Winner Announced: 2025 Fokal Point Interior Design Award

We’re proud to announce the winner of the
2025 Fokal Point Interior Design Award!

Located in the heart of Kitchener, this thoughtfully designed institutional space was created to welcome students from diverse backgrounds, fostering a sense of belonging and community. Housed in a five-story mass timber building, the design celebrates the natural beauty and architectural character of the original structure while integrating modern learning, collaboration, and social spaces.

Each floor balances classrooms with areas for group work, quiet study, and community engagement. A major challenge was meeting strict mass timber code requirements while maintaining the building’s aesthetic integrity. Creative planning and collaboration allowed Dfy to integrate safety features and soundproofing without compromising the warmth and openness of the space.

Custom acoustic solutions and mechanical routing preserved exposed timber ceilings and columns, while large classrooms were carefully designed for comfort, accessibility, and media integration. Cultural diversity is reflected through curated art by local artists, reinforcing a sense of connection and inspiration.

The 5th-floor social hub brings the outdoors in, with integrated trees, nature-inspired design elements, and dynamic lighting that supports both relaxation and productivity. This project stands as a vibrant, inclusive hub where architecture, community, and innovation intersect—an educational space designed to inspire for generations to come.

Why It Stood Out
The project excelled in all four of our interior design evaluation categories:

• Creativity & Concept: A playful, expressive vision that invites curiosity and celebrates diversity.

• Functionality: Smartly zoned and highly usable—designed with people, movement, and comfort in mind.

• Aesthetic Execution: Every material and transition is thoughtfully resolved with design confidence and cohesion.

• Use of Materials & Detailing: Warm textures, sculptural forms, and detailed craft make this space both tactile and photogenic.

Verdict:
A dynamic, design-forward space that blends education, hospitality, and culture into a seamless, inspiring whole.

Project Team

Interior Designer / Interior Design Studio: Dfy Studio
Architect / Architectural Firm: NEO Architecture
General Contractor: Govan Brown
Developer: Ridgewood Holdings Inc.
Mech./ Elec. / Structural / Civil:
Mech & Elec. Rombald Engineering
Furniture: POI, The Collective and Atwork
Lighting: Salex
Millwork: Bendt Kitchens and Millwork
Life Safety: Vortex Fire Consulting Inc.
Photography: Wilson Costa

Salex, the largest lighting agency in Southern Ontario, has been a cornerstone of Canada’s architectural lighting community for over 50 years. As sponsors of the 2025 Fokal Point Interior Design Award, Salex continues to play a vital role in the industry. Renowned as a distributor and facilitator of commercial lighting installations and control systems, architects, engineers, and designers rely on Salex for effective, efficient, and sustainable lighting solutions.