L TO R: CB Bettisworth, FIAI; John McCool; and Harley Hightower, FAIA

Be Watching for the Call for Nominations for 2025 Crittenden Award for Excellence in Northern Design

The Committee of Fellows (AIA AK COF) is inviting nominations from AIA Alaska members for the Edwin B. Crittenden Award for Excellence in Northern Design. This award is one of our chapter’s highest professional honors.

Eligibility for nomination and award.

AIA Alaska architect members or firms who have been in good standing for at least 10 years prior to the nomination deadline may be nominated.

Criteria

1. Crittenden Award awardees are individual AIA Alaska members or member firms recognized for their exceptional work and contributions to Northern Design. The prestige of the Crittenden Award is a bestowed honor, and the judging is rigorous.

AIA Alaska member architects or firms who have made significant contributions to the advancement of northern architectural design, education and research which and exemplify architectural excellence may be considered for nomination and award.

2. For the purposes of this award “North” and “Northern” are defined as within the state of Alaska, and the five climatic regions found in the State.

3. Recognition is granted to architects and/or firms who have demonstrated through a body of built, constructed, or published work that exhibits an exceptional understanding of those design parameters which guide the creation of building, community development and-or planning projects in the North.

Applicants must demonstrate a distinguished body of architectural work by citing and clearly identify:

a. Project location, and the climatic region.

b. Facility purpose, use, or primary functions.

c. Applicants shall discuss the project goals with respect to northern design, by clearly identifying those design and planning solution which meet these goals.

d. Further, the applicant shall specifically address the following issues related to northern design within the region in which the project is located.

Site design features associated with:

1) Relationship to culture of community

2) Geotechnical conditions

3) Environmental (climate, topography, community context)

4) Construction Logistics

5) Orientation

Building design features associated with:

1) building massing & form,

2) daylighting,

3) specific detailing,

4) energy conservation

5) sustainability

6) other

4. Submissions shall include both photographs, graphics, as appropriate, and relevant drawings.

5. Each project shall be accompanied by a narrative which shall identify the architectural design elements that exhibit excellence in the application of the northern design principles as applicable. General project descriptions, generic marketing materials and other narratives that do not speak directly to specific northern design principles are strongly discouraged.

6. The written narratives must accompany any images/drawings which are provided in support of an applicant’s submission.

7. Work submitted may be of any size for any client, of any scope and reflecting any type of architectural design service.

Submission Requirements

1. Name of AIA Alaska member or firm.

2. Nominee’s professional history and experience with a focus on northern design; limit to one page (8.5” x 11”).

3. Nominee shall provide project documentation as follows:

a. Portfolio of no more than 10 Projects (in PDF format)
1 page (8.5” x 11”) narrative for each project that directly identifies, explains, and supports specific principles of northern design that have been applied and incorporated into the project.
1 page (8.5” x 11”) per project with no more than 10 images with labels that identify the specific application of northern design principle(s) employed.

b. MS Power Point format format consisting of no more than 10 slides with a combined bulleted narrative and images of each chosen project that directly explains and identifies the northern design principles employed.

4. Questions from nominees must be submitted via email by COB July 24.

5. Applicants shall submit nominations by email to Angie Monteleone by email by COB July 24.

Jury

AIA Alaska College of Fellows (COF)

(Review of nominees will be conducted by the AIA AK COF, and at their sole discretion, selection may or may not be made for award and presentation at the annual chapter conference in any given year).