The City of Oshawa recently revealed the winners of its 2012 Urban Design Awards and Durham College is proud to announce that it has received an Award of Excellence for its Student Services building (SSB).

The awards were handed out during special ceremony held at The Robert McLaughlin Gallery in Oshawa on November 15 with the SSB named as one of seven projects receiving the honour, which is given for reflecting excellence in architecture and urban design and enhancing the appearance, liveability and quality of life in the city.

The SSB, which officially opened in March 2011, is one of the most comprehensive and all-encompassing student services facilities in the province. Designed to help students in their education efforts while fostering lifelong learning, it serves as a vital first point of access for potential applicants, current students and graduates and establishes a familiar resource over the lifespan of an individual’s relationship with the college.

Funded through the Knowledge Infrastructure Program, a joint federal and provincial initiative to support post-secondary institutions across Canada, the SSB is a stunning landmark that supports the college’s mission that the student experience comes first.

“Receiving this award reinforces our vision to provide unparalleled service to our students and a unique landmark for our campus that is distinct, modern and practical,” said Don Lovisa, president, Durham College.  “The SSB distinguishes Durham College as a leader in post-secondary education on many levels including our state-of-the-art student services model, first-class facilities and commitment to accessibility.”

The Urban Design Awards were created to acknowledge the significant contributions that architects, landscape architects, urban designers, planners, developers, builders, renovators and other individuals make to the City of Oshawa.  In addition to receiving an Award of Excellence Durham College’s Student Services building is also eligible to participate in the 2014 Royal Architectural Institute of Canada National Urban Design Awards (Tier II) Program.