The 2023 AIA Virginia Prize competition kicks off the spring semester by offering students the opportunity to win a $2,000 prize. Three additional $300 “Best of School” prizes will also be awarded. The competition is a design charrette that engages students enrolled in accredited architecture programs in Virginia over the weekend of Feb. 10-13, 2023.
See the competition brief.
AIA Virginia is pleased to announce the jury for the 2022 AIA Virginia Prize. The competition — which took place over the weekend of Jan. 21–24 —challenged students to craft an architectural proposition in the form of a passenger rail station to serve Virginia’s New River Valley.
The AIA Virginia Prize is a design charrette that engages students at the accredited schools of architecture in Virginia. Conducted simultaneously at each institution, students are given the competition program Friday at 5 p.m. They work over the weekend to create a board presenting their design solution by 9 a.m. the following Monday. The competition is intended to promote collaboration between the profession, students, and professors in Virginia.
Each school’s faculty reviewed the submissions and sent up to 10 finalists for final consideration by the jury which will be chaired by Carolyn Rickard-Brideau, AIA.
About the Jury
Carolyn Rickard-Brideau, AIA ~ Jury Chair
Carolyn Rickard-Brideau is Partner and Chief Executive Officer of Little Diversified Architectural Consulting, an international architecture and design firm.
Christopher Charles, AIA
Christopher Charles is an Associate Principal with Hanbury’s Norfolk office.
Wilson Rayfield, AIA
Wilson Rayfield is Executive Vice President, Aviation with Gresham Smith.
Ken Thacker, AIA
Ken Thacker is a principal with VMDO’s Charlottesville office.
Kevin Byrd, AICP
Kevin Byrd is Executive Director at New River Valley Regional Commission.
Ryan Ives, RLA
Ryan Ives is an Associate and landscape architect Senior Designer in Little’s Durham office.
The 2022 AIA Virginia Prize competition kicks off the spring semester by offering students the opportunity to win a $2,000 prize.
Any student enrolled in one of the accredited schools of architecture in Virginia is eligible to compete in the competition which will take place over the weekend of Jan. 21-24, 2022.
Universities send up to 10 finalists to be reviewed by a jury of respected Virginia practitioners. The winners will be announced later this spring. In addition to the $2,000 prize, three $300 “Best of School” awards will be given.
About the AIA Virginia Prize
Conducted simultaneously at Hampton University, University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, and the Washington-Alexandria Architecture Center, the competition is a design charrette that engages students at all of the accredited schools of architecture in Virginia. Students are given 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.
Development of the competition brief rotates between the four schools annually — the 2022 Prize challenge is being developed by Virginia Tech. Learn about last year’s competition.
The 2021 AIA Virginia Prize competition — which took place over the weekend of Jan. 22–25 — was inspired by the Equal Justice Initiative’s Community Remembrance Project and challenged students to design a pillar installation for the City of Alexandria’s Market Square. Each school’s faculty reviewed the submissions and sent up to 10 finalists for final consideration by the jury
In a new initiative this year, AIA Virginia is convening a post-competition conversation with the students from the 4 schools, the jurors, and designers from the region. The virtual panel discussion takes place at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, April 16.
Register to see the winning submissions, hear jury comments, and join the discussion.
Submitted for AIA CES approval.
The 2021 AIA Virginia Prize competition kicks off the spring semester by offering students the opportunity to win a $2,000 prize. Three additional $300 “Best of School” prizes will also be awarded. The competition is a design charrette that engages students at all the accredited schools of architecture in Virginia.
The 2021 AIA Virginia Prize launches on Friday, Jan. 22 at 5 p.m. and runs through Monday, Jan.25 at 9 a.m.
Conducted simultaneously at Hampton University, University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, and the Washington-Alexandria Architecture Center (WAAC), students work over the weekend to create a design solution. Each school’s faculty reviews the submissions and sends up to 10 finalists to AIA Virginia for judging by a statewide jury.
Development of the competition brief rotates between the four schools annually — the 2021 Prize challenge was developed by faculty at WAAC.
The competition was launched in 1980 and is intended to promote collaboration between the profession, students, and professors in Virginia. Watch for announcement about the winner in the coming months.
To see the winners of last year’s competition, check out the 2020 Prize announcement.
Interested in supporting the AIA Virginia Prize by becoming a sponsor? Contact Jody Cranford.
