Honor Awards

The Gold Medal is the highest honor that AIA Ohio can bestow on a member. The AIA Ohio Board of Directors confers this award, which recognizes the exemplary contributions and significant accomplishments of AIA Ohio members, in fulfilling the criteria in one or more of the categories identified below. Each of the categories shall be considered as equal pathways to achievement of the award. One category shall not be valued higher than another nor shall a category be unequally weighted in the evaluation process.

Eligibility

AIA Ohio members in good standing, who have been members of AIA Ohio for a minimum of ten years cumulatively, are eligible to receive the Gold Medal Award. Members of the AIA Ohio Board of Directors, and those who served on the Board of Directors within the immediate twelve months prior to the release of the call for nominations, are ineligible for consideration of this award. The award may be conferred posthumously to those individuals who had a cumulative membership in the AIA of ten years or more and who meet all of the other defined requirements. AIA Fellowship is not a requirement for consideration; however, candidates shall have made a significant and exemplary impact on the profession or within AIA Ohio. The member’s contributions shall have had an ever-increasing impact that broadens and elevates the standards of design, leadership, and/or service within the profession. No more than one such award shall be made in any year.

Each submission shall include the following:

1.  A one-page letter of nomination from any member in good standing of AIA Ohio
2. A one-page letter from the candidate’s local AIA Ohio component, signed by the component’s President or President-elect, acknowledging the candidate’s submission. Components may submit letters for more than one candidate.

Within the online application form, each nominee shall also provide the following:

• Application and contact information
• Acknowledgement of compliance with the AIA Ohio Unpaid Labor Policy if the candidate has at any time held a management role within a firm.

The nominations may also include the following:

1. A biography of the candidate
The biography shall focus on the candidate’s overall experience and roles in the profession, establishing the level of involvement and participation of the member in the profession, the organization, AIA Ohio, and in service to community.

2. A summary of the candidate’s substantial achievements
The summary shall define how contributions or work of the candidate have had a substantial impact on the profession.

3. Supporting exhibits
Exhibits may include information on specific contributions, work or examples of service that demonstrate the extraordinary and notable contributions of the candidate.  They may include summaries of books, articles, leadership and service or examples of design authored by the candidate. Separate information or examples that cannot be embedded within the document shall not be included.

4. Letters of Support
The candidate may provide up to six letters in support of the candidate’s exemplary work and achievements. Each letter shall not exceed one page. The authors of these letters shall not be restricted to members of the profession, AIA Ohio or the Institute, although they should have a direct understanding and knowledge of the candidate’s contributions.

Submission Format

The submissions for the AIA Ohio Gold Medal shall be made by the end of business on the day as determined by AIA Ohio in the Honor Award Call for Entries. Submissions shall be in compliance with the guidelines and requirements as established above and shall meet the following format restrictions:

• Submissions shall be provided as a single PDF to AIA Ohio. The size of the PDF document, including any embedded photos, videos, etc. shall not exceed 8 MB.  The candidate is responsible for verifying the document has been submitted online by the deadline.
• Submissions shall be formatted to demonstrate, in both written and graphic format, the candidate’s contributions.  The final format of the PDF may not exceed 11” x 17” (tabloid or “B” size).
• The submission packet shall not exceed twenty two (22) pages.
• The Honor Awards Jury has the right to waive irregularities in the submissions, provided the irregularities are minor in nature and do not provide the candidate with a notable advantage over other candidates. Prior to the discussion of candidates, AIA Ohio staff shall complete the AIA Ohio submissions checklist and provide a copy to the Jury identifying any irregularities discovered in the submissions for consideration. 

The AIA Ohio Gold Medal Firm Award is the highest honor AIA Ohio can bestow on an architecture firm. The AIA Ohio Board of Directors confers this award, which recognizes the exemplary contributions and significant accomplishments of firms lead by AIA Ohio members. This award recognizes a firm’s ongoing commitment to design, firm culture, or innovation, each of which contribute to the firm’s unique place as a leader in the profession. Through this Award, the Board of Directors recognizes exemplary efforts and significant accomplishments in two or more of the following criteria. Candidates shall clearly identify the categories under which they are submitting. One category shall not be valued higher than another when reviewing submissions, nor shall a category be unequally weighted in the evaluation process.

