Calendar

PURPOSE

The Washington Chapter of the American Institute of Architects and WASHINGTONIAN magazine Residential Design Awards Program recognizes excellence for distinctive residential projects regardless of size or classification.   Projects will be recognized for aesthetic quality, creative response to programmatic challenges, and integration of sustainable features. Public attention and acclaim will be focused on the winning submissions through coverage in the WASHINGTONIAN and ArchitectureDC magazines.  

ELIGIBILITY

The program is open to all registered architects. Projects must be executed residential works of architecture completed after January 1, 2020, and must be located within the Washington DC Standard Metropolitan Area (SMA) as defined below:

• The District of Columbia
• Maryland: Montgomery, Prince George’s, Frederick, Calvert, and Charles counties
• Virginia: Arlington, Clark, Fairfax, Fauquier, Prince William, Stafford, Spotsylvania, Warren and Loudon counties; the cities of Alexandria, Falls Church, Fairfax, Fredericksburg, Manassas, and Manassas Park
• West Virginia: Jefferson County

Projects outside the SMA also are eligible if they are second homes for owners whose primary residence is within the Washington, DC SMA.

Entries may be new construction, renovations, additions, or adaptive use and may be single family, multifamily, or mixed- use.  Mixed-use projects are eligible if a minor portion of the work is nonresidential, however they will be judged primarily on their residential quality. Specialized housing, for seniors, dormitories, and emergency shelters to be used after a natural disaster are also eligible.  Accommodation for universal design will be considered.  Projects that qualify for this program are eligible even if they have been submitted to or have won awards in other programs.
 

AWARDS

Submissions are considered in 5 distinct categories:

• General Category: “Award for Distinctive Residential Architecture” for most projects
• Small Projects:  For Distinctive Residential projects with budgets less than $300,000
• Kitchen/Bath:  For exceptional projects limited to kitchens or baths
• Details:  for exceptional details
• Multifamily Housing:  As defined by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), means a project which consists of not less than five (5) dwelling units on one (1) site, each such unit providing complete living facilities including provisions for cooking, eating, and sanitation within the unit and which is not now covered by a mortgage insured or held by the Secretary.

Projects may be submitted in one category only.

Projects will be considered on their own merits regardless of size, cost, or scope as well as on a sound comparative basis. The jury’s decisions will be final.
 

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Project submissions should include a project statement, site plan, floor plan(s), finished photographs (minimum of five suggested) and concept diagrams.   Photographs and/or drawings should be included indicating all exterior façades and the principal interior spaces necessary to describe the extent and quality of the finished project.  Photographs showing the site, building, or immediate context before the project’s construction are advised for renovations, additions, and adaptive reuse.

FRAMEWORK FOR DESIGN EXCELLENCE

Framework for Design Excellence

In October 2019, the AIA|DC Board of Directors adopted the AIA Framework for Design Excellence and its 10 Measures as criteria for the AIA|DC Design Awards Programs. The purpose of the Framework is to highlight climate action as a critically urgent topic for society, and to underscore the role architects play as influencers for impactful change.

All submissions must include the following information as outlined in the template found in the online submission portal:

• Project Title, Location, Date of Completion
• Project Statement by Category (limited to 150 words)
• Checklist of Framework Measures for projects to be considered for a Jury Citation
• Responses to Framework Topics (limited to 150 words each)
  • Design Narrative: 
    • How does this project address Design for Integration, Wellbeing, and Discovery?
  • Community Engagement: 
    • How does this project address Design for Equitable Communities and Economy?
  • Sustainability and Resilience: 
    • How does this project address Design for Ecosystems, Water, Energy, Resources, and Change?

Responses to questions shall be submitted as narratives and if desired supplemented with graphics within the jury PDF. Narrative responses shall be limited to 150 words for each question. Submissions should provide responses when appropriate and the Jury will be instructed to provide additional consideration to projects which highlight sensitivity to Framework measures.

