Architecture Firm Award
The Architecture Firm Award is AIA’s highest architecture firm honor, recognizing one (1) firm every year that has produced notable architecture for at least a decade.
Annually, AIA recognizes an architecture firm that produced notable architecture for at least a decade for their tireless and profound contributions the the profession. For more information on opening and deadline dates, please see the AIA Awards FAQ.
AIA’s highest architecture firm honor
Every year, AIA recognizes one (1) firm that has produced notable architecture for at least a decade. It’s our highest honor—given to firms on par with past recipients Ehrlich Architects, Eskew+Dumez+Ripple, and Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects—firms whose passion and practice have earned them a permanent place on our granite Wall of Honor at AIA headquarters.
Questions? Email AIA Awards
Below is high-level information about the program criteria to help you determine if you are a good fit for the Architecture Firm Award. For full criteria and guidelines, please refer to the submission guide in the Resources tab.
Eligibility
The Architecture Firm Award is open to any firm or successor firms, whether an individual or an organization of architects, consistently producing distinguished architecture for a period of at least ten (10) years.
- The primary office of the nominated firm must be based in the United States.
- Members of the AIA Board of Directors, Strategic Council, and members of their firms may not be nominated.
Nomination
Any component, Knowledge Community, or AIA member may make nominations for the Architecture Firm Award. Nominators are required to write a letter of support for the candidate that introduces the submission. Nominators also assist the candidate by acting as a point of contact for the reference writers and providing guidance as needed.
Finalist rollover
Finalists who are not selected may rollover their application materials to the next cycle for consideration in the initial pool of applicants.
Criteria
Nominees are evaluated based on how their contributions have:
- Demonstrated great depth and breadth and had a cumulative effect on the profession of architecture.
- Addressed the future of architecture while honoring its tradition.
- Transcended or united specific areas of expertise.
- Become widely known—by architects, designers, educators, and the public—for the quality of their work.
Recognition
- Promotional recognition in AIA communication channels.
- Recipient(s) are typically invited to participate in conference sessions and/or a keynote recognizing the Architecture Firm Award honor.
Schedule & fees
For more information on opening and deadline dates, please see AIA Awards FAQ.
- Notification to finalists: Late September 2024
- Notification to recipient: December 2024, in alignment with AIA Governance Week
- Public announcement: December 2024
Fee: There is no fee for this program.
Jury
2024 Jury
The AIA Board of Directors and Strategic Council are the jury for this program. To see a full list of those members, visit our Leadership Page.
2024 Advisory Jury
The Advisory Jury assists the Board and the Strategic Council in the selection of Gold Medal candidates by reviewing the nominees and identifying three finalists.
Anne Hicks Harney, FAIA, Chair, Long Green Specs, Manasquan, N.J.
Kjell M. Anderson, FAIA, LMN Architects, Seattle
Ung-Joo Scott Lee, AIA, Morphosis Architects, New York City
Amy Slattery, AIA, Odimo, Kansas City, Mo.
Megumi Tamanaha, AIA, ARO, New York City
Roderic Walton, FAIA, Moody Nolan, Chicago
Korey White, AIA, DLR Group, Quincy, Ill.
Taryn Williams, SGH, Washington, D.C.
Contacting the jury
To protect the integrity of the awards process, active nominees are prohibited from contacting members of either the Advisory Jury or members of AIA Board of Directors and Strategic Council during the submission process. Communication with any of the above individuals from the time of submittal to completion of the jury process by the candidate or anyone acting on their behalf is cause for immediate disqualification.
Submission guide
The 2025 Architecture Firm Award Sample Application contains criteria and guidelines for the program, as well as a preview of the fields you will be asked to complete on the submission site.
Previous submission examples
Reviewing previous submissions can be helpful as you prepare your materials. To request a copy of a submission not listed here, you can email our archivist.
Finalist guidelines
If you are selected as a finalist by the Advisory Jury, the next stage of the awards process includes a video presentation shown to the AIA Board of Directors and Strategic Council at their joint meeting, typically in early December. Your submission will also be included in the meeting materials. (Guidelines below are subject to change.)
Video specifications
- .mp4 format
- Max ten (10) minutes
- PowerPoint/slide style, max forty (40) screens
- No effects including fade-in/out, animations, video within the video, or sound effects.
Video content
The presentation content should:
- Present an overview of the nominee and the ways they are qualified for the honor, specifically addressing how they have met the award criteria.
- Highlight any aspects of the nominee’s work or history related to AIA’s special interest areas including diversity, sustainability, and the mentoring of emerging professionals.
- Only include text and images from your submission. Distributing additional materials to the AIA Board of Directors and Strategic Council is prohibited and may result in disqualification.
Presenter information
Voiceover narration for the video should be from an individual member (any designation) in good standing, who is not the nominee, nor a principal or employee of the nominee’s firm.
For information about how to review previous submissions, refer to the Resources tab.
Past winners
2024Quinn Evans
2023 Mithun
2022 MASS Design Group
2021 Moody Nolan
2020 Architecture Research Office
2019 Payette
2017 Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects
2016 LMN Architects
2015 Ehrlich Architects
2014 Eskew+Dumez+Ripple
2013 Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects
2012 VJAA
2011 BNIM
2010 Pugh + Scarpa
2009 Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects
2008 KieranTimberlake Associates LLP
2007 Leers Weinzapfel Associates Architects Inc.
2006 Moore Ruble Yudell Architects and Planners
2005 Murphy | Jahn Inc.
2004 Lake | Flato Architects
2003 The Miller | Hull Partnership
2002 Thompson, Ventulett, Stainback & Associates Inc.
2001 Herbert Lewis Kruse Blunck Architecture
2000 Gensler
1999 Perkins+Will
1998 Centerbrook Architects and Planners
1997 R.M.Kliment & Frances Halsband Architects
1996 Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP
1995 Beyer Blinder Belle
1994 Bohlin Cywinski Jackson
1993 Cambridge Seven Associates Inc.
1992 James Stewart Polshek and Partners
1991 Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Partnership
1990 Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates
1989 Cesar Pelli & Associates
1988 Hartman-Cox Architects
1987 Benjamin Thompson & Associates Inc.
1986 Esherick Homsey Dodge & Davis
1985 Venturi, Rauch and Scott Brown
1984 Kallmann McKinnell & Wood Architects
1983 Holabird & Root
1982 Gwathmey Siegel & Associates, Architects LLC
1981 Hardy Holzman Pfeiffer Associates
1980 Edward Larrabee Barnes Associates
1979 Geddes Brecher Qualls Cunningham
1978 Harry Weese & Associates
1977 Sert Jackson and Associates
1976 Mitchell/Giurgola Architects
1975 Davis, Brody & Associates
1974 Kevin Roche John Dinkeloo and Associates
1973 Shepley Bulfinch Richardson and Abbott
1972 Caudill Rowlett Scott
1971 Albert Kahn Associates Inc.
1970 Ernest J. Kump Associates
1969 Jones & Emmons
1968 I.M. Pei & Partners
1967 Hugh Stubbins and Associates
1965 Wurster, Bernardi & Emmons
1964 The Architects Collaborative
1962 Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
