AIA Chicago, the second largest chapter of the American Institute of Architects and the collective voice of 4,000 licensed architects, emerging professionals, architecture students, and allied professionals, announced jurors for its revamped award program Designight 2022 which honors the global design achievements of Chicago architects. Designight 2022 goes live at a ceremony hosted by architectural enthusiast Peter Sagal, of NPR’s Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me, at Millennium Park’s Pritzker Pavilion on September 12, 2022. 

Designight 2022 is a free event where everyone is welcome; all firms, clients, consultants, partners, friends, and family—and all Chicagoans with a penchant for great architectural design. The new format includes a People's Choice Awards—presented in partnership with the Chicago Architecture Center and chosen by the public which will be announced live along with the juried awards.

“AIA Chicago has restructured its annual design awards and chosen a venue that is more inclusive and equitable for the entire Chicago architectural community,” said AIA Chicago’s Executive Director Jen Masengarb. “We’re also inviting the public to share in the excitement as we launch the new People’s Choice Award—a natural for a city that has architecture in its DNA.” 

The restructured Design Excellence Awards, recognize projects of all scales, from Architecture XS to XL, and Interior Architecture S to L. The Design Excellence Awards now include what in previous years were standalone Small Project Awards. In addition to the Design Excellence Awards, separate awards—chosen by additional juries/committees - will be given for Lifetime Achievement Award, the Roberta Feldman Architecture for Social Justice Award which is administered by the AIA Chicago Foundation, and a new Decarbonization Award. Designight 2022 will also feature the inaugural People’s Choice Awards presented in partnership with the Chicago Architecture Center.

“Winners of AIA Chicago’s Design Excellence Awards will be selected by a distinguished and   diverse group of design leaders from around the country,” said AIA Chicago President Drew Deering, AIA. “Individually and collectively, their design expertise ensures the recipients of the AIA Chicago awards will be innovative projects of the highest level.” 

The Design Excellence Awards, Decarbonization Award and Roberta Feldman Architecture for Social Justice Award juries of 20 national design experts include:

Design Excellence Awards

Deborah Berke, FAIA, Deborah Berke Partners, New York

Annie Chu, FAIA, Chu-Gooding, Los Angeles

Jack DeBartolo 3, FAIA, debartolo architects, Phoenix

Merrill Elam, AIA, Mack Scogin and Merrill Elam Architects, Atlanta

Nicole Hollant-Denis, AIA, NOMA, Aaris Design Architects, New York

Damaris Hollingsworth, AIA, Design by Melo, St. Louis Park, Minnesota

Carolyn Kiernat, AIA, Page and Turnbull, San Francisco

Michael Marshall, FAIA, NOMA, Michael Marshall Design, Washington, DC

Mark Sanderson, AIA, Digsau, Philadelphia

Joan M. Soranno, FAIA, HGS, Minneapolis

Lawrence W. Speck, FAIA, Page Architects, Austin

Mehrdad Yazdani, Assoc. AIA, Yazdani Studio at CannonDesign, Los Angeles

Decarbonization Award

Kjell Anderson, FAIA, LMN Architects, Seattle

Emilie Hagen, Assoc. AIA, LEED Fellow, Atelier 10, San Francisco

Erin McConahey, MEP/Structural Engineer, Arup, Los Angeles

Roberta Feldman Architecture for Social Justice Award

Paola Aguirre, Borderless Studio, Chicago

Catherine Baker, FAIA, Chicago

Kerl LaJeune, Assoc. AIA, City of Chicago, Public Building Commission, Chicago

John Syvertsen, FAIA, Chicago

Grant Uhlir (Jury Chair), FAIA, Gensler, Chicago

The Lifetime Achievement Award is nominated by the AIA Chicago general membership, reviewed by a committee of Fellows and previous Lifetime Achievement Award winners, and selected by the AIA Chicago Board of Directors.

Finalists for the juried awards and the People’s Choice Awards will be announced in August along with information on how the public can vote for the People’s Choice Awards.

Award submissions closed on June 3, 2022 with over 200 submissions. 

Designight 2022

Jay Pritzker Pavilion

Millennium Park

201 E Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60601

Monday, September 12, 2022

6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.,

An informal celebration on the Great Lawn of Millennium Park follows the awards ceremony. Attendees are welcome to bring their own picnics or enjoy drinks/snacks available for purchase.