Winter Stations, a single-stage international design competition held annually in Toronto, Canada, is open for this year’s edition to participants worldwide.
Participants are tasked with designing temporary winter art installations that incorporate existing lifeguard towers spaced strategically across the city’s Kew and Woodbine beaches. The lifeguard stations which are not in use in the wintertime must not be ignored in the design and can be used as either an armature for the installations, a central feature, or otherwise linked to the installation. 
As in previous years, Winter Stations intends to build approximately four winning proposals for a six-week exhibition along the waterfront. The competition is free to enter and open to everyone in the world.
The theme of Winter Stations 2020 is Beyond the Five Senses, and aims to explore the interaction and overlap of these senses such as the sense of balance and proprioception in exploring the environment. 
Installations may show how our senses work or appeal to one or more specific senses. Ideally, the exhibition will present some understanding of how humans, as well as animals, make meaning of their world, both internal and external.
Given the success of the past years’ re-use/repurpose/recycle initiative, Winter Stations continues to encourage proposals that evolve into future iterations, as on-going research and design projects that demonstrate an environmentally-conscious post-exhibition lifecycle, including de-commissioning/removal. 
The lifeguard stands are essentially identical. They are sturdy steel structures to which the installation can be fastened. The method of fastening is up to each competitor, however it must not result in any damage to (or modification of) the structure. Participants must also take into account minimal security and the possibility of vandalism or simply wear and tear from the curious. The venue also doesn’t offer any power or utilities, so designs that need to use electricity or fire will be ruled out. Proposals should also indicate how materials would be disposed of, recycled and/or repurposed at the end of the display period. 
Proposals need to adhere to a budget of CAD$5,000 for materials and CAD$10,000 for labour. An honorarium will be provided to winners which includes CAD$3,500 for design fee and CAD$1,500 for participants’ travel expenses. For more details, visit Winter Stations
