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 2026 Interschool Student Design Competition (ISDC) was held on Sunday, September 20. The event was truly a collaborative effort between not only the AIA chapters but also the six participating 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 was hosted by NBM and sponsored by NCARB, whose support made the event possible.

This year’s program theme was provided by The Catholic University of America: “Dupont Deck-Over Pavilion: A Place for Public Performances and Gatherings” in relation to Washington, D.C.’s Dupont Deck-Over Project. For the competition, students were tasked with proposing a design for a pavilion with a covered stage that served as both a venue for public cultural events such as music, movies, plays, and yoga classes as well as a platform for First Amendment gatherings that take place in Dupont Circle.

PROGRAM

SUBMISSIONS

This year we were honored to have jury members Adnan Zillur Morshed, Architect, Architectural Historian, Urban Theorist, and Professor of School of Architecture and Allied Arts at The Catholic University of America; Esra Akcan, Professor and Director of Graduate Studies in the Architecture Department at Cornell university; Yiselle Santos Rivera, AIA, NOMA, NCARB – Director of the University of Arkansas Community Design Center; Mark Jarzombek, Professor of Architectural History and Theory at MIT; and John O’hara, AIA, NCARB – Manager of Programs of Assessment Development at NCARB. After deliberations, the jury selected Spandolf Way for First Place, Dupont Deck-Over for Second Place, and Pringle Pavilion for Third Place. Spandolf Way was also awarded the People’s Choice Award. The Faculty Choice Award was awarded to Cascading Point. Congratulations!

Thank you again to our Kick-Off Speakers, Jason Goldman, Marketing and Events Manager for Dupont Circle Business Improvement District and Agustin Chambard, Architect and Urban Designer at KGP Design Studio. Thank you also to our AXP Supervisor for this event, Nicholas Respecki, AIA, NCARB, ICE-CCP – Senior Manager of Programs of Quality Assurance at NCARB.

– Jessica Somgynari, AIA | Co-Chair, Interschool Student Design Competition

---