Benchmark is now collecting submissions from designers around the world for their work to be displayed at Lake Winnipeg.

This edition of Benchmark is attributed to David Penner, the late founder and longstanding Executive Director of Storefront Manitoba. His love for spending summers at the cottage with friends and family at Victoria Beach serves as the inspiration for the location of the new installation. 

The exact position of the site will be on the Victoria Beach Trail/8th to McCawley Trail (approximate Coordinates: 50.713406, -96.546263) for all to see this upcoming summer.

A variety of tree species resides in this location of the Boreal Shield, including black spruce, white spruce, tamarack, balsam fir, trembling aspen, green ash, white birch and poplar. This is the area that connects the beaches of Lake Winnipeg to the Manitoba-Ontario border.

It's used all year round for walking, running, cycling, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

map of victoria beach trail (suzy melo/benchmark)

Benchmark is an international competition for designers of all kinds, architects, landscape architects, artists, etc., to create installations along Winnipeg and Manitoba trail systems. This challenge has caught the eye of designers from all around: five continents, 21 countries, seven provinces and 12 U.S. states.

Selection of the installation design will be announced on March 15 on the Storefront Manitoba website, with adjudicators considering the creativity, cost, outdoor durability, fabrication methods, context and interpretation, public engagement, and consideration of the changing and unpredictable nature of the forest.

The deadline for submissions is Thursday, March 2 at 11:59 p.m. CST.

For more information on Benchmark, and requirements for submitting designs, visit its website