Small Project Award
Raises public awareness of the value and design excellence that architects provide regardless of the limits of size and budget.
For more information on opening and deadline dates, please see the AIA Awards FAQ.
Building awareness of the value of small projects
A small project can make a big impact and a single design element can set the tone for large projects. AIA and its Small Project Design (SPD) Knowledge Community present the annual Small Project Award Program to raise public awareness of the value and design excellence that architects provide regardless of the limits of size and budget.
Questions? Email AIA Awards
- Open to all architects, designers, and projects that meet our category criteria below. Additionally, the U.S. licensed architect must be a major contributor to the project.
- Built projects must have been completed after January 1, 2019.
- There is no requirement for professional photography.
- Any size firm may submit a project.
- Maximum of four (4) entries per firm. (A single project may be entered into two (2) different categories with applicable fees for each entry.)
Submissions are welcome in four categories:
- Category one: Small project construction, object, work of environmental art, or architectural design element up to $250,000 in construction cost.
- Category two: Small project construction up to $2.5 million in construction cost.
- Category three: Small project construction, object, work of environmental art, or architectural design under 5,000 square feet.
- Category four: Unbuilt project award: Any unbuilt design that meets any of the category requirements above. This award is for projects that will not be built in the future (speculative work, conceptual work, competition work, student work, etc.).
The jury evaluates entries based on how successfully projects meet their individual requirements. Entries are judged individually—not in competition with each other.
All projects must demonstrate design achievement, including how the project fits into its environment and how the project connects to the Framework for Design Excellence.
Entry fee: Single project submissions are $450 each. Submitting the same project to additional award categories costs an extra $100 per category.
Submission process: Visit the submission site for full submission details prior to the deadline. After logging in, you may view the entire submission site, and save your submission as you work to complete it. You will not be asked to pay until your submission is complete.
Please note: Components of the sample application are subject to change from the final version and are merely here to allow a submitter to view the major criteria prior to logging on to the awards platform. Please rely on the online awards platform for the final criteria.
2024 Jury
Andre Johnson, AIA, Chair, AJA, Raleigh, N.C.
Mindy Aust, AIA, MA Architecture, Des Moines, Iowa
Joy Cunningham, Assoc. AIA, MG2, McLean, Va.
Lisa Sauve, AIA, Synecdoche, Ann Arbor, Mich.
Matt Seltzer, AIA, archimania, Memphis, Tenn.
2024 winners
Chroma, Ibanez Shaw Architecture, Fort Worth, Texas
El Aleph Guesthouse, MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects, Port L’Hebert, Nova Scotia
INDEX, Fieldwork Design & Architecture, Portland, Ore.
Leach Botanical Garden Pavilion & Tree Walk, Olson Kundig, Portland, Ore.
Puzzle Prefab - Whidbey, Wittman Estes, Whidbey Island, Wash.
The Refreshing Waters, Interboro Partners, Bronx, N.Y.
San Francisco AmeniPODS, SmithGroup, San Francisco
Sylvan Scrapple, After Architecture, Columbus, Ind.
Youngmeyer Field Station, Hutton, Elk County, Kan.
Past winners
The award-winning design for Youngmeyer Field Station in Elk County, Kan. enriches university-affiliated prairie research initiatives by allowing students to conduct studies, convene and stay directly
