2025 Excellence in Design Awards Winners List

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2025 EXCELLENCE IN DESIGN AWARDS WINNERS

At the 2025 CELEBRATE DESIGN celebration, held on Thursday, October 16 at Marriott International's Corporate Headquarters in Bethesda, 18 outstanding projects were honored at this year's Excellence in Design Awards. AIAPV Awards Committee Chair Scott Knudson, AIA, joined by AIAPV President Marc Feinstein, AIA, and President-Elect Emily Lally, AIA, led the recognition of this year's award-winning work.

View our 2025 Design Awards Winners Gallery for more information.

PROFESSIONAL AWARDS

PV AWARD — Recognizing "Best in Show" 
Design Exemplifying Elements of AIA’s Framework
for Design Excellence
Joy Evans Therapeutic Recreation Center

Architect: DLR Group
Owner: DC Department of General Services
Contractor: Smoot Construction Company 
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GOLD AWARD — Recognizing "Best in Show"
Residential Design
Del Ray Passive House

Architect: CEDAR Architects
Owner: Confidential
Contractor: Thorsen Construction
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GOLD AWARD — Recognizing "Best in Show"
Non-Residential Design
Bowie State University, Martin Luther King, Jr. Center
for Communication Arts and Humanities

Architect: Perkins&Will
Owner: Bowie State University
Contractor: Whiting Turner Contracting Company 
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Commercial or Mixed-Use Architecture
COMMENDATION
Rosewood Townhouses
Architect: Winstanley Architects & Planners
Owner: Rosewood CTF Development / Kristian Overbeek
Contractor: Pizzano Contractors
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Interior Architecture
MERIT
A 15 Year Library for 10,000 Books
Architect: McInturff Architects
Owner: Confidential
Contractor: Added Dimensions Inc / Alan Kanner
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Interior Architecture
COMMENDATION
Baden Branch Library
Architect: Grimm + Parker Architects
Owner: Prince George's County Memorial Library System
Contractor: Nardi Construction
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Residential Architecture
HONOR
Flint Hill
Architect: Gardner Architects LLC
Owner: Confidential
Contractor: Willoughby
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Residential Architecture
MERIT
McKay-Scheer Studio
Architect: Hill & Hurtt Architects
Owner: Lisa Scheer & Hugh McKay
Contractor: Design/Build Inc. - Dave Flumer
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Residential Architecture
MERIT
Del Ray Passive House
Architect: CEDAR Architects
Owner: Confidential
Contractor: Thorsen Construction
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Residential Architecture
COMMENDATION
Bullis Park Residence
Architect: Carib Daniel Martin A+D
Owner: Marc + Brandy Blair
Contractor: Classic Homes of Maryland / Howard Saslow + Tim Moser
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Institutional Architecture
HONOR
Saint James School Pohanka Fine Arts Center
Architect: MSB Architects
Owner: Saint James School
Contractor: Callas Contractors
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Institutional Architecture
HONOR
Bowie State University, Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for
Communication Arts and Humanities
Architect: Perkins&Will
Owner: Bowie State University
Contractor: Whiting-Turner Contracting Co.
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Institutional Architecture
HONOR
Joy Evans Therapeutic Recreation Center
Architect: DLR Group
Owner: DC Department of General Services
Contractor: Smoot Construction Company
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Institutional Architecture
HONOR
Montgomery College Math and Science Building
Architect: SmithGroup
Owner: Montgomery College, Lisa Thomas, Senior Project Manager, Assoc. AIA, LEED GA
Contractor: Barton Malow Construction / David Coleman
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Institutional Architecture
COMMENDATION
Ellen Ochoa Middle School
Architect: Grimm + Parker Architects
Owner: Prince George's County Public Schools
Contractor: MCN Build
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Multi-Family Architecture
MERIT
Atworth
Architect: WDG
Owner: Gilbane Development Company / Bobby Gilbane, Matt Michetti, Stefano Terricola
Contractor: CBG Building Company / Tom Sedeski
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Multi-Family Architecture
MERIT
Union on Knox
Architect: WDG
Owner: Greystar/ John Beinert
Contractor: John Moriarty & Associates, LLC / Chris Woitowicz
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Multi-Family Architecture
MERIT
The Braystone
Architect: Winstanley Architects & Planners
Owner: Holladay Corporation and The Foundry Companies
Contractor: Holladay Corporation
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Multi-Family Architecture
COMMENDATION
The Leggett + Silver Spring Recreation & Aquatic Center (SSRAC)
Architect: Kishimoto.Gordon.Dalaya PC (KGD Architecture)
Owner: Housing Opportunities Commission, Montgomery County, MD
Contractor: Costello Construction
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Small Projects
MERIT
Hillandale Pavilion
Architect: Winstanley Architects & Planners
Owner: Montgomery Parks, Wheaton HQ
Contractor: Dustin Construction
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Unbuilt Architecture
MERIT
Torpedo Factory Arts Center
Architect: Winstanley Architects & Planners
Owner: Route 66
Contractor: N/A
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EMERGING PROFESSIONALS AWARDS

DESIGN AWARD – FIRST PLACE
Project  The Jonestown Stacks
Jonestown, Baltimore, Maryland
Design Team  Rafael Gonzalez, David Otieno, Jo-Elisa Clarke, Brandon Clear
Architecture Firm  Torti Gallas + Partners, Inc.
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DESIGN AWARD – SECOND PLACE
Project  One Stair at a Time 
Mount Vernon, Baltimore, Maryland
Design Team  Thomas Long and Rafael Gonzalez
Architecture Firm  Torti Gallas + Partners, Inc.
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DESIGN AWARD – THIRD PLACE
Project  Kintsugi Commons
Cannon Hill, Frederick, Maryland
Design Team  Finn Shamieh
Architecture Firm  N/A
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STUDENT AWARDS

DESIGN AWARD – FIRST PLACE
Project  Breaker Station: Revitalizing Appalachia, VA
Appalachia, VA
Student Team Shannon Sinnicki and Melissa Johnson Arriagada
School  University of Maryland, College Park
Professor  Peter Noonan, FAIA
Course  ARCH 601
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DESIGN AWARD – SECOND PLACE
Project  Food Service: Cultivating Food Equity & Resilience in the Heart of Ivy City
Ivy City, Washington, DC
Student  Judy Tram
School  University of Maryland, College Park
Professor  Daniel Curry, AIA
Course  ARCH799: Master’s Thesis Research
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DESIGN AWARD – HONORABLE MENTION
Project  Carving Communities
Eckington, Washington, DC
Student Team  Dieu Merci Kamate and Sergio Gomez
School  University of Maryland, College Park
Professor  Peter Noonan, FAIA
Course ARCH 601
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