Save the Date for our 2024 Design + Honor Awards
AIA Blue Ridge seeks to recognize outstanding design by practitioners and students in our region from the last ten years. We welcome submissions of built and unbuilt projects for our biannual Design + Honor Awards in a variety of categories: Architecture, Design for Context, Extended Use, Interiors, Small Projects, and Student work. The Design + Honor Awards Committee encourages design project entries in a variety of sizes, building types, and styles. Our call for entries will open April 15th, 2024.
The 2024 jury includes talented architects from across our region. Projects will be judged independently from other entries on their individual merit, solution to the challenge presented, and worthiness for recognition for excellence in architecture and design. All designs the jury considers worthy will be awarded, regardless of category and number.
To reduce the time and cost associated with the award submission process at the regional and state level, the 2024 AIA Blue Ridge Design + Honor Awards will accept electronic submissions following AIA Virginia guidelines. Only entries formatted and submitted as outlined below will be considered.
The 2024 Design + Honor Awards will be presented the evening of September 13, 2024, at the Fire Station One Boutique Hotel, in Downtown Roanoke. Additional event details will be provided in the coming weeks.
AIA Blue Ridge will continue to advocate for the quality design work being produced in our region by our talented community members by promoting 2024 Design Award recipients via public, printed, and online platforms across the region and beyond.
DESIGN AWARD CATEGORIES
ARCHITECTURE
Designers may submit projects of all types (including residential design) for consideration in the Architecture category. In their deliberations, the jury will consider aesthetics, adherence to the client program, proven and projected building performance, and concept development. An entry may be one building or a related group of buildings forming a single project. The work may also include any completed improvement designed by the submitting Architect including Parks and Plazas.
DESIGN FOR CONTEXT
Awards in this category recognize outstanding architecture that reflects the history, culture, and physical character of its surroundings while also contributing to the function, beauty, and meaning of the larger context. Both contemporary and historical design responses are eligible. Evaluation criteria include:
How does the design contribute to the architectural vocabulary of the surrounding physical context through tangible qualities such as scale, form, and materials?
How does the design respond to the place’s history and culture?
How does the design creatively embody the identity or mission of the place?
EXTENDED USE
AIA Blue Ridge welcomes submissions of Historic Preservation or Adaptive Use projects that highlight strategies and technologies for preserving, reusing, and restoring existing buildings. Projects submitted under Extended Use can fall into one of two categories:
Adaptive or Continued Use
Projects submitted in this category should include either a renovation within an existing building or new construction that expands an existing structure or site. The intent of this award is to recognize thoughtful interventions that create synergy between old and new construction, improve functionality, energy-efficiency, meet contemporary standards for comfort and utility, and/or capitalize on the embodied energy of an existing structure.
Historic Preservation
The Historic Preservation category includes restoration and rehabilitation of historically significant buildings, focusing specifically on excellence in strategies, tactics, and technologies that advance the art, craft, and science of preservation. The jury will also take into consideration adherence to state and national criteria for historic preservation.
INTERIORS
Interior architecture projects of distinction will evince mastery of composition, functionality, material and color palettes, and well-integrated adherence to the highest levels of accessibility, health and safety, environmental, and occupant-comfort considerations, standards, and regulations.
SMALL PROJECTS
Design excellence can be achieved, no matter the size or scope of a project. These awards celebrate projects with modest budgets that have a substantial impact. Projects must be under 5,000 square feet or under $150,000 in construction cost.
STUDENT WORK
AIA Blue Ridge invites submissions of built or unbuilt projects by Designers currently enrolled in an Architecture School in the AIA Blue Ridge Region OR who currently reside in the AIA Blue Ridge region and have been out of school no more than 3 years.
DESIGN AWARDS SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
PRACTITIONERS
Complete submissions will require assembly of (3) digital PDF files and (1) image per entry.
PDF #1 – Concealed Identity PDF will be titled concealed_ID.pdf
Include Project name and address
Include Owner’s name, address, email, and phone number
Include Designer’s name, address, email, and phone number
Include Contractor’s name, address, email, and phone number
Include Photographer’s name, address, email, and phone number
Identify a single image or graphic from your submission that you would prefer to be used in AIA Blue Ridge outreach efforts.
PDF #2 – Project PDF up to (6) pages will be titled project.pdf
8.5×11 inches in size, not more than 10 MB.
Page 1: brief project description (voided of the design firm’s name or logo) and category to which it is being submitted
Pages 2, 3, 4, 5, 6: photographs, renderings, and/or plans/sections that provide a clear understanding of the project. Also encouraged are concept sketches that communicate the development of the project and/or its method of construction.
All images must have a minimum resolution of 300 DPI.
