COTE® Top Ten for Students
Recognizing the best green projects that seamlessly integrate innovative, regenerative strategies within their broader design concepts.
Please visit the ASCA website for the competition overview, prizes, criteria, as well as a complete list of the registration requirements and competition rules.
Celebrating student sustainable design excellence
The American Institute of Architects Committee on the Environment (COTE®), in partnership with the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA), is pleased to announce the tenth annual AIA COTE® Top Ten for Students competition. The program challenges students, working individually or in teams, to submit projects that use a thoroughly integrated approach to architecture, natural systems, and technology to provide architectural solutions that protect and enhance the environment.
Registration deadline: April 9, 2025
Submission deadline: June 4, 2025
Questions? Contact us >
New in 2025
The 2025 COTE Top Ten for Students competition will offer architecture students the opportunity to compete in two separate categories. Students may not enter both categories.
Category I: FOUNDATION LEVEL
This category is open to students enrolled in first-year and second-year design studios, or related classes; in 2-year, 4-year, and undergraduate programs from any ACSA member school, including international member schools. Faculty will be required to confirm satisfaction of this requirement upon registration in this category.
Category II: UPPER LEVEL
This category is open to upper-level students (third year or above, including graduate students) from any ACSA member schools, including international member schools. Faculty will be required to confirm satisfaction of this requirement upon registration in this category.
The COTE® Top Ten awards are the industry’s best-known awards program for sustainable design excellence. The COTE® Top Ten for Students recognizes the best green projects by students—ten exceptional studio projects that seamlessly integrate innovative, regenerative strategies within their broader design concepts.
The competition is open to all students attending Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) Member Schools in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Additional requirements:
- Students must work under the direction of a faculty sponsor.
- Teams can’t be larger than three students.
- Work must be completed in a design studio or related class from January 2023 to June 2024.
Please see the AIA/ASCA website for the competition overview, prizes, criteria, as well as a complete list of the registration requirements and competition rules.
- Projects must demonstrate innovation and meet the ten principles of the Framework of Design Excellence detailed in the submission guidelines.
- Projects should demonstrate creative and innovative integration of daylight, materials, ecosystems, economy, well-being, change, equitable communities, water, energy, resources, and discovery.
- Each entry must include abstracts, metrics, program briefs, and no more than two 24”x36” digital boards (submitted as PDF or JPEG files).
- Projects must be submitted through the ACSA website.
Please see the AIA/ASCA website for the competition overview, prizes, criteria, as well as a complete list of the registration requirements and competition rules.
2024
Anthony Brower, Populous
Robert Fleming, University of Pennsylvania
Adrienne Johnson, Google
Nea Maloo, Howard University
Nasra Nimaga, Perkins Eastman
Erica Weeks, Paladin
Shuang Yan, Richard Beard Architects
2024 winners
Ahupua’a : Ecosystem Intervention + Building Design - Students: Andrew Fulmer & Coly Tabberson | Faculty: David Franco, Andreea Mihalache & Brandon Pass Clemson University
Arko Park: Reclaiming the Grounds - Student: Israel Zamorano | Faculty: Pedro Veloso | University of Arkansas
Alamihi Village - Students: Jared Cook & Matthew Ngango | Faculty: : David Franco, Andreea Mihalache & Brandon Pass | Clemson University
Harvest Hub - Student: Cole Hollier | Faculty: Lavinia Fici Pasquina & Ezio Mattiace | Catholic University of America
Stonehouse: More Than a Food Bank - Student: Yoon Hur | Faculty: Jaliya Fonseka | University of Waterloo
Collaborative Avenue - Student: Matthew Schroeder | Faculty: Pedro Veloso | University of Arkansas
Fire Station Park: An Elevated Experience - Students: Betty Chen, Rohith Dumpala & Alexis Winston | Faculty: Tyler Hinckley & Jacob Werner | Boston Architectural College
Grow - Student: Madeline Hope Engen | Faculty: Jaliya Fonseka | University of Waterloo
WAVE: Widely Accessible Vocational Education - Student: Sofia Gonzales | Collaborators: Kelly Kottlowski & Octavio Gutierrez | Faculty: Siobhan Rockcastle | University of Oregon
Pinguatigaq - Students: Thomas Biscaro, Zian Charron & Thomas Laprise | Faculty: Claude Demers & André Potvin | Université Laval
Past winners
COTE Top Ten for Students 2023 >
COTE Top Ten for Students 2022 >
COTE Top Ten for Students 2021 >
COTE Top Ten for Students 2020 >
COTE Top Ten for Students 2019 >
COTE Top Ten for Students 2018 >
COTE Top Ten for Students 2017 >
The COTE® Top Ten Award is the industry’s best-known award program recognizing innovative projects integrating exemplary performance with compelling design.