TheThe AIA NoVA Design Awards season is upon us!  The awards promote and celebrate the extraordinary designs created by members of the AIA Northern Virginia Chapter.  Submitting a recent project for consideration offers the opportunity to gain recognition and influence future design and innovation in the field of architecture. 

To capture the diversity of outstanding work generated from our chapter, the Design Awards Program recognizes excellence in ten categories including Civic, Commercial, Conceptual, Education, Health, Historic, Interior, Residential, Small Project, and Transportation Architecture.  Each project is evaluated by an out-of-state jury from a comparable AIA Chapter based on the success of meeting its unique project objectives.  Further information regarding the various categories and assessment criteria can be found on our website.

Winning entries will be honored at our Design Awards Gala held on Thursday, June 25 at the recently completed Virginia Tech Innovation Campus in Alexandria, VA.  While still in the planning stage, this year’s gala will offer a unique programming opportunity with expanded student involvement.  We are excited to host the event at such an architecturally significant building in our community! 

With the depth of exceptional design produced in our region, we know the 2026 AIA NoVA Design Awards promises to be exciting and inspiring!  Please review the official guidelines for full details to begin preparing your submissions. We look forward to celebrating your outstanding work!