Description: Conviction and sincere passion are necessary for architects to tell stories with their emerging ideas and creative projects. Envisioning the unbuilt allows designers to imagine the innovative projects they would like to see– from creating community to coastal development.

This award invites unbuilt projects of all types and welcomes the speculative, the unbuildable, the theoretical, and the critical.

Eligibility: Unbuilt architectural designs of any project type are eligible including purely theoretical projects and unbuilt client-sponsored projects. Projects under construction or otherwise apparently assured of construction are ineligible.

Project submissions criteria: Projects are encouraged to take a robust approach to sustainability and equity, as well as addressing environmental, social, and economic factors.

Submission fees: All submission fees are non-refundable

Massachusetts AIA firm members pay $100 for their first submission
- $75 for subsequent submissions per category.
Nonmembers pay $125 for their first submission
- $100 for subsequent submissions per category

2021 Winning Projects

Bethesda Medical Center, designed by August Green

Image courtesy of Kaleidoskope

Door County Granary, designed by LA DALLMAN

Image courtesy of LA DALLMAN

02 Floating Bridge Paul Lukez Architecture

Floating Bridge, designed by Paul Lukez Architecture

Image courtesy of Paul Lukez Architecture

4 Kurgi Tower Office Design Researchand Raconteur Design Copy

Kurgi Observation Tower, designed by Office for Design Research + Raconteur Design

Image courtesy of Office for Design Research + Raconteur Design

View more past Unbuilt Architecture and Design Awards winning projects on the Design Awards website.

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