AZURE's Great Canadian Design Road Trip: 10 Must-See Stops
In celebration of Canada Day, AZURE magazine has released a guide highlighting the top design spots across Canada for a road trip. This route features notable sites in Halifax, Montreal, Prince Edward County, Toronto, Grey County, Niagara Region, Thunder Bay, Winnipeg, Edmonton, and Victoria. Key attractions include Halifax's Queen's Marque, Montreal's Recess Thermal spa, and the Drake Devonshire Inn in Prince Edward County. Toronto's CN Tower marks its 50th anniversary with an updated observation deck. Grey County is home to Leeward House, while the Niagara Region introduces the Niagara Falls Exchange. Additionally, Thunder Bay's Prince Arthur's Landing and Winnipeg's Indigenous-focused architecture, such as the Buffalo Crossing Visitor Centre and the Inuit Art Centre, are highlighted.
Key facts
- Canada Day falls mid-week in 2026, prompting a design road trip guide.
- Halifax's Queen's Marque features timber stairs by MacKay-Lyons Sweaatapple Architects.
- Stillwell Beergarden in Halifax is an infill project by Stotts Architecture with landscaping by Outside.
- Montreal celebrates 20 years as a UNESCO City of Design in 2026.
- Recess Thermal in Montreal is the city's first social hot-cold circuit spa, designed by Future Simple Studio.
- Lemay designed a welcome pavilion and bell tower at Saint Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal.
- Gorilla Park in Montreal's Mile Ex was designed by Civiliti.
- Le Violon restaurant in Montreal was designed by Zébulon Pérron with Dan Climan.
- Prince Edward County's Drake Devonshire Inn was renovated by ERA Architects and +tongtong.
- The Royal Hotel in Picton was restored by Giannone Petricone with landscaping by Janet Rosenberg & Studio.
- Base31 in Prince Edward County is a 70-hectare cultural district reusing a WWII air-training base.
- Volta Estate Winery by Giannone Petricone is set to open in 2028.
- Toronto's CN Tower celebrates its 50th birthday in 2026 with a renovated lower observation deck by Superkül and Boszko & Verity.
- Superkül also updated Robarts Library at University of Toronto with a fourth-floor reading room.
- Biidaasige Park in Toronto's Port Lands opened in 2025, designed by MVVA.
- Lassonde Art Trail features works by Alexandre Arachea and Tracey Emin.
- Grey County's Leeward House in Thornbury is a nine-room boutique hotel by Westgrove.
- Meaford Public Library was transformed by LGA Architectural Partners from a former grocery store.
- Creemore Village Green was designed by ERA Architects and PFS Studio.
- Niagara Falls Exchange (NFX) is a market hall by DTAH.
- Fat Rabbit restaurant in St. Catharines was designed by Brett Paulin.
- Thunder Bay's Prince Arthur's Landing was designed by Brook McIlroy.
- Thunder Bay Art Gallery's new building by Patkau and Brook McIlroy is 60% complete but halted due to $20 million funding shortfall.
- Winnipeg's Buffalo Crossing Paul Albrechtsen Visitor Centre was designed by Stantec with Indigenous consultation.
- Inuit Art Centre in Winnipeg was designed by Michael Maltzan with Inuk designers Nicole Luke and Mark Bennett.
- The Leaf in Winnipeg's Assiniboine Park was designed by KPMB Architects.
Entities
Artists
- Omar Gandhi
- Eric Mutrie
- Elizabeth Pagliacolo
- Sydney Shilling
- Kendra Jackson
- Alexandre Arachea
- Tracey Emin
- Drake
- John Andrews
- Megan Torza
- Zach Smith
- Brett Paulin
- Ryan Gorrie
- Shelby Gagnon
- Ricky Kruger
- Lak William
- Ryan Pooman
- Johnny Longfeather
- Luke Goerzen
- Cheryl Wirch
- Nicole Luke
- Mark Bennett
- Michael Maltzan
- Danny Smiles
- Dan Climan
- Zébulon Pérron
- Giorgio Morandi
- Angela Silver
Institutions
- AZURE magazine
- MacKay-Lyons Sweaatapple Architects
- Stotts Architecture
- Outside
- DesignAgency
- Sid Lee
- Future Simple Studio
- Lemay
- AtkinsRealis
- Provencher Roy
- NIP Paysage
- Civiliti
- ERA Architects
- +tongtong
- Giannone Petricone
- Janet Rosenberg & Studio
- Superkül
- Boszko & Verity
- MVVA
- GHD
- SLA
- Allies and Morrison Architects
- Trophic Design
- Waterfront Toronto
- National Gallery of Canada
- Westgrove
- LGA Architectural Partners
- PFS Studio
- DTAH
- Brett Paulin
- Brook McIlroy
- Patkau
- Stantec
- KPMB Architects
- UNESCO
- University of Toronto
- Thunder Bay Art Gallery
- Lakehead Beer Company
- Goods & Co. Market
- Hoito
- Persian Man
- Silver Islet General Store
- FortWhyte Alive
- Assiniboine Park
Locations
- Canada
- Halifax
- Nova Scotia
- Montreal
- Quebec
- Prince Edward County
- Ontario
- Wellington
- Bloomfield
- Picton
- Toronto
- Grey County
- Thornbury
- Meaford
- Creemore
- Clearview
- Niagara Region
- Niagara Falls
- St. Catharines
- Niagara-on-the-Lake
- Thunder Bay
- Winnipeg
- Manitoba
- Edmonton
- Victoria
- Mile Ex
- Mile End
- Plateau
- Little Italy
- Port Lands
- Scarborough
- Bridle Path
- St. George
- Spring Garden Road
- North End
- Queen's Marque
- Public Gardens
- Saint Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal
- Gorilla Park
- Robarts Library
- Biidaasige Park
- Ookwemin Minising
- Lassonde Art Trail
- Prince Arthur's Landing
- Sleeping Giant
- Silver Islet
- FortWhyte Alive
- Assiniboine Park
- The Leaf
- Inuit Art Centre
- Buffalo Crossing Paul Albrechtsen Visitor Centre
- CN Tower
- Drake Devonshire
- The Royal
- Wander the Resort
- The Eddie
- Base31
- Oeno Gallery
- Huff Estates
- Volta Estate Winery
- Leeward House
- Meaford Public Library
- Creemore Village Green
- Niagara Falls Exchange
- Fat Rabbit
- Tomlin
- Tomlin Subdivision
- Lakehead Beer Company
- Goods & Co. Market
- Hoito
- Persian Man
- Silver Islet General Store
- Bota Bota
- Recess Thermal
- Le Violon
- Bar Kismet
- Mystic
- The Narrows Public House
- Stillwell Beergarden
- HTSI
- Financial Times