AIA New York’s annual Design Awards program recognizes outstanding architectural design in New York and around the world. The program awards projects that exemplify design excellence, demonstrating exceptional skill and creativity in the resolution of formal, functional, and technical requirements. Projects should consider the impacts of built design, addressing issues including ecological stewardship and social responsibility.   

Small- to large-scale and low- to high-budget projects are welcome and will be evaluated on their individual merits and ability to excel within the project’s constraints. 

All submissions will require the use of the AIA Framework for Design Excellence’s Common App. In 2019, AIA adopted the Framework as a set of guidelines and requirements to assess project performance and better address the interdependence between people, buildings, infrastructure, and the environment. While submissions do not need to address all the measures included in the Common App, applicants should highlight relevant narratives and metrics, that are applicable to their specific projects.

Schedule

December 1, 5:00 PM
Submission Deadline

December 11, 5:00 PM
Extended Submission Deadline

January 8, 2024, 6:00 PM
Winners announced at Design Awards Jury Symposium

April 12, 2024, 11:30 AM
Honors and Awards Luncheon at Cipriani Wall Street and Design Awards Exhibition on View at the Center for Architecture

April 2024
2024 AIANY Design Awards Exhibition Opening at the Center for Architecture

Award Categories

Architecture
Recognizes design excellence in completed buildings.
Eligibility: Registered architects only

Interiors
Recognizes design excellence in building interiors and related architectural work, as well as new and improved approaches to building components and architectural products.
Eligibility: Registered architects only

Projects
Recognizes temporary structures, conceptual work, pavilions, and research. Work in this category does not need to be intended for construction. Projects undertaken for academic credit are not eligible. Entries to competitions will be considered. 
Eligibility: Registered architects, Associate and International Associate AIA members, as well as AIANY Allied Professional, Corporate, and Corresponding members.

Urban Design
Recognizes the most compelling work and ideas, both built and unbuilt, that confront and resolve environmental and urban challenges at a scale larger than that of an individual building.
Eligibility: Registered architects, Associate and International Associate AIA members, as well as AIANY Allied Professional, Corporate, and Corresponding members.

Judging Criteria

We strongly encourage submissions that reflect a broad and inclusive definition of design excellence. Each entry is judged for how successfully it has met its individual requirements. Projects should demonstrate exceptional skill and creativity in the resolution of formal, functional, and technical requirements. Moreover, projects should consider the broader impacts of built design if applicable.  

Submissions may be exemplary in the following areas (including, but not limited to): 

• Best of Typology, demonstrating outstanding achievement in building type (i.e. education, affordable housing, justice, healthcare, community facility, historic preservation, corporate interiors, high-rise, commercial retail, etc.) 
• Technical Advancement, including engineering achievements (i.e. structural, mechanical, transportation, computational, etc.), as well as innovative use of materials and approach to urban systems. 
• Innovation and Research, including projects investigating design advocacy, cross-disciplinary research, and public service, as well as pilot projects and theoretical propositions. 
• Preservation/Restoration, including the demonstration of exemplary skill, sensitivity, and thoroughness in preservation, restoration, or adaptive reuse and/or the sensitive reinforcement of successful historical development patterns. 
• Sustainability, including the demonstration of excellence in ecological stewardship, such as reduced environmental impact and energy consumption, as well as attention to quality-of-life issues, resiliency, and community engagement in the urban environment. 

Eligibility

• AIA New York members or New York City-based architects can submit projects located anywhere around the world.
• Architects based outside of New York City who are not AIA New York members can only submit projects located in New York City.
• AIA members who are affiliated with local chapters outside of New York City can become AIA New York members by joining as Corresponding members. Visit our membership page for more information.
•  Projects in the Architecture and Interiors categories must be completed; Urban Design and Projects submissions must have been initiated after January 1, 2018. Prior winning projects in any category may not be resubmitted.
• The AIANY Design Awards process is completely digital. For more information, detailed eligibility requirements, and submission instructions, please visit aiany.org/designawards

Submission Requirements

• Submission must be a single PDF file smaller than 25 MB. 

• PDF should be formatted as 11x17, landscape, and no more than 16 pages. 

• All project images for review by the jury should be included as part of the PDF submission. Images included in the PDF must be low-resolution and clearly labeled and/or captioned with descriptive text. 

• All submissions must include the Framework for Design Excellence's Common App available for download here.  

• If the Common App contains questions that are not relevant to your project, you can leave those questions blank.  

• Please check that the uploaded PDF opens and will be viewed as designed. 

• Submissions must not include any references to architects and designers on any images, plans, narratives, file names, or supplemental materials. Entries that reveal such information will be automatically disqualified.  

• At least one high-resolution, press-ready image with complete credit information (including photographer credits) must be uploaded separately.  

• Upon jury selection, winners will be contacted to provide additional images and credits for the exhibition and the Oculus magazine Design Awards issue. Without these materials, projects will not receive proper recognition. Interiors winners will also be required to supply manufacturer and supplier credits.  

• Winning submissions will become property of AIA New York. 

Entry Fees

AIA New York Members (Includes Registered Architect, Corporate, Corresponding, and Allied Professional Members)
$200

Associate AIA and International Associate AIA Members
$100

Other Registered Architects
$500

Project Credits
The architect or firm of record, associate architects, project team, consultants, client, and general contractor must be credited. Client names will be withheld from publication upon request.

For restoration, renovation, and adaptive reuse of existing buildings, the original architect must be identified.

Submissions done as an employee or consultant must include a release from a principal of the firm acknowledging that the submitting architect had primary design responsibility and that the credits are correct.

To Start a Submission
If you do not have a username and password, click on the "Submit" item on the grey menu bar at the top of this page to create an account in the AIANY Competition and Awards Programs platform.