The Fitz-Gibbon Architecture Firm Award is the highest honor bestowed by AIA Virginia to a Virginia-based architecture firm and is intended to recognize a firm which has consistently demonstrated outstanding and continuous contributions to the profession, to the community, and are known for the quality of their work. The firm must have been in practice for at least ten (10) years. Firms are eligible to be nominated again no fewer than 20 years after being honored with this award.
Only one award may be bestowed each year.
Nominations for Virginia-based offices of regional, national, or international firms should indicate that only those accomplishments produced substantially by the Virginia location(s) have been included in the nomination.
Evaluative Criteria
Consideration is given to:
- The firm’s recognition for design achievement, such as design awards and project publication;
- Breadth and scope of built work;
- Relationship of built work to purpose, environment, user, and physical context;
- “Staying power;”
- Consistency of philosophy, approach, and quality in body of work;
- Firm culture;
- Architectural professional leadership.
Submission Material
- Nomination form
- Nominator’s statement
The statement should be no more than a paragraph and should include a concise description of the nominee and summarize how the nominee meets the criteria for the award. - Complete history of firm, and list of projects.
This should contain a complete history of the firm’s achievements and supporting material, detailing projects and other achievements and accolades. It should be no longer than 20 pages. - Narrative, no longer than one page, addressing the evaluative criteria.
The narrative should demonstrate consistency of philosophy, approach, leadership in the profession, and quality in body of work. It should show breadth and scope of work, and “staying power,” as well as the relationship of built work to purpose, environment, user, and physical context. - Photographic support for the narrative.
- Three to five letters of recommendation.
Letters of endorsement should reference the author’s relationship with the firm, cite specific examples of why the firm is qualified to receive the award, and note how the public or profession benefitted from the firm’s work.
Your submission should be no larger than 15MB and no more than 20 pages long (not including letters of support).
Past Recipients
1987 VVKR, Incorporated, Alexandria
1989 Marcellus Wright, Cox and Smith, P.C., Richmond
1993 Johnson, Craven & Gibson, Inc., Charlottesville
1995 Carlton S. Abbott & Partners, Williamsburg
1997 Baskervill & Son, Richmond
1999 The Glavé Firm, Richmond
2001 Kerns Group Architects, Arlington
2003 VMDO Architects, Charlottesville
2004 Hanbury Evans Wright Vlattas + Co., Norfolk
2005 LeMay Erickson Architects, Reston
2007 SMBW Architects, Richmond
2008 BCWH Architecture, Interiors, Planning, Richmond
2010 Ritter Architects, Alexandria
2011 Commonwealth Architects, Richmond
2017 Frazier Associates, Staunton
2018 MTFA Architecture, Arlington
2019 3north, Richmond