Conducted simultaneously at Hampton University, the University of Virginia, Virginia Tech (both in Blacksburg and at the Washington-Alexandria Architecture Center/the WAAC), William & Mary, and James Madison University, the AIA Virginia Prize competition is a design charrette that engages students across the Commonwealth. Students receive the competition program on a Friday afternoon at 5 p.m. They work over the weekend to create a design solution and submit it by 9 a.m. the following Monday. Launched in 1980, the competition is intended to promote collaboration between the profession, students, and professors in Virginia.
The first round of submissions is juried at the university level and up to 10 finalists from each school will be sent to be juried at the state level.
The 2026 competition takes place over the January 30-Feburary 2 weekend. Faculty at James Madison University are finalizing the brief. The challenge brief will be posted to this page at 5 p.m. on Friday, January 30 and submissions are due to the school at 9 a.m. on Monday, February 2.
Submission Requirements:
One 24” x 36” board, landscape or portrait orientation. Digital files should be no larger than 10 MB and PDF format. Prize entries should be submitted using the manner determined by each university.
Eligibility:
Entries should represent the work of an individual (rather than a team).
2026 Competition Brief
(will be posted on 1/30 at 5:00pm)
If you have any difficulties please email info@aiava.org
Check out past challenges and honorees in the archive.