AIA TALLAHASSEE DESIGN AWARDS

ENTRY FORM
To complete the form, read the guidelines below. The actual ENTRY FORM may be accessed by scrolling down to the bottom of this page.

Registration forms and fees are due on Friday, OCTOBER 24th, all fees are NON-REFUNDABLE.

Entries must be received before the deadline to be considered. Submissions are due by 5:00 pm on October 24, 2025.

The AIA Tallahassee awards program is calling for submittals. AIA Tallahassee Chapter design awards bolster local visibility, acknowledge and promote the work of our membership and publicly recognize excellence in architecture produced by AIA member architects and other AIA members (Associates, etc.) working in the AIA Tallahassee component for AIA Tallahassee member firms.

Awards will be presented formally at the Annual Holiday Party.

The objective of the Design Awards program is to encourage excellence in architecture, to elevate public consciousness of good design, and to recognize those architects whose work enriches our built environment.

This year’s jury will be the Board of Directors from AIA Baton Rouge!

WHO CAN SUBMIT?

Members of AIA Tallahassee are qualified to submit their work for a design award. If you are not a current member, you may apply for membership with your submittal.

SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS: AIA Tallahassee has adopted the electronic submission requirements instituted by AIA Florida. Submittals shall consist of a PowerPoint slide presentation utilizing the templates provided. Submittals will be submitted online via a link given upon receiving a submittal number.

SUBMITTAL FEES: $25

DUE DATE: Friday, October 24, 2025

QUESTIONS? Ryan Sheplak (850) 524-5203 [email protected]

Eligibility:

Members of AIA Tallahassee are qualified to submit their work for a design award. If you are not a current member, you may apply for membership with your submittal.

Winning Entries Receive:

Awards certificates presented in a special ceremony at the Annual Awards Program/ Annual Holiday Evening

Award Descriptions:

HONOR AWARD. AIA Tallahassee’s highest award recognizes superior professional accomplishment.

MERIT AWARD. The AIA Tallahassee merit award recognizes excellence in professional accomplishment.

ENTRY CATEGORIES:

A. Award of Excellence: To be eligible, entries must be architectural projects designed by licensed architects that are members of AIA Tallahassee. Projects submitted may be located anywhere in the world but must have been completed within the immediate past five calendar years. The program is open to architectural projects of all sizes and classifications. Two award levels may be recognized by the jury, “Honor Award”, the higher of the two levels, and “Merit Award’.

 B. Un-Built Projects: The Unbuilt Design Awards program recognizes work by licensed architects. Attention is focused on the process of design. Its purpose is to recognize outstanding examples of recent architectural designs not yet built, commissioned, or completed. The entry shall exemplify excellence in design while exploring the nature and science of our profession. Eligible projects must be designed by an architect who is a member of AIA Tallahassee. Projects submitted may be located anywhere in the world, but must have been designed within the immediate past five calendar years. Award winners are subject to verification. Entries do not need to be commissioned for compensation on behalf of a client, they may be theoretical in nature. Two award levels may be recognized by the jury, “Honor Award”, the higher of the two levels, and “Merit Award’.

 C. Interiors: To be eligible, entries must be architectural interior projects designed by licensed architects that are members of AIA Tallahassee. Projects submitted may be located anywhere in the world but must have been completed within the immediate past five calendar years. The program is open to architectural projects of all sizes and classifications. Two award levels may be recognized by the jury, “Honor Award”, the higher of the two levels, and “Merit Award’.

 D. Renovations: To be eligible, entries must be architectural renovation projects designed by licensed architects that are members of AIA Tallahassee. Projects submitted may be located anywhere in the world but must have been completed within the immediate past five calendar years. The program is open to architectural projects of all sizes and classifications. Two award levels may be recognized by the jury, “Honor Award”, the higher of the two levels, and “Merit Award’.

 E. Object Award: This award recognizes the design of an “Object” by members of AIA Tallahassee which demonstrates a level of invention, creativity, and craftsmanship beyond the constraints of space or cost restrictions as well as excellence in design. This competition is only open to members in good standing with AIA Tallahassee.

 F. Student Award & Scholarship: This award is intended to recognize a student who has exemplified themselves through civic participation and quality of work. The Student Award is presented to a student based on merit and need and for educational achievement in leadership during their years at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. The winner will also receive a monetary scholarship from AIA Tallahassee. Commitment to local!

Main Criteria for Judging Categories:

  • ·    Quality of Design
  • ·       Relevance or demonstrable impact to the profession, the public, and/or the
  • ·       Environment.
  • ·       Presentation of effective written and visual communication.
  • ·       Significant sensitivity to the environment and the principles associated with
  • ·       Sustainable development.
  • ·       Clearly defined Program and design intent

Entry Requirements:

Complete Entry Form: At the links below to receive submittal number and the link to upload slides. You can mail the fee to Ryan Sheplax or 206 W. Virginia Street, Tallahassee, FL 32301 or request a PayPal invoice from Maxim Nasab, mnasab@apexxarchitecture.com.

Obtain client authorization: Entrants are responsible for securing written authorization from the client allowing the entry to be submitted, judged, and published if given an award. Do not send the authorization with your entry; keep for your records.

Submissions: For all categories, this year’s presentation will be digital only. Each entry shall be uploaded online via a link given to each applicant, upon receiving a submittal number, using the provided PowerPoint templates. Entrants’ names shall not be visible on images.

We suggest that you look carefully at the written portion of the submission. Is it clear and complete, and does it respond or address the main criteria that the Jury will use in their review of each submission? Is the quality of the images submitted great?

A jury of practicing professional architects whose work and reputation have been established at the national level will select these awards. Winners will be announced and awards will be presented during the 2025 AIA Tallahassee Annual Holiday Party. The Jury for these awards will be the board of AIA, to be announced.

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS:

Click these links to fill out the entry forms:

Architect of Excellence | Un-Built Projects | Interiors | Renovations | Object Award | Student Award

If you have any questions or issues, email George Johnson at [email protected].

All files shall be named accordingly:

Individual Awards: Lastname.ppt or .pptx

Firm Award: firmname.ppt or .pptx