The Retail Design Institute named Mackage, in Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre, its 2016 Store of the Year. The honor was announced May 24 at the Institute’s 46^th Awards Gala & Fundraiser in New York City.

Designed by BURDIFILEK, Toronto, the 2,600-sq.-ft. store was also recognized for innovation in lighting design and overall concept. A Canadian-based chain, Mackage gained a cult following for its outerwear collections and has since evolved into a lifestyle brand. The collaboration between BURDIFILEK design team and Mackage team, drew inspiration from the urban sensibility of a modern ski chalet where the environment becomes a welcome respite from the “busyness” of the traditional shopping experience.

In all, the Institute’s annual international store design competition awarded 42 projects representing the work of 32 firms (10 international and 22 North American design consultants) in addition to Innovation awards in 11 categories from artistic expression to technology integration.  The Minneapolis | St. Paul Chapter handled coordinating judging of more than 125 projects submitted for competition. Judges were: Judy Bell, founder and chief energetic officer, Energetic Retail, Minneapolis; Dan Berg, creative director, Shea Design, Minneapolis; James Damian, principal, James Damian Brand Integration Services, Minneapolis; Maureen Mitton, CID, professor, Design Department Director, Interior Design B.F.A. Program; University of Wisconsin-Stout, Menomonie, Wis.; Jeremy Nelson, principal, Little Box, Inc., Minneapolis; Reginaldo Reyes, vice president, Brand Experience, KNOCK Inc., Minneapolis; Jamie Sneed, director, Global Store Design, Planning and Visual Merchandising, Aveda, Blaine, Minn.; and Sanford Stein, principal, STEIN LLC, St. Paul, Minn.

Additionally, two veteran design professionals were inducted into the Legion of Honor. Kathleen Jordan, AIA, CID, LEED AP, RDI, retail practice area leader and principal, Gensler, New York City and Joseph P. Nevin Jr., FRDI, senior principal, Bergmeyer Associates, Boston, accepted their awards at the Gala. (See related story.)

August 8, Brampton, Ont.

• Design: dialogue 38, Toronto
• Construction: Cont-top Construction

B&B Italia, New York City

• Design: Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel Interiors, Milan
• Team: Advisors + Consultants; Scrivner + Wilkanowski Architecture & Design DPC; Steadfast Development & Construction

Bergdorf Goodman, New York City

• Design: MNA and Bergdorf Goodman
• Construction: Shawmut Design & Construction
• Innovation Awards for Fixtures, Finishes and Visual Merchandising

Best Buy Tech Home, Mall of America, Bloomington, Minn.

• Design: Chandler Inc.

BonLook, Pointe-Claire, Que.

• Design: Aedifica, Montreal
• Construction: Busch Construction

Brothers Marketplace, Weston, Mass.

• Design: BHDP Architecture
• Construction: Plan B Retail Design; Vertec

Cadillac House, New York City

• Design: Gensler

Calgary Co-op, Calgary

• Design: Shikatani Lacroix, Toronto

Cheflavor, Temecula, Calif.

• Design: Retail Habitats
• Construction: Arteco Partners/Pamona

The Clinic, Denver

• Design: JGA Inc.
• Construction: Beaver Builders

Desjardins Mobile Branch, Montreal

• Design: Aedifica, Montreal
• Construction: Loki Box

Desjardins Service Signature, Montreal

• Design: Aedifica, Montreal
• Construction: Anjinnov

EAST Izakaya, St. Catharines, Ont.           

• Design: dialogue 38
• Construction: Cont-top Contracting

Fabled By Marie Claire, London

• Design: gpstudio
• Construction: Cumberland Construction

Farmacia Lloris Gonzalez, Burriana, Castellon

• Design: Marketing-Jazz
• Construction: ATIKEL

Golden Harvest, Fanling, China

• Design: ARTTA Concept Studio
• Innovation Award for Graphics

Herman Miller, New York City

• Design: Herman Miller; Vincent Bandy Architect

Hickey Freeman, New York City

• Design: Two One Two Design; R H Sweers Architect
• Construction: Marlboro Group International

hyper-mart, Hunan, China

• Design: rkd retail/iQ
• Construction: BBG Commercial Chain Co., Ltd.: BBG Group; Hunan Construction Engineering Co., Ltd.

The Hyundai, Pangyo, South Korea

• Design: JHP Design
• Construction: Hyundai Construction

Indigo, Toronto

• Design: BURDIFILEK
• Construction: APM Construction Services

Innovation Award for Store Planning

Interceramic Showroom, Dallas

• Design: CallisonRTKL
• Construction: Scott & Reid Genera Contractors

La Sirena, New York City

• Design: TPG Architecture
• Construction: Shawmut Design & Construction

LeEco Experience Showroom, Beijing

• Design: CallisonRTKL
• Construction: Haya Retail Solutions

Level Kids, Dubai

• Design: FITCH
• Construction: Deco Emirates

Mamas & Papas, London

• Design: Dalziel & Pow
• Construction: S W Watson & Son Ltd.

Masseria, Toronto

• Design: BURDIFILEK
• Construction: Structure Corp.

Metropole, Sydney           

• Design: Otto Design Interiors

Missguided, London           

• Design: Dalziel & Pow
• Construction: Goodman Hitchens PLC

Nordstrom, Yorkville Shopping Centre, Toronto

• Design: Nordstrom Store Design and CallisonRTKL
• Construction: Govan Brown

Innovation Award for Storefront

Penguin Shop, Toronto

• Design: figure3
• Construction: Meubles Busch

PIRCH SoHo, New York City

• Design: FITCH
• Construction: Burke Construction

Pizza Pasta Please, Campbelltown, NSW

• Design: Otto Design Interiors

Rent the Runway, New York City

• Design: Heitler Houstoun Architects
• Patrick J. Conlon

Saks Fifth Avenue, Toronto           

• Design: FRCH Design Worldwide
• BHDP Architecture

Innovation Award for Artistic Expression

Saks Food Hall by Pusateri’s, Sherway Gardens, Toronto

• Design: GH+A design studios
• Construction: Alex Rebanks Architects Inc. and Jasper Construction

 Silver Deer, Mexico City

• Design: Materia Groupo Forma Arquitectos

Sport Chek, Toronto

• Design: Stoever Jones Design with Ruscio Studio Inc.; Sam Silas Architect
• Construction: Rochon Building Corporation

Innovation Award for Digital Integration

Teavana, Palo Alto, Calif.

• Design: Starbucks Coffee Co. and ArcVision

Vision Source, Kingwood, Tenn.

• Design: RetailOne
• Construction: YSM; HM General Contractors

YU Seafood, Richmond Hill, Ont.           

• Design: dialogue 38
• Construction: Cont-top Contracting

The annual  Gala is also a fundraiser benefiting the Institute’s Student Design Competition Prize Fund. Gala sponsors included Karen Pearse Global Direct (Gold Sponsor), Little Diversified Architectural Consulting and CallisonRTKL (Silver Sponsors). Bronze sponsors included: Aedifica, ArcVision, ASI, ARTTA, BHDP, BURDIFILEK, Gensler, Highland Associates, Heitler Houstoun Architects, MNA, RetailOne, Shawmut Design & Construction and TPG Architecture. Chain Store Age magazine is the Institute’s media partner in promoting and publishing the winning projects.

The Institute thanks the Minneapolis | St. Paul Chapter for organizing and facilitating the 46^th Awards Program Judging in the Minneapolis offices of Shea Design in March. Special thanks to Ashley Melanson and Beth Bentson assisted by Libby Shea Hurley, Calvin Clinton, Monica Coleman and Mara Kuzmanovic.