Interschool Student Design Competition

Since 1999, the Washington DC Metro area chapters of the American Institute of Architects and the National Building Museum have collaborated to organize the annual Interschool Student Design Competition (ISDC). These competitions have helped open doors for students to the various local architecture curriculums and the architecture profession.

Who takes part in the competition?

Participants in this design competition are students at all levels enrolled in the area's university architecture programs, including the following universities for 2023:

●      Catholic University of America
●      Howard University
●      Morgan State University
●      Washington Alexandria Architecture Center (WAAC) / Virginia Tech
●      University of Maryland
●      University of the District of Columbia (UDC)

How does the competition work?

Teams of six are composed of students from each University. At the kick-off event prior to the competition itself, the students meet their fellow teammates, are provided with limited information about the program and are given the site location. Teams are encouraged to visit the site and start planning strategies for the day of the competition. On the morning of the competition, teams receive the full program and have 8 hours to develop their entry. Once complete, the entries are judged by a panel made up of design professionals and members of the public who have knowledge about the problem the competition aims to solve, with winners and prizes announced at the Awards Ceremony. Since 2022, the competition has included a People’s Choice Award, allowing the general public to vote for their favorite solution to the program.

Since 2020, the competition has incorporated a virtual component to the event. The event currently holds the Kick-off event virtually, then both the Competition day and the Awards Ceremony are held in person at the National Building Museum.

Thank you for all your support!

The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) is our exclusive sponsor for this event.

The National Building Museum has hosted the event since its inception.

Planning Committee

Led by AIA Northern Virginia, the planning committee consists of members from the DMV AIA local chapters: AIA Potomac Valley, AIA DC and AIA Baltimore. The committee is joined by faculty representatives from the six participating schools of architecture. Only with the collaborative effort of all of the committee members is this wonderful event able to be a success each year. Contact us if you would like to join the Planning Committee.