2026 Design Award Winners

126 entries were received for the 2026 Awards for Excellence in Architecture.

This year's esteemed jury chose 30 projects for Honor, Merit, and Honorable Mentions.

Join us at Visions for Architecture, November 5, 2026, to celebrate these winners!

Architecture        

Honor -- College of William and Mary Fine and Performing Arts Center by Moseley
Merit -- Contemplative Commons at the University of Virginia by VMDO Architects
Merit -- Madera Cyber Innovation Center by Clark Nexsen
Merit -- VGXI Headquarters + Biomanufacturing Facility byHanbury
Honorable Mention -- Elizabeth River Project — Ryan Resilience Lab by Work Program Architects

Contextual Design        

Merit -- Cibolo Creek House by ARCHITECTUREFIRM
Merit -- Third Street Station by Spectrum Design, PC
Honorable Mention -- Shepherdstown Grandparents House by Reader & Swartz Architects, P.C.
Honorable Mention -- TB Smith Community Center by Baskervill

Extended Use    Adaptive or Continued Use    

Honor -- Hempstead House by Robert M Gurney FAIA Architect
Merit -- Mountaintop Montessori Middle School by BRW Architects
Merit -- National Air and Space Museum by Quinn Evans
Honorable Mention -- Oyster-Adams Bilingual School by StudioMB
Honorable Mention -- The Accolade by WDG Architecture

Extended Use    Historic Preservation    

Merit -- Wren Building Restoration by Glave & Holmes Architecture

Interiors        

Merit -- Maeve Raleigh by ARCHITECTUREFIRM
Merit -- MARTIN* 3West by 3North
Honorable Mention -- Virginia Tech Creativity and Innovation District Living Learning Community (CID)  by Hanbury

Residential        

Honor -- Terraces East by Cunningham | Quill Architects, PLLC
Merit -- Ballston Duplex by Teass \ Warren Architects
Merit -- Gloucester House by ARCHITECTUREFIRM
Honorable Mention -- Exeter Road House by Robert M. Gurney, FAIA, Architect
Honorable Mention -- Ocean Sundial by Donald Lococo Architects
Honorable Mention -- Spring Mill House by Robert M Gurney FAIA Architect

Small Project    Under 5000 SF    

Honor -- Otis LW by Two Street Studio
Honorable Mention -- Charlottesville Studio by Point Office LLC
Honorable Mention -- Pied-à-Mer by StudioMB

Small Project    Up to $150K    

Honorable Mention -- Sheets and Slabs by After Architecture

Unbuilt        

Merit -- Virginia African American Cultural Center by Hanbury
Honorable Mention -- Artist Collective Spartanburg Renovation and Expansion by Seth McDowell Architect