California Awards

//important dates

Registration Deadline: November 19, 2025 EXTENDED December 3, 2025
Nomination Package Deadline: December 17, 2025 EXTENDED January 12, 2026
Selections Made at Virtual Board of Directors Meeting: TBA – March 2026

//how to apply

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Associates Award

Recognizing an Associate AIA member in California, who best exemplifies the highest qualities of leadership and has demonstrated unparalleled commitment to their chapter or region’s membership, the community, professional organizations, and/or design and construction industries.

DISTINGUISHED PRACTICE AWARD

Recognizing an individual’s significant contributions and accomplishments toward a specific building type or practice area. The award is given in recognition of a career of dedicated commitment to the built environment.

Educator Award

The highest award given to an Educator in California, for their outstanding contribution to the formal education of architecture students.

FIRM AWARD

The award recognizes firms who have consistently produced distinguished architecture for a period of at least 10 years.

Equally important, the award recognizes mentoring, continued collaboration among individuals and significant contributions made by the firm to the profession in areas of design, research, planning, technology, practice and innovation.

HONORARY MEMBERSHIP

Bestowed on a person who is not eligible for membership in AIA California, but who has rendered distinguished service to the profession of architecture or to the arts and sciences allied therewith.

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Presented to an individual or group in recognition of an outstanding contribution to the improvement of the built environment and to the aims and goals of the profession of architecture in California.

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FOR HEALTHCARE FACILITY DESIGN

This award is given in recognition of a career of dedicated commitment to the built environment and in recognition of significant contributions and accomplishments toward the design and development of healthcare facilities in California.

mentorship award

This award is given by AIA CA to a firm, AIA chapter, or organizations in California that demonstrate exceptional commitment to mentoring Emerging Professionals through dedicated programs and initiatives while cultivating outstanding leadership qualities within the architectural profession.

NORMA SKLAREK HUMANITARIAN AWARD

Recognizes an architect or architecturally oriented organization for their social responsibility. The type of social issues is purposefully flexible to remain constantly relevant.

student leader award

Bestowed to an individual student in California, for their outstanding leadership, dedication, and commitment to the consistent growth and development of their AIAS chapter, school and/or community.

young architects award

This award recognizing an individual Young Architect in California who has shown exceptional leadership and made significant contributions to the profession in the early stage of their architectural career.