The Framework consists of 10 Measures defined by the Institute here:

https://www.aia.org/resources/6077668-framework-for-design-excellence

Images

• Submissions may contain drawings, diagrams, photographs, and brief narrative descriptions.
• Submissions may contain multiple images or pages to be incorporated into a single PDF, 6MB or less. The PDF may contain multiple images and/or pages. Each page may contain more than one image.
• Preferred PDF format shall be 1320 x 1020 pixels (11” x 8 ½”) or 1920 x 1080 pixels (16’ x 9”) printed at 120 dpi with compressed images.

Submissions may not display the firm name or any other identifying information related to the design team. Submittals that do not conform to this requirement will be disqualified.

JURY AND AWARDS

The jury shall be composed of three persons in the fields of design and architecture, and each shall be well qualified in his/her own right. The jury shall be selected and approved by the AIA|DC Executive Committee. The composition of each jury is at the Chapter’s discretion and shall not be subject to review. The jury shall have the sole authority to determine whether and how many awards shall be awarded.

The Jury will consider awards in all categories and entries will be considered individually.  The Jury may grant awards to as many projects it considers justified by the quality of the design. While the jury has the sole discretion to grant an award, the Chapter will instruct jurists to take into consideration the following:

1. Design quality
2. The context of working in a specific region.  The DC context for example, creates unique opportunities and challenges.
3. The Framework for Design Excellence topics described above.
4. Project size, scale, or budget – modest projects may be significant, including projects which display finely executed detail.

FEES

CREDIT

Firms or individuals in joint ventures or other cooperative endeavors must coordinate efforts to produce a single entry for a given project.  All persons or firms substantially contributing to the design of the project must be given due credit, regardless of their professional discipline.  It is incumbent upon the submitting architect to provide a complete list of all participants substantially contributing to the design of the project, regardless of professional discipline.  By submitting a project for consideration, the submitting architect represents and warrants to AIA|DC that they have provided a complete list.  Failure to provide a complete list may result in disqualification and/or a referral of the matter to the appropriate ethics body of the national office AIA.  AIA|DC accepts no responsibility for incomplete lists. Please refer to the AIA DC’s “Awards Credits Policies” indicated below.

• AIA|DC relies upon the submitting architect to provide a complete list of all participants substantially contributing to the design of the project, regardless of professional discipline.  A project may be disqualified and an award voided if this requirement is not followed.  The Chapter disclaims responsibility for erroneous or incomplete information.
• If a dispute arises regarding the possible omission of a participant who substantially contributed to the design of a project, regardless of professional discipline, the Chapter may contact the submitting architect regarding the dispute.  While the Chapter does not adjudicate such disputes, the Chapter may suggest to the submitting architect that they informally resolve the dispute with the complaining party.
• If such a resolution is impossible, AIA|DC may require the submitting architect to list all participants substantially contributing to the design of the project, regardless of professional discipline, with a brief description of each such participant’s exact role, and failing compliance, AIA|DC may disqualify the project.
• By submitting a project for consideration, the submitting architect agrees to hold harmless the Chapter, its agents, employees, and members, for any and all liabilities, claims, and/or expenses of any kind arising from this awards program or from any claims of third parties as to claims of entitlement of credit.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Although every reasonable precaution shall be taken in handling submitted material, the Chapter shall not be held responsible for loss of or damage to any submission.

REQUIREMENTS FOR WINNERS

The judging shall take place on June 23, 2025. Most of the winning projects will be featured in an issue of Washingtonian with a short article and photographs of the projects. Certificates will be presented to the winners. All winners will also appear in an issue of ArchitectureDC. 

Acceptance of an award shall constitute an agreement by the entrant to authorize AIA|DC to reproduce any of the material described above for publicity purposes, and an agreement to indemnify and hold the Chapter harmless in connection with such material.

RELEASES

The submitting architect shall clear all photographs and drawings for unrestricted release and reproduction in connection with publicity and publication related to the awards program. By submitting the project, the submitting architect represents and warrants that such releases have been obtained. All images and descriptive materials submitted must not be restricted against publication or any other form of publicity. While the name of the photographer will be mentioned anywhere the photo is shown, issued or displayed, the submitting architect is responsible for any royalties, copyrights or photography fees.