Photo Credit (Above): Scott Norsworthy

Location: Mississauga, Ontario

Architecture Practice: Diamond Schmitt Architects

Chosen by a jury of respected design experts, the 20 projects comprising the OAA’s 2026 Design Excellence Finalists represent a diverse range of building types, including sustainably designed community centres, innovative housing solutions, revitalized academic and cultural facilities, and transformative public spaces. These finalists serve as the shortlist for the OAA’s 10 Design Excellence Winners, which will be announced next month and honoured at the OAA Conference in the Waterloo Region in May. The biennial OAA Design Excellence Awards program offers Ontario practices the opportunity to display the transformative influence of architecture, promoting broader public recognition and appreciation for the field. The following media statement has been supplied by the submitting project team:

Designed as a “pavilion in the forest,” the Carmen Corbasson Community Centre strengthens its relationship to its woodland surroundings through a simple rectangular mass timber structure, introducing transparency and framing nature as an active participant in daily recreation. The 45,000-square-foot expansion integrates a natatorium, fitness centre, and aerobics studio with the existing arena and gymnasium complex.

Unifying multiple construction eras, the project extends the original building’s architectural logic while resolving circulation and accessibility challenges, and drawing daylight deep into the interior. The result is a design that expands programming opportunities, while renewing the Centre’s role as a vibrant community hub.

Photo Credit: Scott Norsworthy Photography

Photo Credit: Diamond Schmitt

Photo Credit: Scott Norsworthy Photography

This blOAAg post is part of a series exploring the OAA’s 20 Design Excellence Finalists for 2026, as selected by our jury.