Little Red Library
Winnipeg, Manitoba

Category: Small Projects
Project Owner: David Penner Architect
Architect/Interior Designer/Landscape Architect of Record: David Penner Architect
Structural Consultant: Wolfrom Engineering Ltd.
Mechanical Consultant: Not stated
Electrical Consultant: Not stated
Contractor: Champion Iron Works
Additional Consultants: Not stated

The Project | Jury Comments

Framed by hoarfrost-covered trees, the iconic image of a vermilion box of knowledge perched on Winnipeg’s frozen Assiniboine River is conceptually powerful and seductive, evoking the solitude of prairie life. Depicted in both winter and summer as a portable all-season pop-up, the delightfully poetic structure serves a valuable educative purpose while engendering a sense of community. The Little Red Library references the tradition of warming huts favoured by ice-fishing enthusiasts in northern climes, entirely appropriate for its Manitoba context. The jury acknowledges budgetary constraints, but regrets that the project’s execution does not quite meet the standard of excellence.