 400,000 sf vertical campus is organized around a five-storey atrium anchored by a ribbon-like stair that connects classrooms, study areas, and collaborative spaces. Rather than isolating departments, the design keeps activity visually connected across the 10-storey building, using daylight, glazing, and vision panels to soften its density and balance openness and warmth. Curved geometries and rounded circulation zones reduce the institutional character often associated with higher education, while unified ceiling systems coalesce classrooms, labs, and informal spaces. Wood millwork, integrated seating, and restrained accents of York’s signature red further shape an interiors that feel attuned to the collective experience.

Canadian Interiors' Best of Canada Design Competition is the country's only design competition to focus on interior design projects and products without regard to size, budget, or location. This year, 34 winners represent the breadth of urban and rural design across Canada.

Learn more about the award, and see the project featured on Canadian Interiors’ website and in the July/August issue of the magazine.