The AIA Northern Virginia Design Awards Gala recognized twenty-one outstanding projects at the recently completed National Museum of the United States Army, in Fort Belvoir, Virginia on Aug. 22, 2024.

The Committee received more than 100 entries across seven categories. The honors were awarded to architects whose projects demonstrated a level of the good design principles of the 21^st century, as defined in the AIA Framework for Design Excellence. There were three different award levels in each category, and all of the awards recognized and celebrated the achievements AIA Northern Virginia members have created in the design of the built environment.

Two juries were gathered at AIA Dallas to review and deliberate on the projects within each category. Each jury was impressed with the quality of work across the categories and gave spirited commentary in their support of the projects.

The evening kicked off with a tour of the museum which was led by Eliezer J. Lee, AIA, from Skidmore Owings & Merrill, LLP (SOM) and Justin Boberg from Shen Milsom & Wilke (SMW). After the tour, attendees gathered for the Gala reception on the Medal of Honor Garden which overlooked the grounds and permitted a detailed view of the beautiful stainless steel panels that wrap the building.

Approximately 120 attended the reception which offered each attendee the opportunity to have great conversation, food and drink with their fellow architects and guests from the region.

After the reception, the group headed into Veterans’ Hall for the awards presentation with AIA NoVA Past President April C. Drake, AIA, Managing Principal at HDR Arlington, and Robyne Hamilton, Assoc. AIA, Principal at Shen Milsom & Wilke, as the evening’s hosts. Each Award of Merit and Jurors’ Citation featured brief comments on video from their jury members in support of the design project, with each Award of Excellence receiving commentary from all members of their jury.

The evening concluded with a group picture of the honorees gathered on the Medal of Honor Garden.

Coffee and dessert were provided for the closing by the event’s signature sponsor, Jacobs.

You can review each of the 2024 winning projects in our Gallery of Winners.

Please watch for announcements on the 2025 Design Awards competition, enter your work and celebrate great design while having fun meeting your colleagues and viewing the amazing entries at the Gala.

Roland Lemke, AIA, 2024 Design Award Committee Co-Chair