
Annually each September, the DMV schools of architecture descend upon the National Building Museum (NBM) for an 8-hour design charrette. Organized by AIA Northern Virginia, AIA Potomac Valley, AIA DC and AIA Baltimore, the 2024 Interschool Student Design Competition (ISDC) was held this on Sunday, Sept. 22. It is truly a collaborative effort between not only the AIA chapters but also the 6 schools: Catholic University of America, Howard University, Morgan State University, University of Maryland, the University of the District of Columbia and Virginia Tech’s Washington Alexandria Architecture Center. The event is hosted by NBM and sponsored by NCARB, without whose support the event could not happen.
This year’s program was provided by Maryland University: “Craft as a keeper of culture: spaces for making, displaying, and consuming culturally significant works” in the H Street Neighborhood, with instructions to design an exhibition space and flea market to strengthen the promenade.
This year we were honored to have architecture critic Paul Goldberger; editor and executive director of Places Journal, Nancy Levinson; Distinguished Professor and Director of the University of Arkansas Community Design Center, Stephen Luoni; and Senior Vice President of NCARB, Jared Zurn. After deliberations, they selected Paifang Walk for First Place, The Architecture of Disturbance for Second Place, and The Gateway to Chinatown for Third Place. The Architecture of Disturbance was also awarded the People’s Choice and Faculty Choice Awards. Congratulations!
– Sonia R. Jarboe, Chair, Interschool Student Design Competition

First Place – Paifang Walk
Team Members
– Adesola Adenekan, Morgan State University
– Cash’zhay Horton, University of the District of Columbia (UDC)
– Isaiah Moody, Howard University
– Pamela Medrano-Otero, Washington-Alexandria Architecture Center: Virginia Tech School of Architecture + Design (WAAC)
– Gabriela Turcios, University of Maryland
– Jacelyn Andrawes, Catholic University of America
Second Place, People’s Choice and Faculty Choice – The Architecture of Disturbance
Team Members
– Elizabeth Robele, Howard University
– Irfan Rabbat, University of Maryland
– Jade Harris, Morgan State University
– Nahida Sultana, Washington-Alexandria Architecture Center: Virginia Tech School of Architecture + Design (WAAC)
– Ann-Nelly Cotin, Howard University
– Jacori Schoolfield, University of the District of Columbia (UDC)


Third Place – Gateway to Chinatown
Team Members
– Cameron Wright, Howard University
– Carlos Sanchez, University of the District of Columbia (UDC)
– Jessica Lawson, Catholic University of America
– Laurin Brooks, University of Maryland
– Lilleana Watson, Morgan State University
– Z A Saleh Zebermai, Washington-Alexandria Architecture Center: Virginia Tech School of Architecture + Design (WAAC)