Eligibility

Any firm or successor firms, whether an individual or an organization of architects, in which the continuing collaboration among individuals of the firm has been the principal force in consistently meeting the above-mentioned criteria for a period of at least 10 years, is eligible for the AIA Ohio Gold Medal Firm Award. Firms whose members serve on the AIA Ohio Board of Directors, or those who served as a member of the Board of Directors for a period of twelve months prior to the release of the call for nominations and who have a fiduciary interest in a firm, are ineligible for consideration of this award. Firms whose employees are members of the AIA Ohio Board of Directors, but who hold no financial interest in the firm are eligible to submit for this award. To be eligible for the AIA Ohio Gold Medal Firm Award, nominations must show that the majority of financial ownership in the firm is held by registered architects, and that all the registered architect principals in the firm’s Ohio office or offices are members of AIA Ohio, and that all of the registered architect principals in the firm are members of the AIA. No more than one such award shall be made in any year. Firms which have been recognized with the AIA Ohio Gold Medal Firm Award shall be eligible for to submit again after an interval of 25 years.

Submissions

Each submission shall include the following:

1. A one-page letter of nomination from any member of AIA Ohio in good standing
2. A one-page letter from the candidate’s local AIA Ohio component, signed by the component’s President or President-elect, acknowledging the candidate’s submission. Components may submit letters for more than one candidate.

Within the online application form, each nominee shall also provide the following:

• Application and contact information
• Statement of Firm Ownership and Principal Membership
• Acknowledgement of compliance with AIA Ohio Unpaid Labor Policy

The nominations may also include the following:

1. A brief description of the firm
The description shall outline the firm’s history, principals and its progression toward becoming a leader in design or in the profession. The description shall focus on the firm’s overall contributions and its ongoing impact on the architectural community.

2. Supporting exhibits
The exhibits may include information on the specific contributions, designs or examples of service that demonstrate the extraordinary and notable contributions of the firm. They should include a focus on the firm’s unique programs, recognized and awarded designs, or innovative approaches to design, practice or community service. Separate information or examples that cannot be embedded within the submission document shall not be included.

3. Letters of Support
The firm may provide up to six letters in support of the firm’s exemplary work and achievements. Each letter shall not exceed one page. The authors of these letters shall not be restricted to members of the profession, AIA Ohio or the Institute, although they should have a direct understanding and knowledge of the firm’s contributions.

Submission Format

The submissions for the AIA Ohio Gold Medal Firm shall be made by the end of business on the day as determined by AIA Ohio in the Honor Award Call for Entries. Submissions shall be in compliance with the guidelines and requirements as established above and shall meet the following format restrictions:

• Submissions shall be provided as a single PDF to AIA Ohio.  The size of the PDF document, including any embedded photos, videos, etc. shall not exceed 8 MB. The candidate is responsible for verifying the document has been submitted online by the deadline.
• Submissions shall be formatted to demonstrate, in both written and graphic format, the contributions of the firm.  The final format of the PDF may not exceed 11” x 17” (tabloid or “B” size).
• The submission packet, excluding the five documents required by AIA Ohio, shall not exceed twenty two (22) pages.
• The Board has the right to waive irregularities in the submissions, provided the irregularities are minor in nature and do not provide the firm with a notable advantage over other submissions. Prior to presentation and discussion of submissions, AIA Ohio Staff shall complete the AIA Ohio submissions checklist and provide a copy to the Honor Awards Jury identifying any irregularities discovered in the submissions for their consideration.

The AIA Ohio Mentor Award recognizes a member who has demonstrated strong leadership, guidance and service in the support of mentorship to fellow professionals or in her/his community. Awarded by the AIA Ohio Board of Directors, this award recognizes the exemplary contributions and significant accomplishments an individual has made to the profession via mentorship.

The nomination of an individual for this award, shall explain the individual’s impact on the profession via mentorship. Local component support is highly regarded in consideration of this award. Mentorship shall extend outside of the individual’s firm or role within a firm and shall have a broad impact on the local architectural community.

