2025 AIA San Fernando Valley Design Awards
Celebrating Innovation, Excellence & Community Impact in Architecture
Submit your projects by Monday, August 15, 2025
Key Dates & Deadlines
Early Bird Entry Period: June 15 – July 15, 2025
Final Deadline: Submissions due by 11:59 PM, August 15, 2025
Awards Ceremony: November 7, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Eligibility
We welcome submissions from all AIA San Fernando Valley (AIASFV) Chapter members, as well as from AIA and Intl. Assoc. AIA members of any Chapter for projects within the San Fernando Valley chapter boundaries.
Our chapter boundaries include all of Los Angeles County north of Mulholland Drive and west of Glendale Blvd. The communities of Valencia, Santa Clarita and Antelope Valley are a part of our boundaries.
If you are not a member of the AIASFV you may submit a project outside of our chapter boundaries by becoming an Affiliate member of the AIAFV.
All projects must be submitted with this template to be eligible for awards. Check out our eligibility guidelines here.
Categories
Categories will be created as appropriate for the entries received from:
Residential (including: Condos, Apartments, Multifamily Units)
Commercial (including: Institutional, Educational, Interior Architecture)
Mixed-Use
Urban Design
Historic Preservation / Adaptive Reuse / Renovation
Landscape
Sustainable Design
Product Design
Others (Memorials, Religious, Museums, etc.)
Special Categories
In addition to the main categories, there are six special categories that recognize outstanding contributions and achievements:
Design for Resilience: AIASFV introduces the Resilient Design Award to recognize innovative residential, commercial, and interior renovation projects—both built and conceptual—that demonstrate resilience against environmental challenges like wildfires, earthquakes, and flooding. This award highlights the crucial role of architects in designing buildings and structures that withstand and adapt to natural disasters, offering hope and ingenuity for resilient communities. The use of the Common App is required for this category (see below).
Great Details: This year, we want to recognize projects that emphasizes climate resiliency using the Common App. This category celebrates the craftsmanship and precision found in the fine details of buildings. Showcase the design intent through sections or 3D models, and demonstrate the final execution with photographs or renderings that bring the concept to life. The use of the Common App is highly encouraged for this category.
Interior Design: To recognize innovative renovation projects—both built and conceptual. This award celebrates interior design solutions that restore, reimagine, and strengthen spaces.
20-Year Award: Celebrating projects of enduring design quality completed prior to the end of the 2005 calendar year. Submissions must include at least one original photographic slide along with current condition views.
AIA San Fernando Valley Firm of the Year Award: Honoring a single firm for its body of work, including at least five projects executed over at least ten years. Firms may nominate themselves.
Best Client: Recognizing clients who have actively supported and influenced the architect in the design process for projects built in the past five years. Submissions should detail the client's impact on the design decisions and include slides of the project(s).
Our Mission for Resiliency in Partnership with Southern California Edison
In the face of increasingly frequent wildfires and the growing threat of climate-related disasters, it's clear that simply building to code is no longer enough. As architects and designers, we have a responsibility to create spaces that are not only functional and beautiful but also resilient and responsive to the challenges of our time. This year, AIA San Fernando Valley is proud to spotlight those who are leading the charge—designing beyond compliance to make our Valley a safer, more sustainable refuge for all. Through the optional Design for Resilience award, we invite you to share projects that align with the AIA Framework for Design Excellence and demonstrate meaningful progress in energy, carbon, and climate resilience. Let’s recognize the work that not only meets standards but sets them.
For more information about what you need for your submission for this category, check out the following information: