Biennial Design Awards · Since 1968

Design Awards

The chapter’s Biennial Design Awards Program — celebrating outstanding architecture every two years since 1968.

View the 2025 winners

2025 winners announced · Next cycle 2027

Every two years since 1968, the AIA Long Beach/South Bay Chapter has celebrated outstanding architecture through its Biennial Design Awards Program. The program recognizes achievements for a broad range of architectural works that elevate the general quality of architectural practice, establish a standard of excellence against which all architects can measure performance, and inform the public of the breadth and value of architectural practice.

To emphasize the important role that the built environment can play in mitigating the effects of climate change, our chapter’s Committee on the Environment (COTE) recognizes projects that successfully integrate design excellence with environmental performance.

How projects are recognized

The jury reviews the entries and selects projects for Honor, Merit, or Citation award recognition. The jury has the sole authority to determine which and how many awards are justified in each category. Each entry is considered individually and is judged on the success with which it has met its individual requirements — not in competition with other entries. Jury decisions are based solely on the materials submitted; there are no site visits. No minimum or maximum number of awards has been established. Entered projects may also be eligible for additional accolades including excellence in sustainability.

Categories

Awards are open to built and unbuilt works of Architecture, Interior Architecture, Urban Design, Sustainable Design, as well as those Architectural Details that exhibit exceptional architectural thought: