The results are in! Popular design competition of outdoor installations, Winter Stations (aka Spring Stations) has just officially announced this year’s winners. The annual event normally takes place in the winter months on Toronto’s beachfront, but due to the pandemic things were postponed until spring.

Which is why if you took a jaunt through the Distillery District or near 33 Parliament Street any time in the past month, you may have noticed some pretty outstanding pieces on display.

So, without further adieu, the 2021 Spring Stations winners are…

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The Epitonium by M. Yengiabad: Shahed M. Yengiabad, Eleheh M. Yengiabad, Alrmeh M. Yengiabad and Mojtaba Anoosha.

 

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The description of the piece states that it is about the use of nature as a source of inspiration for artists, architects, and scientists. The Epitonium is a representation of a beautiful and functional landscape in harmony with its location. The design draws inspiration from a type of seashell, the epitonium, to convey this message.

From Small Beginnings by Jack Leather and Charlie Leather

 

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This piece is all about finding solace in the great outdoors. Its description highlights that many have returned to more holistic roots during the difficult times we are living through. The exterior shelves bear a “future forest” while the interior offers a bright refuge for quiet reflection. The piece conveys the message that “we are all simply at the beginning of our journeys.”

ARc de Blob by Aleksandra Belitskaja, Ben James and Shaun McCallum

 

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This next winner is fun to say the name of and even more fun to enjoy in all its glory. ARc de Blob is a colourful landmark. According to its description, it’s “a point of orientation, interaction and refuge.”  This installation pulls in aspects of a world we all know too well this year – the digital world. It uses a Mixed Reality App to interact and connect digitally. The arch itself is said to represent a “frame for a virtual portal” into the digital world.

THROBBER by Heidundgriess: Alexandra Grieß and Jorel Heid

 

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This walk-in installation is made up of 10 small trapezoidal “shelters” lined up next to each other. They are said to represent the diversity in ways that people seek refuge. From above, the piece forms the shape of a “throbber” (the digital icon for buffering), which we can derive all kinds of symbolic meaning from these days.

The final winner, Embrace by Colin Laplante, Grace Im, Ziyu Li, Brayden Popke, Nicole Ruiz, and Reem Yunis is not currently on display in Toronto.

The rest of the works are still viewable by the public, so if you haven’t check them out yet now’s the time to do so.

Congratulations to all the winners!