Editor’s Guide: 7 Tips for Creating a Winning A+Awards Submission

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Winning an A+Award is about more than merely submitting a beautiful project — it ultimately comes down to how a project is packaged to tell its story. Submissions should contain a comprehensive assemblage of elements that fully represents the project, from detailed photography to thorough descriptions. Both the jury and public voters should be able to understand the essence of a project in an instant.

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When it comes to global architectural awards programs, little details matter. With the 13th Annual A+Awards now in full swing, Architizer’s editorial team has put forward 7 tips to maximize your chances of success this season.

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1. Invest in Professional Photography

You should acquire the services of a photographer or get your hands on some great camera equipment in order to celebrate your project in its best light. We get many submissions with weak images that don’t do justice to the projects they portray, and it’s worth noting that high quality images are required for winning projects to be included in the next edition of “The World’s Best Architecture” book.

Once you have your photographs, ensure that you submit a variety of exterior and interior shots, and consider including close-up details if there is a particularly unique architectural element or space that sets your project apart.

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2. Craft a Compelling Project Description

This sounds obvious, but a well written, well edited project or firm description is crucial in helping jurors decide. For project categories, architects are encouraged to think beyond purely technical descriptions and include emotive words that illustrate how a building makes the occupant feel, or how its atmosphere changes throughout the day, for example.

For firm categories, think about how your firm’s overriding design philosophy translates into the built projects that accompany your submission, creating a compelling story about your practice.

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3. Submit in More Than One Category

You can increase your chances of being recognized for an award by submitting to more than one category. If your project qualifies, you could submit it within a Typology category, such as residential, commercial or cultural, and also enter it into a Plus category, giving you the possibility of winning up to four A+Awards (a Popular Choice award and a Jurors award in each category).

There are also special categories dedicated to sustainable design. If your project is eligible, you may enter it for both a regular Typology category and the corresponding Sustainability category, doubling your chances of success and earning special recognition for your sustainable credentials.

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4. Highlight the Positive Impact of Your Work

In 2024, it’s not enough to create a beautiful building — architects must consider complex challenges pertaining to climate, health and social impact when designing their projects.

To boost your chances, submit projects with features that have a positive impact on the wider world, and make sure to highlight these in your project descriptions. Submissions that clearly express the ways in which their project responds to our rapidly evolving environment have a great chance of success.

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5. Include a Mixture of Mediums

Don’t be afraid to use a variety of mediums to communicate your project. While high quality photographs are key, it’s also possible to submit videos, drawings, animations, graphics and diagrams.

Consider how each asset can help the jurors and the general public better understand a proposal. For more on the storytelling power of architectural films, check out Sam Frew’s in-depth article: Immersive Digital Storytelling: Why More Architects Should Use Video to Showcase Their Projects.

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6. Consider Entering a Best Firm Category

The Best Firm categories present an expanded way for architecture firms to celebrate the breadth of their achievements by showcasing a portfolio of projects. The Firm categories allowing you to submit built works that were completed up to 10 years ago, together with select unbuilt works (note that at least three of your six projects must be built in order for your firm to be eligible for an A+Firm Award).

Firm categories honor overall excellence for firms of different sizes and specializations, providing a unique chance for practices to earn recognition for their mission and evolution as well as individual projects.

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7. Look to Past Winners for Inspiration

Refer to previous years’ winners for inspiration and best practices for submitting. Winners of last year’s A+Awards not only wowed us with their breathtaking projects, but also the ways in which they packaged their work, ideas, processes, and more. It’s also worth checking out our extensive range of A+Awards-related content for more case studies of past winners, as well as further tips and tricks on perfecting your submission.

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Now you have the knowledge, you’re ready to submit your best work for an A+Award to be in the running for international publication, huge online exposure and the iconic A+Awards trophy!

Enter the 13th Annual A+Awards

Top image: House of Courtyards, designed by VDGA – Varsha and Deepak Guggari Architects and shot by Ema Peter Photography.