Eligibility

To be eligible, candidates must have been members of AIA Ohio for at least ten years cumulatively. The Jury may recognize not more than two Mentor Awards in any year. Members of the AIA Ohio Board of Directors, and those who served on the Board of Directors within the immediate twelve months prior to the release of the call for nominations, are ineligible for consideration of this award.

Submissions

Each submission shall include the following:

1. A one-page letter of nomination from any member in good standing of AIA Ohio
2. A one-page letter from the candidate’s local AIA Ohio component, signed by the component’s President or President-elect, acknowledging the candidate’s submission. Components may submit letters for more than one candidate.

Within the online application form, each nominee shall also provide the following:

• Application and contact information
• Acknowledgement of compliance with AIA Ohio’s Unpaid Labor Policy if the candidate has at any time held a management position within a firm

The nominations may also include the following:

1. A written statement illustrating the candidate’s impact on the profession through mentorship. Include a list of individuals whom the candidate has mentored.

2. Letters of Support
The nomination may also include up to six letters from individuals whom the candidate has mentored as well as individuals who can speak to the broader impact of the candidate’s mentorship. Each letter shall not exceed one page. The authors of these letters shall have a direct understanding and knowledge of the candidate’s contributions to the profession through mentorship.

Submission Format

The submissions for the AIA Ohio Mentor Award shall be made by the end of business on the day as determined by AIA Ohio in the Honor Award Call for Entries. Submissions shall comply with the guidelines and requirements as established above and shall meet the following format restrictions:

• Submissions shall be provided as a single PDF to AIA Ohio. The size of the PDF document, including any embedded photos, videos, etc. shall not exceed 8 MB.  The candidate is responsible for verifying the document has been submitted online by the deadline.
• Submissions shall be formatted to demonstrate, in both written and graphic format, the contributions of the candidate. The final format of the PDF may not exceed 8 ½” x 11”.
• The submission packet shall not exceed twelve (12) pages.
• The Jury has the right to waive irregularities in the submissions, provided the irregularities are minor in nature and do not provide the candidate with a notable advantage over other submissions. Prior to the discussion of each candidate, AIA Ohio staff shall complete the AIA Ohio Submissions Checklist and inform the Jury of any irregularities discovered in the submissions for consideration.

The AIA Ohio Public Service Award recognizes a member who has made a significant impact in his/her community, as well as to the profession, through public service. The nomination of an individual for this award shall explain the individual’s impact on his/her community. The nomination shall list the candidate’s participation in community boards, panels or other community-related activities. Local component support is highly regarded in consideration of this award.

Eligibility

To  be eligible, candidates must have been members of AIA Ohio for at least ten years cumulatively. The Honor Award Jury may recognize not more than two Public Service Awards in any year. Members of the AIA Ohio Board of Directors, and those individuals who served on the Board of Directors within the immediate twelve months prior to the release of the call for nominations, are ineligible for consideration of this award.

Submissions

Each submission shall include the following:

1. A one-page letter of nomination from any member in good standing of AIA Ohio
2. A one-page letter from the candidate’s local AIA Ohio component, signed by the component’s President or President-elect, acknowledging the candidate’s submission. Components may submit letters for more than one candidate

Within the online application form, each nominee shall also provide the following:

• Application and contact information
• Acknowledgement of compliance with the AIA Ohio Unpaid Labor Policy if the candidate has at any time held a management position in a firm.

The nominations may also include the following:

1. A written statement illustrating how the individual has impacted his/her community.  Include a list of the candidate’s participation in community boards or panels with supporting documentation on how that participation has positively impacted the community.

2. Letters of Support
The  candidate may also include up to six letters of support that act as documentation in support of the candidate’s public service efforts. Each letter shall not exceed one page. The authors of these letters shall not be restricted to members of the profession, AIA Ohio or the Institute, although they should have a direct understanding and knowledge of the candidate’s contributions.