AIA Virginia is pleased to announce the jury for the 2020 AIA Virginia Prize. The competition — which took place over the weekend of Jan. 24–27 — challenged students to design an oyster hatchery in Norfolk. Students were asked to imagine sustainable solutions where humans and nature could gracefully coexist. [Read the full competition brief.]
Each school’s faculty reviews the submissions and sends up to 10 finalists to Richmond for final consideration by the jury.
Jury
Bob Moje, FAIA, founding partner, VMDO Architects | Jury Chair
Patrick Farley, AIA, owner, Patrick Farley Architect
Lynden Garland, AIA, project manager, Baskervill
Donna Phaneuf, FAIA, president and lead design principal, VIA Design Architects
Chuck Swartz, FAIA, principal, Reader & Swartz Architects
The Prize is expected to be awarded in April.
About the AIA Virginia Prize
Conducted simultaneously at Hampton University, University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, and the Washington-Alexandria Architecture Center, the competition is a design charrette that engages students at all of the accredited schools of architecture in Virginia. Students are given 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. The top submission wins a $2,2500 prize, with $250 prizes to each “Best of School” honoree.
Launched in 1980, the competition is intended to promote collaboration between the profession, students, and professors in Virginia. Historically, the charrette has taken place in January, however over the last several years, the competition has been hosted in September to accommodate an ongoing scheduling conflict at one of the schools. Now that the conflict has been resolved, the Prize weekend has shifted back to the spring semester to better align with the demands of the academic calendar.
Development of the competition brief rotates between the four schools annually — the 2020 Prize challenge was developed by Hampton University.
AIA Virginia is pleased to announce the students recognized as honorees in 2019 AIA Virginia Prize competition.
AIA Virginia Prize
The top award and $3000 prize goes to Jackson Reed a student at Virginia Tech for the submission “Frames of Reference.” The jury recognized the elegant way the structure could be both unveiled and packed away, noting that there was “a kind of magic to how it captured the light.” The submission displayed a technical superiority and a “completeness” to its presentation. The jury appreciated the fresh approach to a shipping container building, particularly in the way the volume could be reconfigured.
Special Jury Award and Hampton University Best of School
The Best of School Award for Hampton University goes to Julian Washington for “Veggie Soul.” The jury appreciated that the submission was rooted in its cultural context as well as its inventive placement inside an existing building. They found the rendering particularly evocative, giving a true sense of the concept and placement. The jury found this submission particularly notable and elected to make a Special Jury Award of $500.
University of Virginia Best of School
The Best of School Award for University of Virginia goes to Taha Suhrawardy for “Sic Parvis Magna Café.” They jury enjoyed the design’s informality counterbalanced with its placement within a formal setting. Its lightweight characteristics and structural creativity were interesting. The approach to mobility was notable.
Washington-Alexandria Architecture Center Best of School
The Best of School Award for the Washington-Alexandria Architecture Center goes to Meredith Sattler for “Deadrise Oyster Bar.” This entry expressed what the environment has to offer in a really simple, pleasurable way. The jury found the response to the tidal condition interesting.
The following were recognized with an Honorable Mention
“The New Taste of Flow” submitted by Mengzhe Ye and Weiran Jing from University of Virginia
The jury appreciated the graphic approach. They found the innovative and thoughtfully-considered user experience notable.
“The Hangout” submitted by Gary Garner from Hampton University
The jury found the idea of using readily-available swing equipment to create seating and a dining environment refreshing.
“King St. Pop Up Café” submitted by Juan Urey Fernandez from the Washington-Alexandria Architecture Center
The jury was pleased with the clean, comprehensive design. The site placement was clear and precise — there was little missing.
“The Fulcrum” submitted by Andy Merida from Virginia Tech
The jury appreciated the elegant simplicity of this submission and its implied invitation to engage your imagination.
“Boba — A Pop Up Bubble Tea Shop” submitted by Kirt Hilker from Virginia Tech
The jury delighted in the submission’s imaginative approach that was truly representative of a “pop up” café.
“untitled” submitted by Anna Fletcher from Virginia Tech
The jury found this entry and its story gripping. The graphics beautifully captured the mood and emotional context of the narrative.
About the Challenge
The competition — which took place over the weekend of Jan. 25–28 — challenged students to design a pop-up diner with a small kitchen, short-term supply storage, and a dining counter for standing and sitting customers. Students were asked to consider the energy, water, and waste flows in their solutions. [Read the full competition brief.]
About the AIA Virginia Prize
Conducted simultaneously at Hampton University, University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, and the Washington-Alexandria Architecture Center, the competition is a design charrette that engages students at all of the accredited schools of architecture in Virginia. Students are given 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. The top submission wins a $3000 prize.
