KENTVILLE – The new library is town is turning some heads.
houdinidesign ARCHITECTS was recently named the winner of a 2018 Maritime Architectural Design Excellence Award in recognition of the creative vision at the heart of the transformation of the decommissioned United Church of St. Paul and St. Stephen, now a go-to community hub as the new home of the Kentville Library.
Architects associations from Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick rallied together to present the awards jointly, receiving submissions from across the region. Internationally-recognized industry experts reviewed the entries.
“It is a great compliment,” says architect Lisa Tondino, owner of houdinidesign ARCHITECTS, in a recent press release.
“Being honoured by our peers is as wonderful as being selected by the users of the library as the Valley's 2018 Best Public Space in The Grapevine.”
Team member Jordan Spidle accepted the Award of Merit on behalf of houdinidesign ARCHITECTS during a gala in Saint John, N.B. June 1.
“I couldn’t be more proud of the work that houdinidesign put into this project,” stated Rachel Bedingfield, Director of Parks and Recreation with the Town of Kentville, in a prepared statement.
“This project took a lot of time and energy and they consistently steered us toward a space that was innovative and progressive for the site. Lisa and her team are well-deserving of accolades, and we get to appreciate the fruit of their labour for many years to come.”
The library is housed in a stone and timber-framed building constructed in 1914. The Annapolis Valley Regional Library system started operating a branch out of the renovated site in late 2017.
“This beautiful, historical building could have sat underutilized but now it is a vital part of the community that is used every day,” said Kentville Mayor Sandra Snow in a media release.
“Libraries are the foundation of a healthy community for so many reasons, and this building shows that we care about our past as well as our future.”
