Awards of Excellence

Celebrating Landscape Architecture in Atlantic Canada

Submission Deadline: Monday, November 2nd, 2026 at 5:00pm Atlantic time

APALA encourages members to submit projects to the Awards of Excellence. The awards program works to recognize and promote excellence in all aspects of the profession in Atlantic Canada and to communicate a strong awareness of the profession of landscape architecture to related professions, potential clients, and the general public.

Award Categories

Public Realm Designed by a Landscape Architect

Includes newly constructed or renovated works, such as:

  • Public and civic landscapes (parks, streets, plazas, gardens)

  • Privately-owned, publicly accessible landscapes

  • Commercial and institutional landscapes (schools, campuses, hospitals, long-term care facilities, businesses, corporate headquarters).

  • Projects must have been constructed before the submission date

Residential Landscapes Designed by a Landscape Architect

Newly developed or renovated single or multifamily residential projects constructed before the submission deadline such as:

  • Renovation or restoration projects

  • Rooftop gardens

  • Activity areas for cooking, entertaining, recreation, or relaxation

  • Sustainable landscape applications; new construction or renovation projects

  • Affordable landscape concepts and innovation

Planning and Analysis

Includes large-scale projects such as:

  • Regional planning and assessment

  • Land reserves, national parks, watershed and protected area planning

  • Natural resource management, environmental assessment, restoration, conservation or enhancement plans

  • Remediation plans

  • Community development plans

  • Master plans (not a site plan)

  • Historical management plans

Communication

Includes initiatives which have achieved success in communicating information relating to landscape architecture within or outside of the profession, such as:

  • Presentation materials or supporting documents.

  • Promotional plans and campaigns including marketing materials, such as a leaflet or press releases with cuttings/broadcast coverage generated.

  • Websites or blogs, company or project-specific publications.

  • Information for the general public introducing them to the profession.

  • Public or community consultation/engagement materials.

  • Explanatory or promotional documents, films, publications.

  • Materials used in schools such as lesson plans and handouts.

How to Apply

The following items must be submitted electronically by email or file-share (Dropbox or similar) to admin@apala.ca.

  1. Completed entry form.

  2. Digital copies of relevant supporting materials (if applicable): drawings, plans, reports, other project-related material that will assist with judging.

  3. Letter from the client or owner stating that they are aware and supportive of the submission, and granting of the right to submit, publish, and/or exhibit the materials submitted as part of the entry.

  4. Digital images of the project for judging and publicity purposes: submissions of a minimum of 5 and maximum of 20 project images in .jpg format saved as “Image

    1.jpg, Image 2.jpg” etc. Low resolution (100 dpi) images are acceptable for judging

    purposes, however high resolution (300 dpi) images may be requested. The images must include a location map and/or site plan sufficient to allow the site to be located in software such as Google Earth.

  5. A summary of how the applicant feels the project meets the evaluation criteria (maximum 500 words).

  6. A short written paragraph suitable for a press release or inclusion in social media

  7. content (maximum 75 words).

Please note, there is no entry fee for submission to the APALA Awards of Excellence.

INQUIRIES

Entrants will be notified of receipt of their project within ten days of the deadline. For further information, questions, or clarifications, please contact the Executive Assistant via email at admin@apala.ca

Download the Entry Form
View Award Guidelines

2024 Award Winners

  • 2024 Awards of Excellence

    Category: Public Realm
    Project: UNB Harriet Irving Library Rose Garden
    Location: Fredericton, NB
    Firm: Brackish Design Studio

  • 2024 Awards of Excellence

    Category: Communication
    Project: Indigenize Downtown St. John’s
    Location: St. John’s, NL
    Firm: Mills & Wright Landscape Architecture

  • 2024 Awards of Excellence

    Category: Residential & Awards of Special Recognition
    Project: Riverside Ranch
    Location: Bayside, NB
    Firm: Brackish Design Studio