Launched in 1980, the competition is intended to promote collaboration between the profession, students, and professors in Virginia. Historically, the charrette has taken place in January, however over the last several years, the competition has been hosted in September to accommodate an ongoing scheduling conflict at one of the schools. Now that the conflict has been resolved, the Prize weekend has shifted back to the spring semester to better align with the demands of the academic calendar.
Development of the competition brief rotates between the four schools annually — the 2019 Prize challenge was developed by Virginia Tech.
About the Jury
Each school’s faculty reviews the submissions and sends up to 10 finalists to Richmond for final consideration by the following Jury.
Nick Serfass, FAIA, Executive Director, RVATECH | Jury Chair
Burt Pinnock, FAIA, Chairman, Baskervill
Lori Garrett, FAIA, Senior Principal & Director of Higher Education Studio, Glavé & Holmes
Patrick Thompson, Assoc. AIA, Associate, Commonwealth Architects
Donna Phaneuf, FAIA, President + Lead Design Principal, Via Design
The AIA Virginia Prize design competition kicks off the new semester by offering students the opportunity to win a $3000 award. The competition is a design charrette that engages students at all of the accredited schools of architecture in Virginia.
Conducted simultaneously at Hampton University, University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, and the Washington-Alexandria Architecture Center, students are given 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.
Each school’s faculty reviews the submissions and sends up to 10 finalists to Richmond for final judging.
Development of the competition brief rotates between the four schools annually — the 2019 Prize challenge was developed by Virginia Tech.
Launched in 1980, the competition is intended to promote collaboration between the profession, students, and professors in Virginia. Historically, the charrette has taken place in January, however over the last several years, the competition has been hosted in September to accommodate an ongoing scheduling conflict at one of the schools. Now that the conflict has been resolved, the Prize weekend is shifting back to the spring semester to better align with the demands of the academic calendar.
Watch for announcement of the winner in the coming months. If you’d like to get involved, contact Rhea George at rgeorge@aiava.org.
The AIA Virginia Prize is a design charrette that engages students at all of the accredited schools of architecture in Virginia. Conducted simultaneously at Hampton University, University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, and the Washington-Alexandria Architecture Center, students are given the competition program Friday at 5 p.m. They work over the weekend to create a board presenting their design solution at 9 a.m. the following Monday. Each school’s faculty reviews the submissions and sends up to 10 finalists to Richmond for final judging. Learn more about the AIA Virginia Prize.
The 2014 Virginia Society AIA Prize began at 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 12 and ran over the course of one weekend. Students from Hampton University; Virginia Tech, Blacksburg; Virginia Tech, Washington Alexandria Architecture Center (WAAC); and the University of Virginia were eligible for the competition.
The 2014 Prize program asked students to propose a new crossing over interstate I664 in Newport News, Virginia, mixing programs to produce a new public space for the city.
Faculty from the schools (Hampton University, Virginia Tech WAAC, Virginia Tech Blacksburg, and the University of Virginia) reviewed all of the entries and selected up to ten finalists from each school.
The jury was chaired by M. Kirk Train, FAIA, and included James P. Clark, FAIA; Rob Comet, AIA; and Elizabeth Seward.
THE HONOREES:
2014 Virginia Society AIA Prize
Milagros Josefina Sifon, WAAC
Said the jury: There is a consistent clarity of thought throughout. The submitter was brave enough to use the existing infrastructure and make it even better. It’s organic — turning road infrastructure into an organic form. Green spaces link the city like a connecting tissue and create a pedestrian space. The sketches give a real playfulness to the submission.
Best of School — Hampton University
Nick Shawyer
Said the jury: This was a strong attempt at urban infill. In some senses, this was the most literal interpretation. We appreciated the introduction of mixed-use.
Best of School — University of Virginia
Yiming Li
Said the jury: The graphics were beautiful. This submission was taken to a higher level — it was very clear. The solution gives form to the roads and creates a new sense of the city.
Best of School — Virginia Tech
Alec Yuzhabenko
Said the jury: This solution was the most arresting singular image — it shows great restraint. It was iconic; very clam and restful. The idea of introducing water as a glue between two parts was powerful.
Honorable Mention
James Wood, WAAC
Said the jury: This was a strong idea. Interesting connectivity.
Bocong Chen, University of Virginia
Said the jury: Strong, simple concept. An arresting image.
The Virginia Society AIA Prize is sponsored by the Virginia Housing Development Authority.
