Torontonians are invited back to the beach(es) this winter to enjoy the winners of the Winter Stations Design Competition.

Four winning designs and three student designs were selected (out of 380 entries) to transform lifeguard stations in the Beaches into art installations.

The second year competition is put on by Raw Design, Ferris + Associates and Curio. Design consultant Lisa Rochon is the jury chair. This year’s theme is freeze/thaw, reflecting changing winter climate conditions.

The final art pieces range from faux furs to a public sauna. The stations aim to encourage people to come out of hibernation and back to the beach. Outdoor assembly of the installations took place on the Family Day weekend with a wind chill of -39°C.

 

The Ryerson graduate team of Calvin Fung and Victor Huynh (Team Secret) decided to interpret the freeze/thaw theme into what they call Flow. 

“The materials we worked with really resonated with the theme of freeze/thaw,” said Fung. More than a thousand wood-slotted pieces formed Flow, a 3D re-imagination of an ice crystal.

Fung said the Feb. 15 opening was well received. “What really amazed people was how it came together.” The cold weather and wind, he said, wasn’t a deterrent to the enthusiasm.

Teresa Mytkowski was a member of a Ryerson group that created the installation Lithoform. She said Ryerson professors actively keep students engaged in such projects.

“While installing it, people were definitely curious. Once it was finished, people really enjoyed it, exploring the inside and exterior,” said Mytkowski. “People commented it was a great visual piece. When you come to the beach you notice something is happening, even if you don’t know a festival is happening.”

She jokes that after the festival, the installation probably wouldn’t work in anyone’s backyard.

She would love to see more art installations in other neighbourhoods around Toronto. “The winter months can be kind of dull, and it gives [people] something to look forward to.”

Winter Stations runs through to March 20 and the full winner list is online.