2021 Design Awards Competition

2021 AIA Potomac Valley EXCELLENCE IN Design Awards Competition

The AIA Potomac Valley Excellence in Design Awards program is designed to encourage and recognize distinguished architectural achievement; to honor the architectural team, their clients and consultants who work together to improve the built environment; to demonstrate the breadth of services architects provide; and to celebrate and raise public consciousness of the architect’s role in shaping the quality of life through design excellence.

Important Note:

We are following the pandemic situation and restrictions closely, and will make decisions later in the year regarding AIAPV's Excellence in Design Awards event. At this time, we are planning for a live event on October 21—Celebrate Design 2021—in collaboration with Montgomery County Planning. Please note that all dates and details are subject to change (with the exception of the July 19 deadline for entries), and will depend on whether or not we are able to hold a live awards ceremony this year. We’ll communicate that information by updating our chapter website and this page as details are finalized.

CALL FOR ENTRIES

Entry deadline: MONDAY, JULY 19, 2021 11:59PM

Schedule

• Entry Deadline: Monday, July 19, 11:59pm:  Submission Forms, Material Uploads and Entry Fees are due by 11:59pm EDT. Entry fee payments must be made by credit card in the awards submission portal when the project is ready for final submission. NO LATE ENTRIES WILL BE ACCEPTED AND NO REFUNDS WILL BE ISSUED.
  
  
• August 2021: Online Individual Juror Review
  
  
• August 2021: Live / Virtual Collective Jury Review
  
  
• Thursday, October 21: Design Awards Ceremony at Celebrate Design 2021

The Design Awards ceremony at Celebrate Design 2021 is being planned as a live event to be held at Montgomery County Planning’s new Wheaton Headquarters. We'll provide an update regarding format and location as plans are confirmed.

View the 2020 Design Awards Entries Gallery

MEET THE JURY

2021 AIAPV Jury:
Kim Yao, AIA [Jury Chair] – Architecture Research Office (ARO)
Kimberly Dowdell, AIA – HOK
Takashi Yanai, FAIA – Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney Architects (EYRC)

DOWNLOAD THE 2021 CALL FOR ENTRIES (PDF)

Direct any questions to Pam Rich at [email protected]. 

SUBMIT A PROJECT

NEW in 2021

NEW Sustainability Award

In 2020, the Maryland AIA components introduced the Framework for Design Excellence to our awards programs. This year, AIAPV is introducing the PV Award for the project that best achieves the principles of the Framework for Design Excellence to the extent they are applicable to the project. Entrants must complete the optional section and check the box on the submission form to be considered for this award.

Another initiative introduced in 2020 was a new virtual awards gallery. This collaboration by the Maryland AIA components offers additional marketing and exposure for outstanding projects recognized by each component’s jury team.

ELIGIBILITY

Please carefully read through the eligibility requirements below to ensure you meet ALL criteria before submitting an entry because NO refunds will be given due to errors in submission.

Participation is open to built and unbuilt projects completed after January 1, 2016 that have not been previously awarded by AIA Potomac Valley [exception: projects that were previously awarded in an unbuilt category may be resubmitted in a built category]. Unbuilt submissions may not be under construction at the time of submission. There is no limit to the number of projects that may be entered by a firm and all materials included in submissions must be cleared for public reproduction. All eligible entrants must be AIA members in good standing as of June 1, 2021. Entries must be submitted by the Firm of Record or the Architect of Record.

Primary members of AIA Potomac Valley (architects or associates) who are a principal member of the design team, or a Principal of the Firm responsible for the project, may submit projects designed or built anywhere in the world.

Primary members of other AIA chapters (architects and associates) who are a principal member of the design team responsible for the project, or a Principal of the Firm that is responsible for the project, may submit projects that are located within the geographic boundaries of the Potomac Valley chapter (Allegany, Charles, Frederick, Garrett, Montgomery, Prince George’s, and Washington counties in Maryland).

ENTRY FEE

• AIAPV Members: $175 entry fee per project.
  
  
• Other AIA Members: $275 entry fee per project. 
  
  
• Small Projects only: 
  
      AIAPV Members: $80 per project entry
  
      Other AIA Members: $125 per project entry
  
  
• Entry fees are non-refundable, but upon request, may be deferred to the following year's awards program.
  
  
• Each entry includes one ticket to the Celebrate Design 2021 event.
  
  
• By submitting a project, the submitting architect asserts that he or she has provided a complete list of participants who contributed substantially to the design of the project (regardless of discipline) and absolves AIAPV of any responsibility for omissions.
  
  
• There is no limit to the number of projects that may be entered by a firm and all materials included in submissions must be cleared for public reproduction.

SUBMISSION CATEGORIES

Projects of all types and scales, including new construction, additions, renovations, and historic preservation projects are encouraged in each of the following categories:

• Institutional Architecture
• Commercial Architecture
• Multi-Family Architecture
• Interior Architecture
• Urban Design & Master Planning
• Unbuilt Architecture
• Residential Architecture
• Small Projects (in any of the above categories) Entry shall be any of the following:
• less than 1,000 sf
• cost less than $300,000
• an object

The size, scope, category or cost of a project in no way limits its eligibility or level of award. The jury evaluates entries based on how successfully projects meet their individual requirements. Entries are judged individually—not in competition with each other.

DOWNLOAD THE 2021 CALL FOR ENTRIES (PDF)

SUBMIT A PROJECT

NOTE: The Call for Entries and submission portal for all Maryland AIA chapters can be found at https://mdaiaawards.secure-platform.com/a/. For AIAPV's Call for Entries page directly, CLICK HERE