This year’s 2026 AIA Northern Virginia Design Awards Gala recognized twenty-three outstanding projects at the Virginia Tech Innovation Campus in Alexandria, Virginia on June 25, 2026.

The Committee received nearly 100 entries across ten categories. Awards were given to architects whose projects best demonstrated the design principles of the 21^st century as listed in the AIA Framework for Design Excellence. There were three different award levels in each category, and all the awards recognized and celebrated the achievements AIA Northern Virginia members have created in the design of the built environment. Earlier this spring, AIA Charlotte hosted our two award juries at the offices of Little Diversified Architectural Consulting to review the projects within each category.  Each jury was very impressed with the diversity of work across each category and complementary of our region’s design excellence. 

This year the evening kicked off with two separate events. Architecture students from Virginia Tech’s Washington-Alexandria Architecture Center (WAAC) organized a diverse panel of seasoned practitioners who provided valuable insight to an audience of fellow WAAC students about what led them to architecture, their career paths, and where they see the future of the industry.  Separately, a tour of the Virginia Tech Academic One Building (an Award of Excellence winner later that evening) was led by Sven Shockey, Vice President and Design Director of Smith Group.  After the panel and building tour, attendees gathered for the opening Gala reception at the ground floor atrium. Approximately 150 individuals were in attendance, offering everyone the opportunity to catch up with old colleagues, fellow architects, and guests.  

After the reception, the group gathered for the awards presentation. Robyne Hamilton, Assoc. AIA -Principal at Shen Milsom & Wilke, and Gavin Myers, AIA – Principal at Little, were the evening’s spirited hosts.  Each winning project and its respective award was displayed via video with project imagery and a brief commentary from the jury members.

The evening concluded with a celebratory group picture on the grand staircase followed by coffee and dessert which was provided by the event’s signature sponsor, Jacobs. 

Stay tuned for information pertaining to the 2027 AIA NoVA Design Awards! Submissions are due in March with the Gala taking place in June. Enter your work and join your colleagues in celebrating design excellence!

You can review each of the 2026 winning projects in our Gallery of Winners.

– Chase Eatherly, AIA – 2026 Design Award Committee Co-Chair