AIA Architects League of Northern New Jersey is calling for entries for the second year of our annual design awards competition. Submitted entries will be eligible for a jury selected ALNNJ Building of the Year Award and there will also be online voting by our members for an ALNNJ Peer Award. Applications are open now and due on Monday November 2, 2026 at 5pm. See below for eligibility requirements and rules, and please contact [email protected] with any questions.
Timeline
- Monday, November 2, 2026, at 5:00 PM – Applications due
- Week of November 9, 2026 – Online ALNNJ member voting begins
- Thursday, November 19, 2026 – Winners announced live from the podium at the ALNNJ November Members Meeting
- January 30, 2027 – Awards presented at the Architects League Awards & Installation Dinner
Eligibility Requirements and Rules
1. This is a single-category design competition. Built and unbuilt work may be submitted.
2. Multiple project submissions are permitted.
3. Submitter Eligibility: Architects League members may enter projects located anywhere (built or unbuilt). Non-members may enter projects (built or unbuilt) located in Bergen, Hudson, Passaic, or Sussex Counties, New Jersey. Built projects completed after January 1, 2026, are eligible. Unbuilt concepts developed after January 1, 2026, are eligible. If an unbuilt project is submitted and receives an award, it will not be eligible for a future design award if subsequently realized.
4. For all projects, the individual submitting must be either the project manager or a principal of the firm. For the purposes of this competition, "project manager" is defined as the primary client contact. AIA Associate members are eligible to enter. Projects must be submitted in the name of the firm that executed the commission.
5. Fees (per entry):
- $50 for ALNNJ Members
- $150 for non-members submitting projects located in Bergen, Hudson, Passaic, or Sussex Counties
6. A design jury will select one overall winner based on design excellence. That project will receive the ALNNJ Building of the Year Award. At the jury’s discretion, additional projects may be selected to receive ALNNJ Design Merit Awards.
7. All current ALNNJ members will be invited to vote for their favorite project through an online voting system. The project receiving the highest number of votes that has not already received a jury-selected award will receive the ALNNJ Peer Design Award. In the event of a tie, the award will be given to the project that first achieved the winning vote total.
8. Do not include your firm name, logo, or any identifying information on submitted materials. The design jury will review all submissions anonymously. Firm names will be displayed during ALNNJ member voting for the ALNNJ Peer Design Award. Firms may advertise that their project is in contention for the ALNNJ Peer Design Award only after online voting has begun.
9. Submission Requirements
Submissions are intended to align with AIA New Jersey Design Award requirements and must include:
- One high-resolution image (maximum size: 7680 x 4320 pixels)
- One 8.5" x 11" PDF (maximum of 10 pages) containing the following:
Project Information Sheet
- Project name
- Project address
- Date of completion
- Approximately 70-word project synopsis
- Approximately 400-word project narrative
Important: Do not include the design firm's name or logo.
Include applicable photographs, plans, and/or images such as:
- Site plans and context (include graphic scale and north arrow)
- Before-and-after photographs (if applicable)
- Building sections and/or details (where informative)
- Photographs showing all exterior elevations reasonably visible to a viewer walking around the project
- Concept sketches
- Interior and exterior photographs
Pages may contain multiple images or a single image. Captions are encouraged.
10. Projects that do not meet the submission requirements or comply with these rules will not be considered. Questions regarding eligibility should be directed to [email protected] prior to submission.
11. Winners will be announced live from the podium at the ALNNJ November Members Meeting on Thursday, November 19, 2026.
12. Winners will be invited to accept their awards in person at the Architects League Awards & Installation Dinner in January 2027 and will receive a discounted ticket rate.
Submission Forms
ALNNJ Members:
Submission 1
Submission 2
Submission 3
Submission 4
Submission 5
Non-ALNNJ Members:
Submission 1
Submission 2
Submission 3
Submission 4
Submission 5
