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DATES AND DETAILS

Deadline for all Design Awards submissions: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2025, 11:159 PM

ELIGIBILITY

Q:  Who is eligible to submit?
A:  Anyone is eligible to submit. BSA firm members receive special pricing for all categories. AIA Associates and students receive special pricing for the Unbuilt Planning & Design division.

Associate AIA members, students, and other unlicensed design professionals, including interior architects or interior designers, may submit projects that do not require the stamp of a licensed professional.

Q:  I work for a Boston-based firm that just completed a project in Seattle; are we eligible?
A:  Projects by New England (MA, ME, VT, NH, CT, RI) design professionals may be located anywhere.
Projects by non-New England (MA, ME, VT, NH, CT, RI) design professionals must be located in New England.

For Unbuilt Planning & Design:

Planning: Projects by New England (MA, ME, VT, NH, CT, RI) design professionals may be located anywhere.
Projects by non-New England (MA, ME, VT, NH, CT, RI) design professionals must be located in New England.

Conceptual: Projects and designers may be located anywhere in the world.

Q:  My firm has offices nationwide, including Boston. We just completed a project in Philadelphia. Are we eligible to submit?
A:  If your Massachusetts/New England AIA office was the lead design team, yes, you are eligible.

Q:  When must have eligible projects been built?
A:  Projects must have been completed within the past 5 years; between January 1, 2019 and December 31, 2024. A project completed in March 2025 (for example) is not eligible.

For the Urban Design/Planning category, “initiated” shall mean a completed or an incomplete project, where a significant portion has been completed, implemented, or adopted by a local jurisdiction, authority, institution, or private client.

Unbuilt Planning & Design:
Planning: Projects initiated within the past 5 years: between January 1, 2019 and December 31, 2024
Conceptual: Projects must not be completed or under review for construction and there is no current intent to build.

CATEGORIES

Q:  What are the current categories for the Design Awards?
A:  As of 2023, The BSA Design Awards program no longer runs on cycles or yearly categories, so you may submit projects of any type for consideration.

We have structured the Design Awards program into 3 Divisions – to recognize the diversity of our members and to create a system for jury reviews based on typology. Divisions include:

BUILT DESIGN– Recognizing design excellence in completed projects through clear demonstration of performance, innovation, and impact.

SMALL FIRMS – Recognizing design excellence through performance narratives in all completed projects. Eligible for firms of 10 or fewer employees.

UNBUILT PLANNING & DESIGN – Recognizing the promise of design excellence in the broadest possible range of research, conceptual exploration and innovation in design thinking for initiated (completed or incomplete project, where a significant portion has been completed, implemented, or adopted by a local jurisdiction, authority, institution, or private client) and theoretical projects.

Built Design Excellence and Small Firms categories can include:

  • Adaptive Reuse, Renovation or Historic Preservation: Renovations of existing buildings, renovations or preservations of existing buildings, historic preservation of building with a historic background, or buildings where the original intent has been transformed for a new purpose.
  • Commercial: Hotels, offices, and retail spaces.
    • Hospitality: establishments for food and beverage hospitality, including bars, restaurants, cafes, etc. —and accommodations hospitality—hotels, motels, inns, etc. Campus, healthcare, office, and similar buildings are not eligible in their own right, but hospitality facilities within such buildings are eligible.
    • Retail: any space used for business or professional purposes.
    • Workplace Spaces: office buildings, corporate headquarters, studios, or co-working spaces.
  • Educational Facilities: Technology-driven, student-centered solutions that inspire discovery, offer safety and respond to changing educational landscapes.
    • K-12 Education Facilities: private or public; pre-K, elementary, and secondary education facilities.
    • Higher Education Facilities: private or public; community colleges or universities.
  • Residential: ADUs, single-family homes, and small residential buildings (up to 5 units).
    • Single Family/Residential: Accessory Dwelling Units (attached or detached), single-family detached residential space, consisting of one- to five-unit dwellings.
  • Housing: Medium and large multifamily housing (5+ units), mixed-use housing projects, and specialized housing types.
    • Multi-Family/Residential: Any residential space intended for two or more families, consisting of four or more units. This category should not include university dorms, hotels, or any other commercial, institutional or education project.
    • Specialized Housing: Housing that meets the unique needs of other specialized housing types such as student/faculty housing, elderly and supportive housing, homeless housing, and single room occupancy residences.
    • Mixed Use: Space that blends residential, commercial, industrial, entertainment into one space.
  • Institutional & Cultural Facilities:
    • Multi-family housing: Any residential space consisting of more than 5 units. This category should not include university dorms, hotels, or any other commercial, institutional, or education project.
    • Specialized Housing: Housing that meets the unique needs of other specialized housing types such as student/faculty housing, elderly and supportive housing, homeless housing, and single room occupancy residences.
    • Mixed Use: Space that blends residential, commercial, industrial, entertainment into one space.
  • Institutional & Cultural Facilities
    • Healthcare Facilities: hospitals, ambulatory care facilities, medical office buildings, mental health care facilities, and in-school clinics. Assisted-living, retirement, childcare, and similar facilities are not eligible in their own right, but healthcare facilities within such facilities may be submitted.
    • Life Science Facilities: office, laboratory, research or manufacturing facilities focused on pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, nutraceuticals, cosmeceuticals, etc. that promote scientific advancement.
    • Community Centers: space group activities, social support, public information—for religious, safety or political use.
    • Libraries: public, academic, school libraries and special libraries.
    • Museums: spaces that house collections of art, history, or other objects—whether permanent or temporary.
  • Interior Architecture: Shaping interior space using evidence-based design strategies to achieve functional built interior environments, addressing new challenges, working sustainably and supporting health and well-being.
  • Urban Design & Master Planning: The planning and design of a broad array of spaces at varying scales: public spaces, civic plazas, connections/places between buildings, stadiums, campus plans, regional master plans, redevelopment, as well as environmental programs, placemaking, wayfinding, and infrastructure/transit/mobility.
  • Alternative Projects: For built work that falls outside the defined project types. If your project type is not listed, you may enter it here for consideration. Juries will review and may decide to place the submission in a category.

 Unbuilt Planning & Design categories can include:

  • Conceptual: Purely theoretical projects – not commissioned by a client
  • Planning: Planning, placemaking design, strategic plans, guidelines, infrastructure, tools, processes, or any other project type – must have an actual, identifiable client

Q:  Are awards still being awarded for the project categories?
A:  That depends. At the jury's discretion, the number of awards and award recognition in any category may be given to as many or as few projects as are deemed worthy by the jury. The jury's decisions are final and not subject to review. 

Q:  Can one project be submitted to multiple categories?
A:  Yes, but you must submit and pay for each category separately.

Small Firms (10 or fewer employees) may submit the same project to both categories Small Firms and Built Design categories through the Small Firms + Built Design option, receiving a 50% discount on the Built Design fee—no separate entry required.

 Q:  My project is in a design phase and is not completed. Which category or division do I select?
A:  It depends on the project:

For Built Design or Small Firms:
Urban Design and Master Planning: projects must be “initiated” (completed or an incomplete), where a significant portion has been completed, implemented, or adopted by a local jurisdiction, authority, institution, or private client.

For Unbuilt Planning & Design:
Projects initiated within the past 5 years: between January 1, 2019 and December 31, 2024

Q:  Can I submit a project that was previously submitted to the BSA Design Awards?
A:  Yes – you may resubmit a (Built Design or Small Firms) project, so long as it didn’t receive a BSA Design Award and is also still eligible.

Keep in mind – criteria and requirements may have changed since a previous submission. We encourage submitters to craft a current narrative and impact statement.

Q:  Can Small Firms submit to the Built category?
A:  Yes, Small Firms may submit projects to the Built Design Excellence category. This year, Small Firms may submit the same project to both categories Small Firms and Built Design categories through the Small Firms + Built Design option, receiving a 50% discount on the Built Design fee—no separate entry required.