PDF #3 – Presentation Board PDF will be titled board.pdf
A single, digital 24x36 landscape (horizontal) board not more than 10 MB in size.
A brief project description.
Drawings, photographs, renderings, and/or plans/sections that provide a clear understanding of the project. Also encouraged are concept sketches that communicate the development of the project and/or its method of construction
All images must have a minimum resolution of 300 DPI.
Primary Image – Include a single image or graphic from your submission that you would prefer to be used in AIA Blue Ridge outreach efforts.
STUDENTS
Complete submissions will require assembly of (2) digital PDF files and (1) image per entry.
PDF #1 – Concealed Identity PDF will be titled concealed_ID.pdf
Include Project name and location
Include Designer’s name, address, email, and phone number
Include University and Degree Program
Include Professor’s name and email
Identify a single image or graphic from your submission that you would prefer to be used in AIA Blue Ridge marketing efforts.
PDF #2 – Project PDF will be titled project.pdf
A single, digital 24x36 landscape (horizontal) board not more than 10 MB in size.
A brief project description.
Drawings, photographs, renderings, and/or plans/sections that provide a clear understanding of the project. Also encouraged are concept sketches that communicate the development of the project and/or its method of construction
All images must have a minimum resolution of 300 DPI.
Primary Image – Include a single image or graphic from your submission that you would prefer to be used in AIA Blue Ridge outreach efforts.
BLUE RIDGE CHAPTER HONOR AWARDS
HONOR AWARD
AIA Blue Ridge seeks nominations recognizing the contributions of non-member individuals or organizations that have inspired, influenced, or complemented the architecture profession in our region through the practice of an allied profession, research, education, planning, legislation, architectural writing, the arts, or crafts. Potential nominees could include an artisan/craftsperson, author, civic activist, code official, educator, lawyer, legislator, planner, developer, philanthropist, preservationist, or anyone who has contributed to our profession and the built environment in a unique and meaningful way.
Submission Materials:
In a single PDF file of not more than 20 pages and not more than 10 MB, compile the following:
• Nominator’s statement: The statement should be no more than a paragraph and should include a concise description of the applicant and summarize how the nominee meets the criteria for the award.
• Narrative information: This information should detail nominee’s qualifications for award, citing specific examples related to evaluative criteria.
• Biographical information: This information should include education, professional history, volunteer efforts, and awards/recognition received by the candidate.
EMERGING PROFESSIONAL AWARD (NEW!)
This award is presented by the AIA Blue Ridge Board for outstanding community engagement, leadership, and chapter involvement by an emerging professional in our region.
Eligibility:
AIA or Associate AIA member in good standing.
Must be either unlicensed or have been licensed to practice architecture fewer than 10 years by the submission deadline.
Criteria:
Candidates will be evaluated on their contributions to the profession in one or more of the following categories:
Advancement of design and/or design discourse
Advancement of the profession, including service to the AIA
Service to their community
Service to the profession
Advancement of social justice, equity, diversity, or inclusion
Advocacy of the built environment
Submission Materials:
In a single PDF file of not more than 5 pages and not more than 10 MB, compile the following:
Nominator’s statement: The statement should be no more than a paragraph and should include a concise description of the applicant and summarize how the nominee meets the criteria for the award.
A brief biography and resume/curricula vitae, not to exceed 2 pages.
A letter of support from a Supervisor or AIA Blue Ridge member in good standing.
REGULATIONS
The submitting designer shall clear all drawings and photographs for unrestricted release and reproduction in connection with publicity of the program including, but not limited to, print media, web media, and exhibition.
The submitting designer may qualify as a member of the design team, whether or not serving as the head of that team. Where one individual is not the sole author, all other persons substantially contributing to the design of the project must be given credit as part of the submission, regardless of professional discipline. Project authorship will remain concealed throughout the judging process.
Entries will have been completed after January 1, 2014 by licensed architects or architectural firms in the AIA Blue Ridge Region. Student work entries must have been completed while the Designer was in school.
FEES (per entry): First / Subsequent
AIA Members: $100 / 75
Associate Members: $50 / 35
Non-AIA Members: $200 / 150
Students: $20 / 20
SCHEDULE
Submissions open APRIL 15th, 2024 and should be emailed to contact@aiablueridge.org by JULY 19, 2024 at 5 pm EDT.
ELIGIBILITY
All entries must be the work of licensed architects, students, or Associate Members who work in an office or study in the AIA Blue Ridge area OR are members of AIA Blue Ridge. The location of projects is not restricted, but any built work submitted must have been completed after January 1, 2014. Unbuilt professional work will also be considered, as long as it was commissioned by a client as opposed to hypothetical work completed in the mode of research or academic training.