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2026 Faculty Design Award

To provide a venue for work that advances the reflective nature of practice and teaching by recognizing and encouraging creative design and design investigation in architecture and related environmental design fields and by promoting work that expands the boundaries of design through, for example but not limited to, formal investigations, innovative design process, addressing justice, working with communities, advancing sustainable practices, fostering resilience, and/or centering the human experience.

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Deadline: October 8, 2025

Criteria

Submissions that represent investigations advancing and broadening the general understanding of the discipline of architecture are invited. This program will recognize built and unbuilt work and carefully consider efforts that reflect upon practice, design’s role in society, and research.  Following are the three assessment criteria to be used by the selection committee.

  • The work expands the boundaries of design.
  • The work exhibits creativity, originality, and innovation.
  • The submission shows evidence of links to a broader context through which to understand the work and its impact.
Eligibility

Faculty members in ACSA full-member and candidate-member schools may enter one or more submissions on different subject matters relevant to their academic activities and completed while in a faculty role. Prior publication does not affect eligibility.

Projects must have been completed after January 2021, to be eligible for consideration. Projects that have previously been recognized by ACSA will not be considered.

Submission Documentation

Entries must consist of high-quality digital graphic material and text, maximum of 1,000 words, submitted through the online system by the nominee in PDF format with up to 20 8.5” x 11” pages, no more than 20MB.All material must be submitted by 11:59 PM, Pacific Time, on October 8, 2025, online at www.acsa-arch.org and the submitter will need to log into the ACSA website in order to submit.

Each submission shall contain the following information:

  • Project Title: Submission Information, completed online during submission (www.acsa-arch.org).
  • Primary Author(s): Names & Affiliations.
  • Other Contributors: Names & Affiliations.
  • Authorship Information: Brief statement explaining the roles of Other Contributors (including students) in the project.
  • Date for Project Completion: Project must have been completed after January 1, 2021, to be eligible for consideration.
  • Abstract: (Not to exceed 300 words) describing the project and how it contributes to the discourse of design (copy/paste text box).
  • Supporting Material: Documents illustrating or describing the project (not to exceed a total of 20, 8.5” x 11” pages, in PDF format, no more than 20MB).

For each project referenced in your Supporting Material, you will need to document the following in your PDF submission.
Project Title:
Month/Year Completed:
Role of Nominee (in the project):
Collaborators & Funding Sources Expenses:
(Sample Text: 4 non-profit employees donated X amount of hours in the collaboration, 1 electrician paid for X amount of hours – their scope included outlets, running conduit etc.)
Student Compensation (Indicate whether students received credit or were financially compensated, within the guidelines of the institution):
(Sample Text: 3 students working as paid research assistants for X amount of hours, 15 students contributed to this project for a 5-credit studio course etc.)

To maintain anonymity, no names of entrants or collaborating parties may appear on any part of the submission, except those fields where author and contributor information is sought (which will not be included in the committee review). Credits may be concealed by any simple means. Do not conceal identity and location of project.

REQUIRED

DOCUMENTATION

COLLABORATION

ACSA seeks to empower faculty and schools to educate increasingly diverse students, expand disciplinary impacts, and create knowledge for the advancement of architecture. ACSA leads architectural education and research by demonstrating the value of architectural education and research to practice and society, by advancing architectural pedagogy, and by serving as the voice of architectural education. ACSA’s core values include: Equity, Social Justice, Climate Action, Teaching,Learning, Research, Scholarship, and Creative Practice. Through the architecture educational awards program, ACSA demonstrates best practices.

ACSA understands work submitted to the awards programs is created through collaboration with students, organizations, firms, communities, and/or industry partners. ACSA advocates for fair labor practices in architecture education and awards submissions must represent the best practices in the field.

Therefore, award submissions must acknowledge all work performed in collaboration and must be properly credited. Submissions should include the information listed below including compensation for student work and/or firm support. This could be student earned course credit, firm work/resources, or financial contributions. The supporting material will need to clearly denote all collaborating parties involved, and their roles for each project.

Selection

A selection committee of five individuals, appointed by the ACSA Board of Directors, shall review submissions and recommend winners. A maximum of eight awards will be made in any year. Winners will be presented with a certificate of merit and will have the opportunity to present their work at the ACSA Annual Meeting.

View Past Recipients

NEW

up to EIGHT AWARDS

2026 FD Selection Committee

David Baird
University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Liz McCormick
University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Rashida Ng
University of Pennsylvania

Karla Sierralta
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa

Notices
  • All materials for nominations and submissions must be uploaded online in one complete package. Any incomplete documentation will not be accepted.
  • Projects that have previously been recognized by ACSA will not be considered.
  • ACSA stands firmly against unpaid labor. In support of the American Institute of Architecture Students’ (AIAS) resolution on unpaid interns, ACSA does not allow partners or firms who do not pay their interns, in accordance with all applicable laws, to submit work for ACSA publications or to receive ACSA awards. (Intern refers to those individuals participating in AXP or equivalent required training and includes working students.) Nomination or submission to the ACSA Awards Program constitutes your understanding of this agreement.
  • Current ACSA Board of Directors members may not submit nominating or supporting letters.
  • Award winners are expected to register and attend the the ACSA Annual Meeting.
  • By submitting your project, you certify that you have granted ACSA permission to use all graphics included.
Questions
ACSA Awards

Edwin Hernández-Ventura
Awards and Competitions Manager
tel: 202-785-2324
email: ehernandez@acsa-arch.org

Eric W. Ellis
Senior Director of Operations and Programs
tel: 202-785-2324
email: eellis@acsa-arch.org

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