Q:  Is there a Sustainable Design category?
A.  No. Sustainable design should be achieved for all project types and categories, and embedded into all design work in order to achieve 2050 carbon neutral goals.

Q:  Is there an Accessible Design category?
A:  No. Projects that demonstrate great accessible design can be considered for an Accessible Design Excellence Commendation. Read more about the commendations in the Submissions Guidelines (page 1).

Q: Can I submit an Unbuilt Planning and Design Award project if it received a previous BSA Design Award or an award in another design competition?
A: If your current project submission has a very different conceptualization than the previous award(s) – yes, you may submit.

Q: If an unbuilt design is submitted (and wins an award) and then the built version of the project is a very different design, can the built project be submitted later?
A: Yes and no. If this was submitted in the Planning category for Unbuilt and wins an award, the project is not eligible for resubmission as a future Built Design of Small Firms project.

However, if a final, built version has a very different conceptualization from the original plans, then yes, you can submit. For conceptual projects, there should be no intent to build.

SUBMISSION PROCESS

Q.  How do I submit my project?
A: All entries are made using our online awards platform. You must create an account or hold a current account in order to submit your project. The BSA uses OpenWater as our platform.

Q.  Do I need to create an account and submit my application on the same day? 
A: No, once you create an account and begin the application process, you may return to your application (located in the drafts folder) to complete or make edits. You must enter your completed project submission and payment by the deadline.

We strongly recommend that you begin the account process early to review the questions and be comfortable with the submission platform. Do not wait until the last minute to create an account as it may delay your submission entry!

Q:  When do I pay for my application?
A:  Entry fees are processed at the time of your submission. Please ensure you allow payment processing time that does not run past the deadline time.

Q:  I have not signed the AIA 2030 Commitment. Is signing this required to be eligible?
A:  You may still submit to the Design Awards. The AIA 2030 Commitment is an actionable climate strategy that gives us a set of standards and goals for reaching net zero emissions in the built environment. You may learn more here.

Q: What are the key dates for Awards?
A:

June 23, 2025 Design Award Submissions Open

June-August 2025 Design Awards overview program, Awards office hours and resources available

July 23, 2025 What Submitters Need to Know Webinar 08:15AM EST-9:30AM

September 12, 2025 Submission deadline. All Awards submissions must be uploaded and completed online with payment by 11:59pm EST

October-November 2025 Jury reviews, deliberations & award selection December 2025 Design Award notifications & announcements

SUBMISSION INFORMATION AND CRITERIA

Q:  What type of information should be included in the Project Narrative?
A:  In general, we encourage keeping the narrative clear and focused. Please be aware that juries are reviewing many projects within a limited time. Some projects might need some more explanatory text and some less. Share key decisions, lessons learned, and any relevant team collaboration. Some projects may need more explanation than others, so tailor your narrative to what’s most meaningful and impactful about your work.

Commendations are explored by juries to understand the concepts and considerations that drove the values of great design. This is the opportunity to narrate your project’s process and impact, not limited to but including:

  • Social Responsibility – demonstrating a commitment to social progress through proposing new approaches to the development of architectural and/or urban form.
    • Community Engagement – an entire community and/or representative stakeholders are substantially involved and engaged in the decision-making processes, and community involvement has influenced project outcomes.
    • Community Benefit – project addresses a need(s) and demonstrates benefit(s) to the community.
    • Economic Disparity – architecture or the design process has reduced disparities in the economics of the larger community or individuals served by the project.
    • Health Outcomes – project improves health, safety, or well-being outcomes for the larger community or individuals served by the project.
    • Educational Inequity – project addresses inequities in our education system and those that increase the social responsibility of education.
  • Technology Excellence– exploring new technologies and/or their architectural applications
    • Technical aspects of building design, including engineering achievements
    • Technology that greatly improved collaboration, innovation, and creativity
    • Technology that resulted in improved economic, environmental, or social outcomes of the project
  • Environmental Advancement – demonstrating a commitment to environmentally sensitive design, sustainability and/or energy/resources conservation
    • Excellence in demonstrating ecological stewardship, including reduced environmental impact and reduced energy consumption, as well as attention to quality of life issues, resiliency, and community engagement within the environment.
    • Demonstrating efforts to reduce energy use in occupancy of the building.
    • Innovative solutions reducing embodied energy/carbon use in the building’s design and construction.
  • Accessible Design Excellence– demonstrating design excellence in buildings or facilities that emphasize accessibility, helping to create a more equitable future
  • Successful projects integrate and exceed the legal requirements for accessibility with features that anticipate diverse user needs and benefits.
    • Thomas P. Hopkins Memorial Commendation for public buildings and facilities to which Massachusetts statute 521 CMR applies
    • William D. Smith Memorial Commendation for projects that integrate accessibility with historic preservation

