Announcing the 2022 Design Awards
Submission Information
In recognition of individual architects and architectural firms who have made a substantial contribution in the field of architecture in our region and around the world, this award celebrates excellence in design that goes far beyond the practice of architecture. Great architecture is about creating an enduring legacy, inspiring people and enriching their lives. Innovative buildings can help shape the way we live and enable us to make the most of the limited resources we have.
AIA|SB’s Design Awards reflect the values and aspirations of our region’s design community while focusing on larger, even global design issues. We recognize that our members work on a variety of challenging projects of every scale. Submissions should reflect a strong sense of place, history, and purpose. We value artfully resolved design and celebrate the fact that good design offers new solutions to new challenges.
All submissions must demonstrate clarity of idea, process and execution through a combination of text, diagrams, drawings, photographs, and other illustrative materials as outlined in these submission guidelines. The Jury will rank each submission as to how it meets the criteria in Section V of this packet.
The Jury reserves the right not to make an award in any particular category. Each category may be awarded an Honor, Merit or Honorable Mention. The Jury may award multiples of the same type in any category in the case of ties among submissions.
Chapter staff shall ensure that projects remain anonymous. Please refer to AIASB’s statement on Conflict of Interest included herein.
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.
Thank you to our Sponsors!
Schedule
Early Bird Registration deadline: July 22, 2022 extended to July 26th
Final Registration: August 12, 2022
Submission Deadline: September 2, 2022
Jury Convenes: October 2022
Design Awards Ceremony: TBA December 2022
Eligibility
Licensed architects or firms in good standing membership of AIA|SB are eligible to submit projects. Projects may be located within Santa Barbara County or worldwide. Non AIASB chapter members may submit projects as long as the submission is located in Santa Barbara County. Projects previously awarded by the AIA|SB design awards program are not eligible. Members of the 2021 Design Awards Committee who intend to submit a project for consideration are not eligible to participate in juror selection or deliberations.
Entry Fees
AIA Santa Barbara Members:
Early Bird Registration $175 ($150 each additional entry,) $100 for entries previously submitted, but not awarded.
After July 22, 2022: $225 ($200 each additional entry,) $150 for entries previously submitted, but not awarded.
Non-Members:
$270 ($250 each additional entry,) $200 for entries previously submitted, but not awarded.
Entry fees are non-refundable
Judging Criteria
NOTE: AIA and AIACA are moving toward the required use of the Common Application in the submission of awards programs. The Common Application is an Excel Worksheet that provides an overall score across ten measures. AIASB will be required to base its Awards Program on the Common Application in the near future. The Common Application can be found at the end of this document for reference. As a first step, we have provided reference to the measures of the Common Application in each of the judging criteria below.
Your submission should demonstrate the follow measures of excellence:
1. 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?
Common Application: Measure 1 Design for Integration. Measure 7 Design for Wellbeing. Measure 10 Design for Discovery.
2. 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?
Common Application: Measure 5 Design for Economy.
3. 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? This may also include project submissions in response to the COVID Pandemic.
Common Application: Measure 3 Design for Ecosystems. Measure 4 Design for Water. Measure 6 Design for Energy. Measure 8 Design for Resources.
4. 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?
Common Application: Measure 2 Design for Equitable Communities. Measure 9 Design for Change.
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 Interiors 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 (greater than 60% of the original building.) 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 part of the score of work.
Mixed Use and Multi-Family Residential: Excellence of design and construction in structures containing two or more dwellings units. This category includes MixedUse buildings containing both residential and non-residential uses. Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) project shall be submitted under Category 6 below.
Conservation Projects: Historic Preservation, Restoration, Rehabilitation or Reconstruction: This category is open to all projects that use the Department of Interior (DOI) 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 an historic structure as long as that historic structure is incorporated into the scope of work. Submission must demonstrate how the DOI Standards were met in the design solution.
Santa Barbara Style (Residential and Commercial Projects): 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. Projects may include new, remodels, renovations or additions, and must demonstrate how the original was either enhanced or converted to Spanish Colonial Revival.
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 (area of work less than 60% of original building) and Accessory Dwelling Units. Small Projects up to 1,200 SF with a construction cost not to exceed $500,000.
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: There are many projects that get left on the drawing board and are not constructed for various reasons. These projects often can be compelling and innovative. Projects submitted in this category can be of any type, scale, or location as long as the lead design firm is located in Santa Barbara County and the project has not since been constructed and there are no plans for construction.