Collaborative Achievement Award

Individuals or organizations responsible for an individual achievement or body of work that relates to or influences architecture are eligible for consideration.

Candidates may be living or dead at the time of application.

Any AIA member in good standing, AIA Components, and AIA Knowledge Communities may apply for the Collaborative Achievement Award.

Applications submitted by jury members, by organizations jury members are affiliated with, and/or applications that included jury members on their team are ineligible. 

In 2019, AIA adopted the Framework for Design Excellence as the set of guidelines and requirements to assess project 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. While applicants do not need to address all the measures included in the framework, they do need to highlight how they perform in this context and highlight relevant narratives and metrics when applicable.

Single applications are $450 each.  

Applicants and/or nominators must affirm that neither they nor their firm employs unpaid intern architects, including working students (as defined in Section 11.0 of the AIA Rules of the Board). 

Visit the application site for full details prior to the deadline. After logging in, you may view the entire application and save as you work to complete it. You will not be asked to pay until your application is complete.  

Recipients will be notified in May 2025, and a public announcement will be issued in June 2025, at AIA25.

The 2025 Collaborative Achievement sample application contains the program's criteria, guidelines, and a preview of the fields you will be asked to complete on the application site.

Please note: Some 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. 

The required photographer's licensing form and applicant release form information must be included for every image in the application. Start forms early to ensure all are completed and uploaded in time. 

Our application checklist includes potential criteria that can result in disqualification. Use it to cross-check your materials before you hit the submit button. 

AIA encourages applicants, nominators, and/or letter of reference writers to also review our page with answers to AIA awards Frequently Asked Questions.

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.

To protect the integrity of the awards process, active nominees are prohibited from contacting confirmed or prospective members of the Jury during the submission process. Communication with jurors at any point by the candidate or anyone acting on their behalf is cause for immediate disqualification. To aid in the reduction of attempts to influence jurors, the individuals assessing the applications for this award will not be made public.  

Application materials to the jury (e.g., recommendation letter) can be addressed as "to Jury Chair, [Award Year, Award Name]". This recommendation and more useful information can be found at the AIA awards FAQ webpage. 

The jury evaluates entries based on how successfully projects have met their individual requirements. All projects must demonstrate design achievement, including a sense of place and purpose, ecology and environmental sustainability, and history. 

Applications are encouraged to highlight any aspects of the candidate’s work or life experience that may have reflected contributions or sensitivity concerning areas of special interest to AIA, its members, and the architecture profession, including but not limited to the Public Policies and Position Statements of the AIA. These might include such areas as diversity, sustainability, or the mentoring of emerging professionals, to the degree the candidate has had the opportunity to address them, or as these topics may enhance the presentation. 

The jury also evaluates entries relative to the AIA Framework for Design Excellence. Submitted projects do not have to adhere to all measures but need to address several of them. Submitters are strongly encouraged to consider their submission materials in this context. 

2023 Parks for Downtown Dallas

View additional past winners of this and other AIA awards online.