Q: Is there a size recommendation for the Built Design & Small Firms portfolios?
A: For Built Design Excellence and Small Firms – your portfolio should be formatted for digital: 16:9, 8.5” x 11”, or 11” x 17”. The portfolio may be vertical or horizontal, submitted as a pdf.

Q: What text can I include in the portofolio?
A: For Built Design Excellence and Small Firms 

  • Project Narrative should be included within the portfolio (250 words max)
  • Project Impact Statement (150 words max) does not need to be inlcuded in the portfolio.

Additional text can be included to help describe the project, but be mindful to not include information identifying your firm in any materials outside of those designed to collect it. If any of the information provided to the jury explicitly identifies the firm, your submission will be disqualified.

For Built Design Excellence and Small Firms 

  • The combined Project Narrative and Impact statement should be included within the boards (250 words max)

Additional text can be included to help describe the project, but be mindful to not include information identifying your firm in any materials outside of those designed to collect it. If any of the information provided to the jury explicitly identifies the firm, your submission will be disqualified.


Q:  You only allow 10 pages (for Built Design) and 8-10 pages (for Small Firms). Can we put more than one image per page?
A:  Yes, at your discretion you may create composite images. Remember that if any materials to be reviewed by the jury identify your firm, the submission will be disqualified. Files must not exceed 25 MB.

Q:  We would like to use captions with our images. Is this allowed?
A:  Yes, you may use captions at your discretion as long as they are not placed directly over the images. Please keep in mind that the image will be viewed electronically. Text should be big enough to be legible on screen, but we also encourage minimal text. Captions (and any photo credits in the portfolio submission) must not include your firm or client name, even if you or your client are the photographer.

Q:  Can I include the name of the client in my submission under the "Project Information" section?
A:  Yes, unless you are your own client. In this case, please make sure to remove your name from all imagery.
As a reminder,  please refrain from including the client name in the project narrative, impact statement, and portfolio

Q:  How do I choose which images to submit?
A:  Images should highlight the excellence of the project. They should support the narrative of the project description, and the story that you want to tell about this project. Clear, cohesive plans and images illustrating the structure in context (in situ) are also important. Composite images are allowed, but please remember that the image limit is set with the intent of keeping the content of each submission manageable for jurors to review in the limited time allotted. Image submissions are final. Winning project submission images will be included on the BSA Design Awards webpage in 2026 in the order uploaded by the submitter. Please make sure to upload the images in the right order.

Q:  Should marketing images be oriented vertically or horizontally?
A:  This is up to you as long as images are at least 2000 pixels wide and 300 dpi. However, for publication purposes it is helpful if you include a mix of both vertical and horizontal images in the event that your project is awarded. All file names should accurately credit the photographer or source. Follow the naming convention: #ProjectName_PhotographerName. If the firm is responsible for the image, use #ProjectName_FirmName. Photograph files that are submitted should not include text. Submit images as .jpg, .tif, or .png files.

Q: What shouldn’t I include in my awards submission?
A: Exclude or obscure all references to the architect or any consulting firms. Entries that include firm names will be disqualified.

Q: Where can I view past Award Winners?
A: You may check out winning projects on the Design Awards here.

