2026 Design Awards / Guidelines
Association of Licensed Architects
Design Awards submission guidelines
Everything you need to know before you enter.
Eligibility
The ALA Design Awards are open to current Professional Members, including Senior and Emeritus Members. Any ALA membership type can register, but the project submission itself must include the name of an ALA Professional Member. If you aren't a member yet, learn more about ALA and join, then log in and proceed to register. Firms of one are just as welcome as firms of a hundred.
Types of Projects
Projects of all sizes and architectural elements are encouraged to enter, from a single room addition to a full campus. You may resubmit a previous project that has not already won an ALA award.
Awards and Recognition
Judging is overall, not by category. Awards are made for Gold, Silver, and Merit, plus one Presidential Award recipient selected from the full field of entries.
Winning entries appear in the Winter issue of Licensed Architect and are published on ALAtoday.org, with additional coverage through ALA's press and social media channels.
Submittal Process
ALA uses Award Force, a secure online platform for entry submission and jury review. All entries are completed online. Once you register for the Design Awards, your confirmation page and confirmation email will include your link to Award Force, where you'll set up an account and password to complete your entry.
Be sure to complete every section of your entry and upload your photos and floor or site plans before the deadline. Information required includes the following.
Entry information
- Project name
- Project location
- Project completion date
- Total square footage of the project
- Total project cost or budget (you may choose to withhold this)
- Project category, for classification only; judging remains overall
- Project description, 500 words or fewer
- Short project description, 75 words or fewer
Image uploads
Up to 10 files total, 5MB max per file, covering both plans and photographs.
- Provide site plans and/or floor plans to scale, as large as possible; multiple plans may be combined into one file.
- Use professional quality, high resolution photographs that best represent the project. Renderings or computer generated images are allowed only for unbuilt projects.
- For renovation or restoration projects, include before and after photos.
Terms of submittal. All entries are accepted with the explicit right of free publication, reproduction, and use by ALA and its sponsors, without need for further approval. Make sure your photographer understands the photos will be used in a professional competition, and keep a signed photographer release on file for every entry.
2026 Entries Closed
Entries closed August 28, 2026. Winners are honored at the Gala on November 5. The 2027 call opens next July.