AIA Design Awards 2016, Prize Winners, Chapter, Buildings, Projects, News

AIA UK Chapter Excellence in Design Awards 2016

UK Architecture Prize – Winning Architects + Buildings

11 + 9 Mar 2016

AIA UK Design Awards for 2016 Winners

Winners for the AIA UK Excellence in Design Awards

The AIA UK Chapter Excellence in Design Awards Gala 2016 took place on the 18th April at the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) in London. The impressive elegance of the Nash & Brand Rooms provided a warm and welcoming reception to the guests who arrived from different parts of the world to celebrate creativity, design and architecture.

The AIA UK sets an open awards platform in order to minimise restrictions and provide more opportunities for architects and designer to submit their projects. This year the AIA UK set 3 categories (Student, Young Architect and Professional) to balance the competition so younger architects don’t compete with larger, long-established firms.

The jury’s review process involved a full day of long, ardent debate over the anonymous submissions, clearly indicating the high quality of the submissions received, and confirming evidence that the UK is a leading centre for innovation and design. As an outcome, the jury decided to award three commendations for the Professional category.

Frederick Grier, President of the AIA UK, paid tribute to the late Dame Zaha Hadid, sharing the highlights of her involvement with the AIA UK chapter from inception both as a juror and as an award winner, in addition to her involvement in other AIA UK events.

The members of the jury included: Armstrong Yakubu, Charlotte Skene Catling, Michel Mossessian, Alex Lifschutz, Amy Frearson, Frederick Grier and Adrian Evans. In the evening, the jury was represented by Amy Frearson who announced the winners by elaborating on the jury comments for each winning project.

2016 AIA UK Excellence in Design Winners

Noel Hill Travel Award
Tonderai Prince Maboreke – from Ravensbourne University

Southbank Pavilion

Young Architect Award
Merrett Houmøller Architects – Analogue Boathouse

photo © Alan Williams

Professional Commendation
John McAslan + Partners – Sacred Heart Cathedral of Kericho

photo © Edmund Sumner, Sumner Partnership Ltd.

Professional Commendation
Allies and Morrison – Rambert

photo © Allies & Morrison

Professional Commendation
Duggan Morris Architects – Richmond Adult Community College

photo © Mark Haddenr

Professional Winner
Zaha Hadid Architects – Messner Mountain Museum

photo © Werner Huthmacher

The 2016 AIA UK Excellence in Design Jury:

Armstrong Yakubu, Foster & Partners
Charlotte Skene Catling, Skene Catling de la Pena
Michael Mossessian, Mossessian Architecture
Alex Lifschutz, Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands
Amy Frearson, Dezeen
Frederick Grier, UHA London, AIA UK President
Adrian Evans, Huddersfield University

Awards programme eligibility requirements:

– UK-based architects or designers, for projects anywhere in the world
– Architects or designers anywhere in the world, for projects completed in the UK
– Students of architecture currently enrolled in UK Universities, including US students involved in foreign exchange programmes in the UK.

The AIA UK is the first International Chapter of the American Institute of Architects:

The American Institute of Architects (AIA), established for over 150 years and representing more than 88,000 members worldwide, is the most influential voice for the architectural community in the United States. Through its growing number of international members and chapters, the AIA is gaining influence throughout the global architectural community.

In 1990, a group of American architects living and working in the United Kingdom came together to establish a local chapter in London and in 1994, the AIA UK officially became the first international chapter of the AIA. The chapter currently has over 200 members throughout the country representing practices of all sizes. What began primarily as a social vehicle soon grew into a professional organization actively participating in the larger architectural community.

The AIA UK Chapter has maintained a dialogue with the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and works jointly with its members to promote architecture and the architectural profession. Many of the chapter’s members are also members of the RIBA. Each year, the chapter organizes a variety of programs, many of which provide continuing education units required by most US and UK registered architects.

AIA UK Design Awards for 2016 Winners

11 + 9 Mar 2016

AIA UK Excellence in Design Awards Call for Entries

Call for Entries for the AIA UK Excellence in Design Awards

Title of the Competition: 2016 AIA UK CHAPTER EXCELLENCE IN DESIGN AWARDS PROGRAMME

Registration Deadline Date: 5pm, 24th March 2016

Submission Deadline Date: 5pm, 24th March 2016

Description of Competition (please include a web address if available):

For over 20 years, The American Institute of Architects UK Chapter Excellence in Design Awards programme has proven highly valued by architects as they confer trans-Atlantic recognition for design excellence.

