documentary short featuring the George Nakashima Studio & Grounds, 2020’s 50 Year/Timeless Award recipient
The AIA Pennsylvania Architectural Excellence Special Awards recognize significant achievements by members, non-members, civic leaders, allied professionals, and firms who contribute to the built environment and the advancement of the profession in the Commonwealth. We are accepting nominations from the AIA Pennsylvania membership for all open Special Award categories through 11:59 pm Thursday, June 10, 2021.
Visit the awards nomination site >
AIA Pennsylvania members or firms eligible for a Special Award are permitted and encouraged to co-self-nominate with the support of a “prime nominator.” Meaning nominees may fill out the nomination with the authorization of the named primary nominator. Please reach out to an AIA member(s) in your network to request endorsement as the “prime nominator” based on the Special Award category nomination requirements outlined in the Call for Nominations documentation.
The 2021 AIA Pennsylvania Architectural Excellence Special Awards are brought to you by Langan Engineering. Langan provides an integrated mix of engineering and environmental consulting services in support of land development projects, corporate real estate portfolios, and the energy industry.
All 2021 Special Award recipients will be notified by early July. The debut of the 2021 Architectural Excellence Special Awards will be celebrated during the 2021 Architectural Excellence Awards Broadcast on Thursday, November 18. Recipients will be recognized on aiapa.org, in press releases, and in the annual Year in Review & Architectural Excellence Showcase publication.
Replay the 2020 Architectural Excellence Awards Broadcast >
WHY NOMINATE?
Fellowship | Build goodwill and show gratitude to your industry peers, mentors, and mentees.
Visibility | Be seen and evaluated by a prestigious committee of your peers.
Credibility | Recipients are celebrated in the annual Architectural Excellence Awards Broadcast and recognized on aiapa.org, in press releases distributed to local/national media, and in the annual Year in Review & Architectural Excellence Showcase publication.
CATEGORIES
Annually, we accept nominations from the membership for the following prestigious honors:
ARCHITECTURE FIRM AWARD
Every year, AIA Pennsylvania recognizes one firm whose passion and practice has produced notable architecture for at least a decade. The firm will have presented a body of work notable for its breadth, depth, vision, and quality for a period of at least 10 years.
50 YEAR TIMELESS ARCHITECTURE AWARD
The 50 Year Timeless Architecture Award recognizes a building that has endured the test of time and still resonates with the design community and the public.
MEDAL OF DISTINCTION
The Medal of Distinction is the highest award bestowed by AIA Pennsylvania upon a living AIA Pennsylvania member. The recipient shall have made contributions to architecture that transcend local boundaries and have been of benefit to the profession and citizens of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
GOVERNMENT AWARD
The Government Award is given in recognition of significant contributions to, or particular support of, the profession and business of Architecture and/or the built environment. Anyone working in state or local government such as legislators, department secretaries, township officials, etc. are eligible for the award as an individual or specified group.
IMPACT DESIGNER
The Impact Designer Award recognizes a wide range of design disciplines held together by a common goal to design and create a better world through innovative, scalable, and measurable solutions. Impact design is rooted in the core belief that design can be used to create positive social, environmental, and economic change, and focuses on actively measuring impact to inform and direct the design process.
CONTRIBUTION TO THE PROFESSION BY A NON-ARCHITECT
The Contribution to the Profession by a Non-Architect Award honors individuals, corporations, associations, or other groups who do not practice architecture. Recipients will be cited for their direct contributions to the profession such as a building program, a public works project, publications, theoretical or applied research in zoning, urban design, interiors, planning, energy conservation, preservation, restoration transportation, industrial design, artistic endeavors, or other significant disciplines which have had a strong influence on the field of architecture.
RAYMOND J. SINAGRA ALLIED TRADES AWARD
The Allied Trades Award, renamed in 2019 in honor of Raymond J. Sinagra’s collaborative, whatever-it-takes spirit and dedication to the AEC community, is presented for contributions to the built environment by a contractor, developer, civil engineer, or other allied professional. The award honors those professionals who bring architects’ work into reality and who uphold the tenets of design, sustainability and collaboration.
EMERGING PROFESSIONAL AWARD
The Emerging Professional Award seeks to recognize the exceptional achievements and future promise of a licensed architect and to promote their continuing development. The applicant’s contribution to the profession can be through one or more of the following: design excellence, leadership in practice, leadership in education, or service to the profession or society.
ASSOCIATE AWARD
The Associate Award recognizes an AIA Pennsylvania Associate who has demonstrated outstanding leadership, creativity, and significant contributions to their communities, the architecture profession, and the AIA.