Local businesses honoured at 2019 architectural woodworking awards

CANMORE – Local businesses Sticks and Stones Design, Canmore Woodcrafters and Ashton Construction were honoured at the Architectural Woodwork Manufacturers Association of Canada (AWMAC) awards of excellence this year, winning the top prize for Product and Quality in the Small Commercial category.

The three businesses were recognized for their collaborative work on the Guardian Radiology clinic in Canmore that opened last year at 114 Railway Ave. With each business contributing and leveraging its own strengths, the project came to fruition.

“It’s a really good example of integrated design and execution, from design to the workmanship to the project management," said Aleks Zablotni-Schantz, senior interior designer and manager of Alberta operations at Sticks and Stones Design. "It was really nice for us for all three of us to get recognized for that particular space." 

Additionally, the project was a finalist in the Feature Millwork category alongside the new Calgary Public Library building.

“Being in the same sort of calibre, I mean the next jump up, the award winner was the Calgary Library," said Steve Ashton, project manager and director at Ashton Construction Services. "To be honoured alongside a project like that is pretty significant.” 

When Guardian Radiology approached the team, it was looking for a unique design esthetic that reflected Canmore’s mountain ranges and natural surroundings for its new office.

With that in mind, Sticks and Stones Design focused on utilizing timber and wood elements to create an earthy feel all throughout Guardian Radiology’s reception area and hallways. To accentuate the design, soft curves were added to create a comforting environment.

But the most noteworthy aspect of the project’s design is the mountain-scape signage wall. The reception’s signage is model of the Rundle Mountain set atop layers of wood slats, metallic lettering and backlit by LED lights as a final touch to the piece.

“So it’s this multi-faceted layer of really textural, shadow play of a mountain scape," Zablonti-Schantz said. "[Guardian Radiology] were kind of like, ‘oh, we’ll just kind of paint the back wall and we’ll put the signage on’ and this is kind of pushing it way forward. So they were so excited about that."

Canmore Woodcrafters executed the design, providing the precise millwork and craftsmanship needed to for the complexity of the project.

Along with the design and craftsmanship, another key component about the project is that all of the trade companies involved were Canmore businesses. Ashton Construction ensured all the services and trades were sourced locally from businesses like Cascade Mechanical to Mike’s Electric.

“One of my company's mandates is to keep my supply chain strong with locals because we all need to have each other’s backs when times are slow and when the times are good, there’s no difference,” Ashton said.

“It’s a really strong corporate mandate of Ashton Construction to work locally whenever we can.”

With recognition from AWMAC, Zablotni-Schantz hopes that this will help promote design and woodworking from Canmore businesses.

“We’re excited that this is putting design in Canmore on the map and there are so many beautiful buildings by other designers and other architects in town as well that are really putting Canmore on the map, but it’s just another little feather in the cap,” she added