Professional entries are sought from architects, industrial designers, urban planners, landscape architects and interior designers based in Britain, and from around the world for completed projects in the UK.

The awards programme recognises and honours excellence in design in three categories:

• Professional
• Young Architect
• Student

The winners will be announced at the Awards Gala on Monday 18th April held at the Institute of Contemporary Arts.

AIA UK Excellence in Design Awards Call for Entries – Details on How to Enter

6 Mar 2013

AIA UK Excellence in Design Awards

AIA UK Excellence in Design Awards – Call for Entries

London, England – The American Institute of Architects UK Chapter is pleased to announce its 2013 Excellence in Design Awards Programme. These Awards are highly valued by architects because they confer trans-Atlantic recognition of UK Architecture and UK Architectural Firms working around the world.

The Awards Programme recognises and honours excellence in design:

– By UK-based Architects for projects anywhere in the world
– By Architects anywhere in the world for projects located in the UK
– By Students of Architecture currently enrolled in UK Universities (including US exchange programs in the UK)

In past years this broad mix has resulted in winning projects from among others, Zaha Hadid Architects, Rogers Stirk Harbour & Partners, Grimshaw Architects, Wilkinson Eyre Architects, Edward Cullinan Architects, Rick Mather Architects, and Eva Jiricna Architects.

This year we are honoured to announce that this year’s Jury will be chaired by Sir Nicholas Grimshaw and will also included Paul Williams of Stanton Williams, the 2012 Stirling Prize winner. For the full list of this year’s jury please see below:

– Sir Nicholas Grimshaw CBE, PPRA, RIBA, AIA Grimshaw Architects
– Paul Williams HonD, RDI, RIBA Stanton Williams
– Simon Allford RIBA AHMM
– Duncan Swinhoe RIBA Gensler
– Neil Spiller BA(Hons), Dip Arch (Hons), RIBA Dean of School of Architecture at the University of Greenwich
– Ellis Woodman MA(Cantab) Dip Arch Building Design (BD) Magazine
– Robert Rhodes AIA AIA UK President (Robert Rhodes Associates)

The submission deadline for the awards is Friday 22 Mar 2013. For further information about the AIA UK Design Excellence Awards please visit:

AIA UK Chapter Design Awards : more info from 2012 and 2011

19 Apr 2012

AIA 2012 Excellence in Design Awards

AIA UK 2012 Excellence in Design Awards – Winners

The UK Chapter of the American Institute of Architects held its Annual Excellence in Design Awards Ceremony, following a convivial reception in the Courtyard at the Wallace Collection on Tuesday evening, 17th April. The Goodison Lecture Theatre was at capacity for the presentation of four AIA UK Excellence in Design Awards, five Design Commendations and two Noel Hill Student Travel Awards.

In association with Rise, Desso and Laufen, the AIA UK Awards Competition attracted the largest number of submissions in the eighteen year history of the programme, and the Jury was unanimous in its view that the entries represented a remarkable level of quality and a wide range of project typologies.

AIA 2012 Excellence in Design Awards Jury

Rick Mather AIA RIBA Rick Mather Architects
Lee Polisano FAIA RIBA PLP Architecture
Martha Schwartz FASLA Martha Schwartz Partners
David Walker AIA RIBA David Walker Architects
Tim Stonor RIBA MRTPI FRSA Space Syntax
Stephan Reinke FAIA RIBA Stephan Reinke Architects
Etain Fitzpatrick AIA AIA UK President, Renzo Piano Building Workshop

These unique awards attract a broad range of design professionals from around the globe who are either based in the UK, or who have delivered projects in the UK.

The tradition for this programme is to invite architects of the top four Excellence in Design Awards to present their projects. This year’s Awards Evening featured a fly in visit by Alexander Schwarz from David Chipperfield Architects in Berlin, Stephan Marshall, Niall McLaughlin and Paul Williams from Stanton Williams presenting the University of the Arts Central Saint Martin’s Campus at King’s Cross, the top AIA UK Excellence in Design Award for 2012.

The two Noel Hill Student Travel Awards, both for research travel in the US, were presented to Ishbel Mull of Cambridge University and Keir Alexander of Westminster University.

Following the Awards Presentation, the attendees reconvened in the Wallace Collection Courtyard for a viewing of all the winning submissions on mounted boards and celebratory fellowship.

AIA UK Excellence in Design Awards

University of the Arts London Central Saint Martin’s Campus, King’s Cross, London
Stanton Williams

photo © Hufton+Crow
Central Saint Martins