The Chicago chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA Chicago) announced their 60th iteration of their annual Design Excellence Awards. Thirty-six projects were honored for their design ingenuity in four different categories, which include Distinguished Building, Interior Architecture, Divine Detail, and the 10-year award—a newly added category recognizing a decade-old building for its lasting performance. Four separate juries comprised of architects from across the country judged a total of 283 entries. Twenty of the winning projects can be found in Chicago.
During the awards presentation, which took place on Friday, Oct. 23, at Navy Pier’s Grand Ballroom in Chicago, the local chapter presented ten Honor Awards—the highest distinction within the program. They also awarded 23 Citation of Merit awards in each category, and one Special Recognition for Design Excellence. The 10-Year Award was given to The Joan W. and Irving B. Harris Theater for Music and Dance, located in Millennium Park.
To see all of the winners, head over to ARCHITECT’s Project Gallery.
Distinguished Building Honor Awards
Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership, in Kalamazoo, Mich., by Studio Gang Architects
Northeastern Illinois University El Centro, in Chicago, by JGMA

Richard Barnes
The Genevieve and Wayne Gratz Center, in Chicago, by Gensler
The Theatre School at DePaul University, in Chicago, by CannonDesign and Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects
United States Coast Guard Headquarters, in Washington, D.C., by Perkins+Will and WDG Architecture
Interior Honor Awards
Case Western Reserve University Tinkham Veale University Center, in Cleveland, Ohio, by Perkins+Will and CBLH ArchitectsLambert – St. Louis International Airport Terminal 1 Renovation, in St. Louis, by exp US Services and KAIDevine Detail Honor Awards
Ignite Glass Studios, in Chicago, by Epstein
Shanghai Natural History Museum, in Shanghai, China, by Perkins+Will
10-Year Award
The Joan W. and Irving B. Harris Theater for Music and Dance, in Chicago, by HBRA Architects