Q: Do I need to submit a Common App worksheet this year?
A: No. In lieu of the Common App, all entrants must include a brief statement describing how the project reflects the BSA’s mission to catalyze collaborative innovation to advance equity and sustainability in the built environment by submitting a Project Impact Statement for the Built Design and Small Firms categories. This may include, but is not limited to, topics such as accessibility, social responsibility, environmental performance, material choices, community engagement, or resilience. The statement may take the form of a short paragraph or two bullet points.

Q: What role does the Project Impact Statement play during jury evaluation, deliberation, and recognition of award-worthy submissions?
A: The Project Impact Statement provides jurors with important context about how a project advances equity and sustainability, aligning with the BSA’s mission. While it does not replace the technical review previously provided by the Common App, it serves as a key companion to the design narrative and portfolio. Jurors will consider the statement during deliberation to better understand the values and intent behind the design. A strong statement can strengthen a submission, but it is not the sole basis for award recognition.

Q:  I am submitting a project in the Unbuilt category. Do I still need to provide a Project Impact Statement?
A:  No separate Project Impact Statement is required for Unbuilt submissions. Instead, all Unbuilt entries must submit a combined Project Narrative and Impact Statement that describes the design intent, process, constraints, and outcomes, along with any relevant collaboration. This statement should also address at least one impact area—such as accessibility, social responsibility, environmental performance, material choices, community engagement, or resilience—if applicable.

JURY PROCESS

Q:  Who are the Design Awards Jurors?
A:  Juries will be comprised of architects with expertise in different areas, building types and experience levels. We will announce juries in the late summer!

Q: What will the jurors review for built projects?
A: Project narrative (250 words or fewer) describing the story of the design: the project's intent, design process, constraints, and outcomes. Include key concepts, decisions, and lessons learned, as well as any relevant team collaboration and Project Impact Statement describing how the project reflects the BSA’s mission to catalyze collaborative innovation to advance equity and sustainability in the built environment.

  • Digital project PDF portfolio (10 pages or fewer) uploaded to digital submission platform that includes:
    • Project Narrative
    • Project Impact Statement
    • Project images with captions and credits
    • Annotated site and building plans

Q:  What is the jury process?
A:  The Built Design and Small Firms divisions will be comprised of one jury, from firms and practices of varying sizes, with different areas of expertise and experience levels:

The Unbuilt Planning & Design division will be comprised of one jury.

At the jury's discretion, award recognition in any category may be given to as many or as few projects as are deemed worthy by the jury. The jury's decisions are final and not subject to review.

Q:  What will jurors not review?

A: 

  • Entrant information—firm demographics and disadvantaged business enterprise certification

  • Publicity and gallery images

  • Design team/consultants credit list, including names and contact information.

  • Affirmation of Intern Declaration Policy

  • Affirmation of AIA Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct

  • Consent to the BSA/AIA statement on equity, diversity, and inclusion

  • Entry fee


RECOGNITION

Q:  What are the award levels?
A:  Projects may be recognized in these levels:

Honor – Representing the highest level of achievement of Design Excellence

Merit – Representing exceptional design, performance, and intent work

In addition, Commendations may be awarded by juries to recognize projects that encompass the values of great design within the context of social impact, technology impact, sustainability, and accessible design excellence.

Q:  Will entrants be notified directly if they receive an award?
A:  Yes, all awardees are notified after jury deliberations in late fall. The levels of awards will be announced in February/March 2026.

Q:  How are the honorees recognized?
A:  Honored entries are featured in architects.org.

 

RESOURCES

Q:  What programs and resources are available to assist with my awards submission?
A:  Hopefully, we've answered most of your questions! But, here is a recap of resources that might be useful. We'll also be adding programs and other resources as they become available.

Q: Can I view examples of past winning submissions?
A: Yes. You may find a (growing) library of submissions here and check out winning projects here.

AIA 2030 Commitment

Submission Overview; a step-by-step guide to submitting

PROGRAMS

Wednesday, July 23, 2025: BSA Design Awards: What Submitters Need to Know.

Thursday, August 24, 2025: BSA Design Awards Office Hours

MORE QUESTIONS?

Contact awards@architects.org or p: 617-391-4019

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