Submission Format

The submissions for the AIA Ohio Public Service Award shall be made by the end of business on the day as determined by AIA Ohio in the Honor Award Call for Entries. Submissions shall comply with the guidelines and requirements as established above and shall meet the following format restrictions:

• Submissions shall be provided as a single PDF to AIA Ohio. The size of the PDF document, including any embedded photos, videos, etc. shall not exceed 8 MB. The candidate is responsible for verifying the document has been submitted online by the deadline.
• Submissions shall be formatted to demonstrate, in both written and graphic format, the contributions of the candidate. The final format of the PDF may not exceed 8 ½” x 11”.
• The submission packet shall not exceed twelve (12) pages.
• The Honor Award Jury has the right to waive irregularities in the submissions, provided the irregularities are minor in nature and do not provide the candidate with a notable advantage over other submissions. Prior to the discussion of each candidate, AIA Ohio Staff shall complete the AIA Ohio submissions checklist and provide a copy to the Jury identifying any irregularities discovered in the submissions for consideration.

The AIA Ohio Emerging Professional Award identifies and promotes exceptional accomplishments of Associate Members and Young Architect members and their continuing development within the profession.

The AIA Ohio Board of Directors confers this award, which recognizes exemplary achievements and future promise of AIA Ohio members, in fulfilling the criteria in one or more of the categories identified below. Candidates shall clearly identify the category or categories under which they are submitting. Each of the categories shall be considered as equal pathways to achievement of the award. One category shall not be valued higher than another nor shall a category be unequally weighted in the evaluation process. 

Eligibility

To be eligible, candidates must be Associate Members or Young Architect members of AIA Ohio. The definition of these membership categories are as follows:

Associate Members: Those individuals who have a professional degree in architecture, work under the supervision of an architect, are enrolled in AXP, or are a faculty member in a university program in architecture and are not yet licensed to practice architecture by the submission deadline.

Young Architect Member: Those individuals who have been licensed fewer than ten (10) years by the submission deadline.

The Honor Awards Jury may choose to recognize qualified Emerging Profession Award as deemed appropriate, but may not confer more than two (2) awards in any one year. Members of the AIA Ohio Board of Directors, and those individuals who served on the Board of Directors within the immediate twelve months prior to the release of the call for nominations, are ineligible for consideration of this award.

Submissions

Each submission shall include the following:

1.  A one-page letter of nomination from a member in good standing of AIA Ohio
2. A one-page letter from the candidate’s local AIA Ohio component, signed by the component’s President or President-elect, acknowledging the candidate’s submission. Components may submit letters for more than one candidate.

Within the online application form, each nominee shall also provide the following:

• Application and contact information
• Acknowledgement of compliance with the AIA Ohio Unpaid Labor Policy if the candidate has at any time held a management position within a firm

The nominations may also include the following:

1. Biography. A written biography of the candidate listing achievements, positions, recognitions, honors, publications, presentations and other information that supports their work and contributions.

2. Exhibits. The nomination shall include supporting exhibits that best demonstrates the nominee’s qualifications and contributions. These exhibits may include articles, drawings, photo, or other material that validates the candidate’s nomination and supports the quality of their work and contributions.

3. Letters of Support. The candidate may provide up to four letters in support of the candidate’s exemplary work and achievements. Each letter shall not exceed one page. The authors of these letters shall not be restricted to members of the profession, AIA Ohio or the Institute, although they should have a direct understanding and knowledge of the candidate’s contributions.

Submission Format

The submissions for the AIA Ohio Emerging Professional Award shall be made by the end of business on the day as determined by AIA Ohio in the Honor Award Call for Entries. Submissions shall comply with the guidelines and requirements as established above and shall meet the following format restrictions:

• Submissions shall be provided as a single PDF to AIA Ohio. The size of the PDF document, including any embedded photos, videos, etc. shall not exceed 8 MB. The candidate is responsible for verifying that the document has been received by AIA Ohio by the deadline.
• Submissions shall be formatted to demonstrate, in both written and graphic format, the contributions of the candidate. The final format of the PDF may not exceed 8 ½” x 11”.
• The submission packet shall not exceed twelve (12) pages.
• The Jury has the right to waive irregularities in the submissions, provided the irregularities are minor in nature and do not provide the candidate with a notable advantage over other submissions. Prior to the discussion of each candidate, AIA Ohio Staff shall complete the AIA Ohio submissions checklist and provide a copy to the Jury identifying any irregularities discovered in the submissions for consideration.