  • 2024 Awards of Excellence

    Category: Public Realm
    Project: National War Memorial & Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
    Location: Saint John’s, NL
    Firm: Mills & Wright Landscape Architecture

2024 Awards of Excellence Report

Former Award Winners

  • Firm: Brackish Design Studio
    Project:     Riverside Ranch
    APALA Award of Excellence: Residential & Award of Special Recognition

    Firm: Mills & Wright
    Project:     Indigenize Downtown St. John’s
    APALA Award of Excellence: Communication

    Firm: Mills & Wright Landscape Architecture
    Project:     National War Memorial & Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
    APALA Award of Excellence: Public Realm

    Firm: Brackish Design Studio
    Project: UNB Harriet Irving Library Rose Garden
    APALA Award of Excellence: Public Realm

  • Fathom Studio
    Queen’s Marque Public Realm
    APALA Awards of Excellence: Large Scale Landscape Architecture.

    Mills & Wright
    Grand Bay West Trail Renewal Plan
    APALA Awards of Excellence: Planning and Analysis

    Brackish Design Studio
    Ejetdaik - Government of Canada Pension Centre Landscape Revitalization
    APALA Awards of Excellence: Small Scale Landscapes

    Brackish Design Studio
    The Shore House
    APALA Awards of Excellence: Residential Landscapes

  • Virginia Burt Designs Inc.Art Belongs in the Garden
    APALA Awards of Excellence
    Residential Landscapes Designed by a Landscape Architect


    Mills & Wright Landscape Architects    First Light Residential School Survivors Memorial Garden Master Plan
    APALA Awards of Excellence
    Planning and Analysis


    Fathom Studio    Yarmouth Mainstreet Redevelopment Phase 2
    APALA Awards of Excellence
    Small-Scale Landscapes Designed by a Landscape Architect and Award of Special Recognition

    FULL REPORT

  • Outside! Landscape Architects
    Cabot Trail Retreat
    APALA Awards of Excellence
    Residential Landscapes Designed by a Landscape Architect

    Glenn Group
    Irving Oil Fieldhouse Enhanced Wetland
    APALA Awards of Excellence
    Large-Scale Landscapes Designed by a Landscape Architect

    Mills & Wright Landscape Architects
    Find your Centre Mount Pearl
    APALA Awards of Excellence
    Communication

    Tract Consulting
    Quidi Vidi Winners Circle
    APALA Awards of Excellence
    Small-Scale Landscapes Designed by a Landscape Architect and Award of Special Recognition

    Fathom Studios
    Word Murals
    HUDA Award of Excellence in Community Connections & Initiatives

    Outside! Landscape Architects Inc.
    Keshen Goodman Outdoor Library
    HUDA Award of Merit in Civic Design

    Outside! Landscape Architects Inc.
    Daffodil Garden for Cancer Survivors
    HUDA Award of Merit in Community Connections & Initiatives

  • BDA Landscape Architects
    Moncton Event Center Plaza
    APALA Awards of Excellence
    Small-Scale Landscapes Designed by a Landscape Architect

    Fathom Studios
    Argyle & Grafton Shared Streetscapes
    APALA Awards of Excellence
    Large-Scale Landscapes Designed by a Landscape Architect

    Mills & Wright Landscape Architects
    Discover Cows Head
    APALA Awards of Excellence
    Planning & Analysis

  • Fathom Studios
    Fort Needham Memorial Park
    APALA Awards of Excellence
    Large Scale Landscapes Designed by a Landscape Architect

    Mills & Wright Landscape Architects
    Mount Pearl Walks: A Master Plan for the City of Mount Pearl’s Trail Network
    APALA Awards of Excellence
    Communications.

    Outside! Landscape Architects Inc.
    Halifax Hospice Contemplative Garden
    APALA Awards of Excellence
    Small-Scale Landscapes Designed by a Landscape Architect

    UPLAND
    Cape d’Or Master Plan
    APALA Awards of Excellence
    Planning and Analysis