AIA Philadelphia 2026 Design Awards 

The AIA Philadelphia Design Awards Program celebrates the best contemporary architecture.

Each year, colleagues from other AIA chapters bring diverse backgrounds and perspectives to the discussion. We rely on their time, insight, expertise, and perspective to assess the submissions and select those projects that, in the eyes of the jury, represent and demonstrate Design Excellence.

The jury evaluates entries based on how successfully projects have met their individual requirements. All projects must advance the discussion of design in architecture, including a sense of place and purpose, of ecology and environmental sustainability, and of equity and history.

More specifically, the jury also evaluates entries relative to the AIA Framework for Design Excellence (F4DE). While submitted projects do not have to excel in all ten measures, they do need to highlight how they perform in this context and highlight relevant narratives and metrics when applicable. AIA Philadelphia considers design excellence within the measures of the AIA Framework for Design Excellence (F4DE). Submitters are strongly encouraged to consider their submission materials in this context.

Since 2019, AIA Philadelphia has been incorporating the Framework for Design Excellence as the set of guidelines and requirements to assess project design and performance. Climate action requires a holistic approach addressing the interdependence among people, buildings, infrastructure, and the environment. The Framework for Design Excellence provides the elements that support this vision during project evaluation by the jury.

All built projects are required to submit sustainability information using the AIA Philadelphia Form that incorporates the F4DE. It is up to the jury to include a review of this information as they consider the design merits of the submissions, and to use this information in their final determination of which projects are worthy of awards in each category, at their discretion. In addition, if the jury feels any project in any category achieves an exemplary sustainable design outcome, they may elect to award a special Sustainability Design Award in addition to or separate from other awards granted.

To adhere to AIA National's submission guidelines, built projects submitted for the design competition must have been completed within the last five years.

  It is within the jury's discretion to select any built project from any built category for consideration for the Gold Medal. Likewise, it is also in the jury's discretion to select any unbuilt project for the Silver Medal.     

The jury process must remain blind, so do not include any identifying information on any slides, including on your title slide. Identifying information includes:

• Firm Name or Address
• Principal or Employee Names
• Company Logo
• Corporate Tagline

   This year's Design Awards celebration will be held Thursday, November 12, 2026. For more information about the Design Awards, please visit the AIA Philadelphia Design Awards program page. 

Submission Fees

• Built Project Categories $240
• Unbuilt Project Categories $240
• Divine Detail Submissions $90

Submission Process Step 1: Create Profile 

• Create a new username and password. If you are submitting more than one entry, you will be prompted for a payment at the end of each submission. 
• Your contact information will pre-populate in each new entry you begin. Click Save Address and Continue to begin your first entry.

Step 2: Submit Your Entry

• Check the boxes indicating you agree to and meet the eligibility requirements.
• Describe your firm's role in the project.
• Enter the names of your collaborating firms and their roles, if applicable.
• Enter then names for each of your project team members, and their contact information, where applicable.
• Enter your Firm Name, Contact Name, Job Title, Email Address, and Phone Number.
• Complete the firm demographic information. 
• Select your project subcategory.
• Check the box indicating that your project has been completed after January 1, 2021.
• Enter your Project Title.
• Enter your Project Description. If selected for an award, this description will be read aloud at the Design Awards Celebration.
• Select YES or NO from the dropdown menu indicating whether or not you would like your project to be included in the exhibition. Please note: we will be using the 40x40 board template, with grommets in each corner. Firms are responsible for logistics, printing, and shipping of boards. Please visit the Design Awards program page on the AIA Philadelphia website for more information.

Step 3: Uploads

• Project Submission - PDF File Only (File Size Limit 10MB). This is the file that will be reviewed by the jury. Please submit one PDF File Only. The submission file is limited to 17 pages total. Your project submission should be: 1 cover page + 12 page project submission + 4 page Framework for Design Excellence form, for a total of 17 pages in ONE PDF. All project categories will be automatically considered for the Sustainability Recognition Award.
• Framework for Design Excellence (F4DE) form - PDF Files Only
• Project Team Information Page - PDF Files Only
• Design Awards Presentation Slide - JPG Files Only. The Design Awards presentation slide will be used during the awards ceremony. We are collecting slides from everyone, regardless of whether your project is selected for an award. Please save the PPT file as a JPG.
• Photo upload - JPG Files Only. Please upload 10 hi-res images of your project.
• Name of Photographer   

Upload templates can be found here. 

 Step 4: Design Awards Entry Authorization

By entering your name, you agree to comply with the Design Awards submission criteria.

Additional information and FAQs can be found here.

 Late entries cannot be accepted. Thank you for your cooperation.

The 121st John Stewardson Memorial Fellowship in Architecture 2026 | Grounds for Debate | An Architecture for the Next 250 Years of Democracy in the United States of America.

The John Stewardson Memorial Fellowship in Architecture, in partnership with Carpenters' Hall, AIA Philadelphia, and the Community Design Collaborative, is pleased to announce the 2026 design competition, Grounds for Debate. Coinciding with the 250th anniversary of the United States’ independence, this year’s competition asks participants to design an architectural intervention at Independence Mall that supports public gathering, debate, disagreement, listening, and collective imagining. The project positions architecture not as a backdrop for democracy, but as an active framework through which civic life is practiced, contested, and renewed. 

Competition Goals

· Create an Architecture that Actively Supports Democratic Debate

· Encourage Encounter Across Differences

· Interpret “Debate” Broadly and Creatively

· Respond Critically to Independence Mall’s History

· Articulate a Forward-Looking Vision of Democracy

· Bridge Symbolism with Lived Civic Practice

· Integrate Required Civic Programs

Important Dates: 

Tuesday, March 31, 2026: Final dates to submit entries. Projects must be submitted before 12:00 PM EST. 

Early June 2026: Award notifications issued. 

Late August 2026: Results publicly announced. 

Fall 2026: Competition winners will be showcased during the DesignPhiladelphia Festival.

*This is an idea-only competition and has no affiliation with the development of the project area related to the competition.