AIA Virginia Prize Archive

About the Prize

Students from Hampton University, Virginia Tech, The Washington-Alexandria Architecture Center, the University of Virginia, James Madison University, and William & Mary are eligible for this competition. Held annually near the start of the school year, students spend the weekend designing a response to a problem created by faculty from one of Virginia’s architecture schools. Each school’s faculty reviews the submissions and sends up to 10 finalists to Richmond for final judging.

2026 AIA Virginia Prize

Faculty at James Madison University developed a challenge for a site in Bridgewater, Virginia, that challenged students to imagine a “third space” to bring people together in new ways, support creative activity, and strengthen the rhythms of everyday life.

see the winners of the 2026 prize challenge

2025 AIA Virginia Prize

Virginia Tech WAAC invited students to design a public toilet for the local municipality of Alexandria, Virginia in the vicinity of the King Street Metro Station.

See the winners of the 2025 prize challenge

2024 AIA Virginia Prize

The brief from Hampton University invited students to design a “bookless” public library as a community public room on a corner site at the intersection of N. Mallory Street and E. County Street in Phoebus, Virginia.

See the winners of the 2024 prize challenge

2023 AIA Virginia Prize

UVa challenged students to design a house for two artists that will include their workshop and a public program in the form of an exhibition space and an educational space.

See the winners of the 2023 prize challenge

2022 AIA Virginia Prize

Craft an architectural proposition in the form of a passenger rail station to serve Virginia’s New River Valley (NRV).

See the winners of the 2022 Prize challenge.

2021 AIA Virginia Prize

The 2021 prompt is inspired by the Equal Justice Initiative’s Community Remembrance Project: Design a pillar installation for the City of Alexandria’s Market Square. site plans and photos are provided.

See the winners of the 2021 Prize.

2020 AIA Virginia Prize Competition

The competition — which took place over the weekend of Jan. 24–27 — challenged students to design a small oyster research hatchery 

2019 AIA Virginia Prize Competition

The brief challenged students to design a Pop-Up Café: What is it about cheap food, long hours, and counters that so consistently captures the American imagination? “First I ate a breakfast, a modest one of toast and coffee and one egg, and I cut out of town to the highway.” (On the Road, 1957, Jack Kerouac)

2017 AIA Virginia Prize Competition

The competition brief was to design a terminus for King Street at the Potomac River waterfront to celebrate its historic role as the origin of Alexandria and the front door of the City. The design solution was required to be a significant public space that offers a destination, or as was written: “where one of America’s great streets meets one of America’s great rivers.”

See the winners of the 2017 Prize.

2016 AIA Virginia Prize Competition

Design a new space that would bring forward the histories of the First Africans in Virginia for a historical marker of the same name near Fort Monroe. The space proposed would be for contemplation, congregation, participation, celebration and performance.

Xi Han is the winner of the 2016 AIA Virginia Prize which includes a $1,500 cash prize. Han is in her final year at the University of Virginia, planning to graduate in 2017.

The judges were impressed with the way she tells the story of the first Africans in Virginia. “The design did a very good job connecting to the journey, the water and the existing structures. The way that the site would change depending on the weather, time of year and time of day, would make it a destination for travelers to see multiple times.”

Best of School
Iroda Karimova expects to graduate with a Masters in Architecture from Hampton University in 2017.
John Hatcher expects to graduate from the University of Virginia in 2018.
Divya Nautiyal expects to graduate with a Masters in Architecture from Virginia Tech in 2017.
Ian Hunter expects to graduate with a Masters in Landscape Architecture from The Washington-Alexandria Architecture Center in 2017.

Certificate of Merit
M. Ryan Delaney, The Washington-Alexandria Architecture Center
Carlin Tacey, The Washington-Alexandria Architecture Center

Notable
Luke Dale, Virginia Tech
Dennis Daniels, The Washington-Alexandria Architecture Center
Rachel Flanagan, Virginia Tech
Philippa Koenig, The Washington-Alexandria Architecture Center
Qian Li, Virginia Tech
Julian Lin, The Washington-Alexandria Architecture Center

2015 AIA Virginia Prize Competition

Consider, as a work of art, the design of the Rocky Forge Wind Farm, now being developed in Botetourt County. They were told their submissions should not only meet the pragmatic demands of the turbine array, but also engage the inherent aesthetic potential in a large-scale human intervention within the natural landscape.

Tommy Kim is now in his final year of a five-year program at Virginia Tech-Blacksburg. Kim, who came to Virginia Tech following graduation from Stone Bridge High School in Ashburn, Va., spent one year of his architecture program at the university’s Washington-Alexandria Architecture Center.

The judges were most complimentary. “The building is almost completely hidden which adds to the intriguing experience,” says Jury Chair Jim Clark, FAIA. “The consistency in design and the sequence of events is very strong. Loved the vista image, especially how it balances the plan. Enjoyed that it was unique to the location.”

Best of School
Vaughn James, now in his last year at Hampton University
Lauren Scott, in her senior year at the University of Virginia
Forrest Bibeau, in his final year at Virginia Tech, Blacksburg
Matthew Duncan, a graduate student at Virginia Tech-Washington Alexandria Architecture Center

Honorable Mention
Matthew Young, Virginia Tech
James Wood, Virginia Tech
Zeph Ruggles, University of Virginia
Seema Samudre, Virginia Tech
Min Hyoung Choe, Virginia Tech

2013  VSAIA Prize Competition

This year’s competition has a new partner and Corporate Sponsor, the Virginia Housing Development Authority, who collaborated with faculty from Virginia Tech’s Washington-Alexandria Architecture Center to develop the competition program brief. The 2013 Prize program was for a mixed-use fire station combined with dwelling units for the Beauregard neighborhood in Alexandria. 

The 2013 VSAIA Prize Winner is Robert Lingo of Virginia Tech. The Jury’s comments:

We liked the way this entry takes the program from the abstract to the real, all in one board. We liked the use of the foundry, combining a positive use of fire with a firefighting facility. We also liked the varying scales, both macro and micro. This entrant clearly thought beyond the scope of the problem, incorporating a community outreach component, into their solution. The board is also a nicely designed composition. Anyone can understand the presentation techniques.

Best of School WAAC – Liz M. Fibleuil

We liked the bold expression of fire, and the bold strokes of the presentation. The entry takes an intangible and gives it three dimensional expression in the forms and floor plan. The use of color in the board is very vivid, as is the use of text in the descriptions of the design concepts. The concept was conveyed well and well executed; we understood what they were trying to say.

Best of School Hampton University – Alvin L. Mendoza

This was a project that truly integrates the sense of community into the complex. Not a traditional fire station per se, but that is partly what makes it remarkable. An iconic structure which is tied into the community and integrates the programmatic elements. We liked the lyrical illustration of licks of flame, which is a creative interpretation.

Honorable Mention – Kevin Gerrity, Virginia Tech

We understand that this is not really a practical solution, but we liked the strong conceptual design, especially the components that can be plugged in as needed… very adaptable! The design of the board is lovely, very striking. The Imagery is quite alluring, it draws you to it. Even the text box lines up with the residential floor plans. The section and floor plans describe it very well. A strong idea.

2012 VSAIA Prize Competition

The competition brief, designed by faculty at Hampton University, was to design multi-use storm shelter for the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

Other Honorees:

Best of School Hampton University, Carlton Copeland
Best of School Virginia Tech WAAC, Ningning Shang
Best of School Virginia Tech Blacksburg, John Jennings

Honorable Mention, “Kit Award”, Meagan McFadden, University of Virginia
Honorable Mention, Creativity, Zack Saunders, Virginia Tech Blacksburg

Notable, “Stanley Kubrick Award”, Chris Yetka, Virginia Tech Blacksburg
Notable, Ingenuity, Harsh Vardhan Jain, University of Virginia

Learn about the honorees and read the jury comments here.

2010 Virginia Society AIA Prize Competition

The 2010 competition problem was designed by faculty at the University of Virginia School of Architecture.

The 2010 VSAIA Prize was awarded to Harry Rosenbaum, of Virginia Tech Blacksburg.

Best of School
Hampton University
Mark Paulo Ramos Matel

Best of School
Virginia Tech WAAC
Jacob Linn

Honorable Mention recognition went to:
Emilia A. Baker, Virginia Tech Blacksburg
Shane Dunlevy, Virginia Tech WAAC