Skip to content

Announcing the Design Awards 2019

Submission Information

AIA Santa Barbara is pleased to announce the 2019 Design Awards program, celebrating the very best work of our membership and region. A select jury of architects will bestow awards of Honor, Merit and Honorable Mention to the most exceptional projects in this year’s diverse project categories. Further information is given below and in the accompanying 2019 Design Awards Documents. We look forward to your participation!

The categories for this year’s Design Awards include Commercial Buildings & Interiors, New Single Family Residential, Multi-Family Residential, Historic Preservation/ Renovation, Small Projects, Residential, Interior Architecture + Design, and Santa Barbara Architectural Heritage.

The categories for this year’s Design Awards include; Commercial Buildings;  Single Family Residential;  Mixed Use & Multi-Family Residential; Historic Preservation, Restoration, Rehabilitation or Reconstruction; Santa Barbara Architectural Heritage;  Small Projects: Single Family Residential Additions, Remodels or Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU’s); Commercial Interiors;  Residential Interiors; and Proposed/ Unbuilt Projects.

The Design Award Guidelines (entry form, schedule, eligibility, judging criteria, categories and photography release form) are currently available below as well as the 2017 Jury’s comments and recommendations on submitting a project.

After your registration and payment are complete, an entry ID number will be assigned and sent to you via email with instructions on uploading your submission.

Schedule

Early Bird Registration deadline: July 16, 2019
Final Registration: August 2, 2019
Submission Deadline: August 9, 2019 Entries shall be uploaded/delivered no later than 9.00 PM, PDT

Jury Convenes: October, 2019
Design Awards Ceremony: December 6, 2019 @ The University Club of Santa Barbara

Eligibility

Licensed architects or firms in good standing membership of AIA Santa Barbara are eligible to submit projects. Projects may be located within Santa Barbara County or worldwide. Licensed architects or firms in good standing membership of other AIA chapters or licensed architects and firms that are not AIA members may submit projects that are located in Santa Barbara County. Projects previously awarded by the AIA Santa Barbara Design Awards program are not eligible. Members of the 2019 Design Awards Committee who intend to submit a project for consideration are not eligible to participate in juror selection or deliberations.

Submissions must be projects completed before, during or after 1974 (45-year Chapter Anniversary), unless stated otherwise.

All submitted projects that meet these guidelines are eligible for an award, however, a project submitted in multiple categories will only receive one award, as determined by the Jury. The Jury may recommend multiple awards in a single category or no award in any category; at their discretion.

Entry Fees

AIA Santa Barbara Members:
Early Bird Registration $162 ($153 each additional entry,) $90 for entries previously submitted, but not awarded.
After July 16, 2019: $180 ($171 each additional entry,) $99 for entries previously submitted, but not awarded.

Non-Members: $300
$270 ($261 each additional entry,) $180 for entries previously submitted, but not awarded.

Entry fees are non-refundable 

Judging Criteria

AIA Santa Barbara’s Design Awards reflect the values and aspirations of our region’s design community while focusing on larger, even global issues. We recognize that our members work on a variety of challenges and scales. Submissions should reflect a strong sense of place, history or purpose. We value artfully resolved design, but also celebrate the fact that architecture is much more than just beautiful buildings.

The jury will use the following criteria as a guide in the selection of recognized projects:

Inspiration: Does the project tell a story about innovative architectural design that is relevant and inspiring? Is the design well-resolved, given the stated project program? Do the materials presented articulate the ambitions of the design?

Creative Problem-Solving: What unique problems was the project asked to address regarding: site, budget, program, materials, collaboration or context? Did it address these requirements successfully? Is the relevance and value of design thinking evident in the submission? Do the presentation materials clearly depict the program, context and organizing principles influencing the design?

Environmental Sensitivity: Does the project exhibit serious intent to minimize negative environmental impacts and enhance the natural environment? Are metrics, narratives, diagrams, sketches or other clear evidence provided of both modeled and actual performance?

Social Transformation/Response: How does the project respond to its social, historical and physical context? Is it sensitive to its physical, social and historical context? Does the project improve the community in which it is situated? Does it exemplify a commitment to enhancing livable communities?

Process: The jury shall use an initial scoring sheet during their deliberations. The jury may not move a project from the category of which that project was submitted. The jury has the discretion to award one or more Honor Awards in any category or not to award any category. The jury will review project submissions prior to their face-to-face deliberation session.

Categories

Honor, Merit, and Honorable Mentions may be recognized in the following categories:

Commercial Buildings: Excellence of design in projects of commercial, institutional or industrial uses. This category includes new buildings, substantial remodels and additions. Commercial Interior shall be submitted under Category 7 below.

Single Family Residential: Excellence of design and construction in single-family homes. This category includes new buildings and extensive remodels and, or additions. Residential interiors shall be submitted under Category 8 below. This category may also include an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) project if the main residence is not part of the scope of work.

Mixed Use and Multi-Family Residential: Excellence of design and construction in structures containing two or more dwellings units. This category includes Mixed-Use buildings containing both residential and non-residential uses. This category may also include an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) project.

Historic Preservation, Restoration, Rehabilitation or Reconstruction: This category is open to all projects that use the Department of Interior Standards for the care of Historic Properties.  This includes: Preservation, Restoration, Rehabilitation or Reconstruction. Projects should be eligible for listing as structures of merit, landmarks and existing structures that are a minimum of fifty years old. This category may include new buildings that are part of a project that includes a historic structure as long as that historic structure is incorporated into the scope of work.

Santa Barbara Architectural Heritage: Projects in Santa Barbara’s time-honored Spanish-Colonial Revival Style are eligible to submit in this category. Projects should clearly demonstrate this unique and established architectural heritage.

Small Projects: Single Family Residential Additions, Remodels or Accessary Dwelling Units (ADU’s): The Small Projects awards category strives to elevate public awareness of the value of design that architects provide to small scale or scoped projects. Projects may include residential additions, remodels and Accessory Dwelling Units.

Commercial Interiors: Excellence of design and construction in commercial interior architecture and design. This category only includes interiors that have minor exterior scope of work; i.e. exterior window alterations or treatments to enhance the interior displays.

Residential Interiors: Excellence of design and construction in residential interior architecture and design. This category includes residential interiors, kitchens, baths or other interior work. The scope of work may include minor exterior alterations as part of the interior work.

Proposed/Unbuilt Projects: Excellence of design is often found in the first generation drawings and work. There are many projects that never make it to construction for a variety of reasons; these projects are worthy of celebration. This category can include any project of any type, size, scale or location; but must be designed by an architect or firm based in Santa Barbara County.

Back To Top