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REGISTRATION & SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS
Registration, payment, and file upload will all be handled through OpenWater, an online awards management software that will help to streamline the submission process. OpenWater will host a gallery of all submissions for review by the jury.

There are two parts, or "rounds", to entering your project in the OpenWater system. The first part is registering and paying for your entry. If you haven't yet created an OpenWater account, you will be prompted to do so when you register your first entry. The second part is the submission round where you will enter detailed information and upload image files and release forms for your project, or supporting materials for your nomination. 

REGISTRATION 
Online registration and submission will open on Monday, August 1, 2022; submissions must be received no later than midnight on Friday, September 30, 2022. To take advantage of discounted early bird rates, register your entry by August 29. 

After completing the registration form, click on "add to cart" to proceed to the "review and checkout" payment page. If you are paying by check, follow the instructions and please note we must receive your payment no later than September 30. You will receive an email from "awards@aiasc.org" confirming that we have received your registration.  

SUBMISSION 
After you've registered and paid for your entry, you can continue to submit nomination or project information and file uploads by clicking on the "Click to Continue" link at the top of the page - or return to your submission at any time before the entry deadline on September 30.  

No entries will be accepted after September 30!

Compile each CHAPTER AWARDS entry with the following:

  • Nominee Information. Provide contact information for the individual or firm you are nominating.
  • Letter of Recommendation. Provide a letter in support of the individual or firm you are nominating. (If you have other letters you would like to include in the submission, you can upload them in the "Additional Supporting Documents" field on the submission form.)
  • Supporting Document. Upload a PDF of any supporting material (images, text, etc.) for your nomination. Files cannot exceed 10MB.
  • Headshot of the Nominee. Upload a JPG headshot or group photo of the nominee(s).

After you've compiled all the items listed above, create or log in to your OpenWater account to start a new submission. Select the appropriate Chapter Award category and complete all forms in this section, entering in nominee information and uploading your letter of recommendation and supporting document(s). All line items and upload boxes are required, unless otherwise noted. 

After you have saved and finalized your submission, you will receive an email confirmation that we have received it along with a reminder that if you chose to pay by check we must receive your payment by September 30 in order for your nomination to be considered by the AIASC Board of Directors for a Chapter Award.

Compile each DESIGN AWARDS entry with the following:

  • Short Project Description. Provide a short description of your project in 100 words or less. This description will serve as the introduction to the project during the first round of jury deliberations.
  • Architect's Statement. Provide a narrative of the project concerning the design program and solution in 800 words or less. This statement will give the jury a more detailed description of your project, and may be referred to during the second round of judging.
  • The Client Matters. In no more than 500 words, provide a brief summary on how the project came to be, including the client's perspective from the start and what impact the project has made on the client end and, if applicable, the community. (For professional design awards only.)
  • Framework for Excellence (optional). See below for a list of six voluntary questions to address the sustainability measures included in your project. (For professional design awards only.)
  • Jury Presentation File. One (1) PDF image, 15MB and 12 pages max., that will be used to judge your project. See below for detailed instructions and "tips". This file should be labeled with the project title and "Jury Pres File" (for example, "Project X - Jury Pres File").  
  • Jury Image. One (1) JPG image, 10MB max., that will be used as a reference to your project during jury deliberations. This file should be labeled with the project title and "Jury Image" (for example, "Project X - Jury Image").  
  • Public Display Image.  One (1) JPG image, 10MB max., that will be used when publicizing Design Awards winners and entrants. This file should be labeled with the project title and "Public Display Image" (for example, "Project X - Public Display Image"). This is the ONLY image that may show your firm name and/or logo!
  • Photo Release Form. Required for all categories except Unbuilt and Student Design Awards. Each photographer per submission should have their own release. (You can download this form during the submission process.)
  • Client Release Form. Required for the Unbuilt project category only. Each project should have their own release. (You can download this form during the submission process.)
  • For Student Design Awards, you'll need to provide the name and contact info of the professor or instructor who is sponsoring your entry. 

Framework for Excellence Questions (for Professional Design Awards submissions only) - OPTIONAL:

  1. Designing for Integration: In no more than 500 words, describe how the sustainable design and building performance strategies are integrated within the project's overall design goals.
  2. Designing for Energy: In no more than 500 words, describe any energy challenges associated with the building type, intensity of use, or hours of operation, and how the design responds to these challenges. Describe energy-efficient design intent, including passive design strategies and active systems and technologies. How are these strategies evident in the design, not just the systems? 
  3. Designing for Equitable Communities: In no more than 500 words, describe how community members - inside and outside the building - benefit from the project, including any/all of the following:
    • walkability/human scale/alternative transportation
    • community engagement and buy-in
    • social equity
  4. Designing for Water: In no more than 500 words, provide a brief summary of water use strategies, including any/all of the following:
    • indoor water efficiency
    • outdoor water use reduction 
    • process water reuse
    • capture/reuse of greywater and/or blackwater
    • rainwater/stormwater use and management
    • Net Zero Water Building (nzwb)
  5. Designing for Resources: In no more than 500 words, provide documentation of specific material choices to address the needs for indoor environmental quality and diversion of materials from the waste stream.
  6. Design for Change: In no more than 500 words, describe how the project design anticipates adapting to new uses, adapts to climate change, and supports resilient recovery from disasters.

