ONGOING RESEARCHES

Coordinated by the Canada Research Chair in Architecture, Competition and Quality at the Université de Montréal (Prof. Jean-Pierre Chupin), this project has received $412,000 in funding from the SSHRC’s INSIGHT programme (2026–2031). The interdisciplinary approach brings together researchers in interior design from the University of Montreal (Dr Olivier Vallerand, Prof. Carmela Cucuzzella), in landscape architecture from the University of Toronto (Prof. Rob M. Wright) and in urban planning from Toronto Metropolitan University (Dr Samantha Biglieri). Abstract It is now clear that not all public buildings will be accessible by 2040, despite the adoption of the Canadian Accessibility Act (LC 2019, ch.10). By perpetuating barriers that effectively exclude people with disabilities, these spaces cannot fulfil their ‘public’ role. In contrast to the progress made in environmental and sustainability issues, the lack of understanding of the spatial implications of experiences related to disability and special needs remains a major obstacle to educational, practical and policy responses across all disciplines of the built environment. Our previous research has demonstrated how awards for excellence and competitions influence definitions of quality in architecture, interior design, landscape architecture and urban planning. We hypothesise that competitions and awards still reflect cultural and behavioural biases and do not meet the requirements of the Accessibility Act. Representations of users remain rooted in a worldview where the human body is idealised and standardised by simplistic images from which neurodiversity is conspicuously absent. We propose to make these ideological and procedural barriers explicit by theorising them through a series of comparative analyses of competition entries and awards for excellence in the Canadian context. Using two databases compiled by our team (the Canadian Competition Catalogue and ArchiQualiData), the research focuses on around forty examples of public spaces at various scales identified within Canadian institutions, such as: cultural buildings, libraries, sports centres, state schools, public parks and civic centres. Paradoxically, these contexts raise questions of accessibility to varying degrees, even though they meet the requirements of current norms and standards. The research involves a qualitative comparative analysis of the projects and theoretical frameworks, as well as an inventory of educational approaches and shortcomings, and the collection of experiences reported by a reference group across four key areas: Axis 1 (POLICIES) – The issue of accessibility standards as benchmarks for access (Coordinated by Jean-Pierre Chupin and Samantha Biglieri) Axis 2 (THEORIES) – Rethinking representations and concepts of accessibility through the lens of inclusive quality (Coordinated by Olivier Vallerand and Jean-Pierre Chupin) Axis 3 (METHODS) – Improving methods for assessing and measuring inclusive quality through lived experience. (Coordinated by Samantha Biglieri and Olivier Vallerand) Axis 4 (PEDAGOGIES) – Awareness-raising and academic training on behavioural barriers and the social value of barrier-free environments (Coordinated by Professors Carmela Cucuzzella and Rob Wright) To address this complex phenomenon, the team combines multidisciplinary expertise in the fields of architectural theory, design thinking, gender and queer studies, urban studies and landscape research. Our team has gained international recognition for its work on competitions and awards for excellence. Two grants from the Canada Foundation for Innovation have enabled the establishment of digital documentation infrastructure that will be used for the comparative and qualitative cross-referencing of specialized data available via open access. This study aims to contribute to a better understanding of the limitations of accessibility norms, standards and policies. It calls for greater awareness in the education of designers, in the training of civil servants responsible for public procurement, and, more generally, in raising awareness among members of competition and award juries across all areas of the built environment. For more information: Public Exclusions: Understanding and Addressing the Inaccessibility of Public Buildings and Places in the Canadian Context Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada INSIGHT Grant (#435-2026-1072): Jean-Pierre Chupin, Chaire de recherche du Canada en architecture, concours et qualité  Samantha Biglieri Olivier Vallerand Carmela Cucuzzella Rob M. Wright

The ArchiQualiData database provides analyses and studies of exemplary and award-winning living environments, real-life experiences and case studies. DISCOVER detailed studies conducted by researchers, providing unique insights into exceptional buildings and places. ACCESS testimonials from people who have directly interacted with these entities, enriching understanding through authentic stories. FIND precise information on each exemplary entity, thanks to a simple interface and advanced search system.

2022-2027 – Jean-Pierre Chupin leads the $8.6 Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada research partnership, including a $2.5M SSHRC grant.

2023-2025 - Jean-Pierre Chupin, Carmela Cucuzzella and Bechara Helal sign a research agreement with the Ville de Montréal for the project: "Living quality every day: Protocol for investigating and qualitatively assessing the social value of public buildings by collecting user experiences." Bureau du design. Research agreement. Funding agency: Ville de Montréal ($65,000)

2023-2025 – Programming and unfolding of interfaces to raise public awareness of the quality of built environments

2023-2025 – Jean-Pierre Chupin obtains a new research contract with Public Services and Procurement Canada for the future of Ottawa's Wellington Street and its transformation into a civic space.

2022-2026 – The LEAP laboratory obtains a renewal of a $423,000 FRQSC grant to support research teams.

More than 3000 award-winning projects - designed by more than 1,000 architectural, urban planning and landscape architecture firms in Canada - first recorded in an Atlas of Research on Exemplarity in Architecture (AREA) At the initiative of the Canada Research Chair in Architecture, Competitions and (...)

Jean-Pierre Chupin, Carmela Cucuzzella, David Theodore, Georges Adamczyk Grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (Insight grants) 2017 - 2020

The didactic strategies of eco-artistic installations.

Izabel Amaral (Laurentian University), Jean-Pierre Chupin and Carmela Cucuzzella, research funded by the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada (Insight Development Grants) 2020-2022

The didactic potential of architecture in its relationship with the city.

A research on skyscrapers in main floods.

Two research projects: Spatializing the Missionary Encounter and Building Architectural Networks: American Missionary Schools in the Eastern Mediterranean.

CCC : The digital library for architecture, urbanism, design and landscape architecture projects designed in the context of competition in Canada designed and updated by : Université de Montréal Research Chair on Competitions and Contemporary Practices in Architecture (Jean-Pierre Chupin).

Discover the cartographic device MONTREAL-ARCHIMAP. The team of the Research Chair on Competitions and Contemporary Practices in Architecture embarked on the design and implementation of a cartographic application highlighting contemporary architecture in Montreal for the 375th anniversary of Montreal. (Nicholas Roquet and Jean-Pierre Chupin in collaboration with Humaneco.ca).