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Design Awards

DA
For those who want to collaborate on continuously evolving our members’ recognition of design excellence
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Photo Credit © Victory V

About Us

The mission of the AIA NOVA Design Awards committee is to promote Design Excellence and awareness in the community, through the adoption of the AIA Framework for Design Excellence. The primary goal of the Design Awards Committee is to promote and celebrate Design Excellence generated by the members of the AIA Northern Virginia Chapter, and coordinate with other design programs in the region to recognize the work of our chapter. Submissions are organized into seven categories for consideration, historic, institutional, commercial, commercial interiors, infrastructure and unbuilt. Each year the committee reaches out to other AIA chapters across the United States with similar membership qualities and numbers to select that year’s jury for the submissions. The winning projects for that year are celebrated at a summer Design Awards Gala Event in a significant architecture space in the community.

Involvement in the Design Awards Committee is a rewarding experience with opportunities to participate in jury selection, gala awards event venue selection, catering options, media coordination, submission guideline updates, submittal organization, graphics development, presentation elements and sponsorship development.

Our Leadership

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Roland Lemke, AIA

2025 Co-Chair
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JPaul Lewis, AIA

2025 Co-Chair

Check Out Latest News

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Photo Credit ©️ AIA NoVA
04/23/2025

Gum Drops + Toothpicks = Geodesic Domes for Science Night in Alexandria

On March 17, 2025, the AIA Northern Virginia chapter participated in the Mt Vernon Community School, Alexandria, Virginia, annual science fair evening. We were one of a dozen organizations that provided interactive activities to elementary school age students that focused on science, engineering and technology. This was a great opportunity to get in front of future architects and teach them about design
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Photo Credit ©️ Architecture Richmond
04/23/2025

Get to Know the Legislative + Government Affairs Committee

AIA Northern Virginia’s Legislative and Government Affairs Committee serves as a vital link between the architecture profession and local governments throughout the region. The committee works to strengthen relationships with both public officials and allied professional associations, focusing on issues that shape the built environment and impact the practice of architecture. The committee’s work spans a range of important topics,
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04/23/2025

Meet the AIA NoVA Staff Team: The People Moving the Mission Forward Everyday

At the heart of our chapter is a dedicated team working hard every day to keep things running smoothly, connect with our members, and bring our mission to life. While some team members started a few years ago, two new folks recently came onboard within the past few weeks.  Whether you’ve met them already or not, here’s your chance to
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Photo Credit © Victory V
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Photo Credit © JPLimagery
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Photo Credit © Victory V
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Photo Credit © JPLimagery