Detailed Instructions for the Jury Presentation File:
Project images must be submitted in a single PDF file, not to exceed 15MB and a maximum of 12 pages.

It is your responsibility to make sure the architect's name and/or firm name is not revealed on any of the file names, images, plans, or narratives - failure to follow this requirement will automatically disqualify the entry.

When possible, images should include the building in use (occupied by people) and the following in any order to best tell the jury your project's story:

  • preservation/restoration projects (if applicable) may add an additional two pages (not to exceed 14 pages total for this upload) to provide the jury with sufficient information to differentiate between the original architect's work and the newly altered, preserved, or restored work
  • one image showing each exposed side of the building or environment
  • one additional image showing the context of each exposed side of the building (may be omitted if the project's relationship to its context is defined clearly in other prints)
  • for a group of buildings, one image of the project is sufficient to illustrate the complete project, including its relationship to its environs
  • for projects involving exterior alterations, one image of each altered, exposed side together with one image of the same side before alteration (unless evidence is submitted on the unavailability of the latter)
  • at least one interior image for each major functional space
  • conceptual diagrams, elevations, floor plans, sections, and site plan (including North arrow)
  • this file should be labeled with the project title and "Jury Presentation File" (for example, "Project X - Jury Image").  

Additional Tips:

  • composite pages are acceptable
  • text/notes on images/drawings are allowed
  • indicate the scale used on any drawings or plans
  • renderings need to be labeled as such, in particular those that may represent unbuilt elements of the project
  • use of the maximum page limit is strongly recommended
  • use of a horizontal (landscape) format is preferred for presentation purposes; however, the consistent use of either a horizontal or portrait landscape is encouraged throughout the submission
  • keep in mind that the jury presentation file is your chance to convey the project's intent and execution to the jury. Try not to let graphics distract from the project presentation.

Please note: images submitted should accurately reflect built conditions. Images that have been digitally or otherwise altered to obscure or misrepresent built project conditions will be disqualified.

After you've compiled all the items listed above, create or log in to your OpenWater account to start a new submission. Select the appropriate Design Award category and complete all forms in this section, entering in project information and file uploads. All line items and upload boxes are required, unless otherwise noted. 

After you have saved and finalized your submission, you will receive an email confirmation that we have received it along with a reminder that if you chose to pay by check we must receive your payment by September 30 in order for your nomination to be considered by the AIASC Design Awards Jury.​

​Awards & Publicity 
Award winners will be announced at the Awards Celebration on December 2, 2022 at Savage Craft Brewery in Columbia. Certificates for all award-winning projects will be presented at the awards ceremony. Winners of Design Awards will receive three certificates: one for the architect, one for the owner, and one for the contractor. Winners of Student Design Awards will receive one certificate per student listed in the credits. Additional certificates will be available at the expense of the award recipient.

AIASC intends to publish all design award entries. Therefore, it is essential that drawings and photographs not be restricted against publication. It is the entrant’s responsibility to clear all drawings and photographs for release. A form will be provided to you to secure the necessary permission. With your online submission, please include a separate JPG file containing one Public Display Image titled with your project name. This can be a photograph or a collection of images that best represents the project and will be used publicly - online, electronically and/or in print media. 

Winning projects will be featured in the OpenWater online Gallery and AIASC publications of varying media in late 2022 and throughout 2023

IMPORTANT REMINDERS:
All information will be used as entered on the submission form for the website gallery and for publication. Please be thorough and consistent in completing your field entries and double-check for spelling errors. 

  • No logos or any other information that identifies the architect/firm is to appear anywhere in the Project Information section (Short Project Description, Architect's Statement, The Client Matters, Framework for Excellence) or the Uploads Materials for Jury Review section (Jury Presentation File and Jury Image) - with the exception of the Public Display Image. This info should be entered in the Project Information and Upload Materials for Jury Review sections only. 
  • Please be sure to confirm the exact wording of firm, owner and/or consultant names and titles. Associated or consulting architects must be properly credited in the Firm Name for the project.
  • Use "N/A" or other appropriate text in required fields on the submission form if there is no info or it's not pertinent to your project.

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