2026 Project Submissions
The 2026 Design Pittsburgh Awards program is accepting eligible project submissions through 11:59 pm on Sunday, September 27, 2026.
Design Pittsburgh is a signature program of AIA Pittsburgh, celebrating excellence in architecture and design, and honoring those who create it. It is our opportunity as a community to publicly promote architects as critical resources and industry experts, and demonstrate the importance of great design in the Pittsburgh region. This program provides an opportunity for AIA Pittsburgh members, sponsors, partners, and the public to support and acknowledge the value of architecture and design in the places where they live, work, and play.
The AIA Pittsburgh Design Awards celebrates exceptional, innovative solutions to the architectural challenges facing southwestern PA and our built environment anywhere – regardless of building type, size, or budget. Please submit your work based on the four category groupings below. These “categories” are meant as a way to assist the jurors in reviewing entries with other projects of similar type. However, each project is reviewed against a set of judging criteria and do not compete against each other. There are no specific awards for a category, nor are there a minimum or maximum number of awards given in each category.
– Architecture Small
– Architecture Medium
– Architecture Large
– Conceptual / Unbuilt
Entrants should keep the following in mind:
– Each entry is judged and awarded on its own merit, based solely on the narrative descriptions and images submitted. Entries are judged against five criteria, and are not judged against one another in competition for an award.
– As one of the criteria, jurors consider how the project reflects principles of the AIA Framework for Design Excellence.
– Jurors have the freedom to award as many or as few projects as they wish within each “category” (including no awards if they feel no project deserves recognition).
– Jurors have the freedom to determine the level of recognition for each award.
– Jurors may also choose to move an entry from one category to another if they deem it appropriate, or to select a specific part of a project for recognition with an award.
– Jurors review entries blind, meaning no firm names or logos are included in the submission.
– The Design Awards Task Force and AIA Pittsburgh Staff do not participate in project deliberations by the jury. The AIA Pittsburgh Executive Director and one Board member (usually the President) observe the jurying without participating to ensure a fair and complete process.
Cost per project entry is $125 for firms of 5 of less individuals or Solo Practitioners and $225 for firms of more than 5.
Firms/Practitioners will have the option of producing their own (non-mounted) project board for their submission or have AIA Pittsburgh produce the board for you for a nominal fee of $25.00. Regardless of who is preparing the board all boards will align to the following specifications for uniformity in display: 40” x 40” x 1/4” matte finish board. Projects will be judged from the electronic submission materials; boards will be used for exhibition purposes only.
– Consider investing in photography – it really can make or break a project. Use a professional photographer if possible. Starting and ending with good photography is key for a great presentation of the project.
– Include photographs, drawings, floor plans, elevations, sections, renderings and graphic images as necessary to provide a clear understanding of the extent and quality of the finished project.
– Include details: interiors, details, secondary and tertiary views or sides.
– Let the images tell the story as narratives rarely live up to the architecture. Brevity helps clarity.
– Find ways in which particular solutions can be clearly represented – that are transformational and intrinsic to the design proposal.
– Show the process of getting to the refined, final result – how the architect went through the design process in order to get where they were. Represent the creative thought process.
– Strong conceptual clarity is important. How did the architect take various programmatic concerns and look beyond straightforward solutions to create exceptional, innovative design responses?
– Renovations, restorations, additions and conversions should present “before” and “after” photographs. For projects involving changes to existing structures, documentation of original conditions is highly recommended. Include process sketches that communicate the development of the project and/or its construction.
– Indicate the project’s physical context or site character through graphics and/or imagery.
– Unbuilt projects should include floor plans, elevations, sections, renderings, graphic images, and/or site plans as necessary to provide a clear understanding of the project. If client-commissioned, include photos of the site location.
Watch our presentation on How to Create a Great Design Award Submission from a former AIA Executive Director, an architectural photographer, and a former design awards jury member.