From the drawing board to the main stage: What makes an award-winning project? ✨
Ever wondered what separates a good project from an outstanding one? At this year's Building the Future conference, we’re going behind the scenes of the Architect of the Year Awards to explore the design thinking and technical grit that define excellence.
Join the Session:
🗓️ What Made This Project?: Lessons from award-nominated projects
⏰ 11:30 am - 12:15 pm | Doddington Forum 1
🎤 Featuring: David Henderson (Howells) and Simon Banfield & Matthew Wood (BanfieldWood).
They’ll be breaking down the real-world challenges—from tight budgets to complex specifications—that shaped their award-nominated work.
Feeling Inspired? Then Enter this year's AYAs!
The best way to ensure your practice’s innovations are part of next year’s conversation is to enter the #AYA26. Use insights from BD's What Made this Project series online to polish your submission and demonstrate your own design excellence.
Award Entry Deadline: Friday 8 May 2026
Enter now: /2026/en/page/categories
Secure your conference ticket: /live/en/page/book
The ultimate day for UK Architecture: Insight by day, celebration by night ✨
This year, we are bringing the industry together like never before. The Building the Future conference and the Architect of the Year Awards 2026 are co-locating, offering a seamless journey from industry-leading insight to elite networking and celebration.
Your Day at Building the Future:
11:30 | Lessons from Award-Winning Projects: Discover the "how" behind the UK's best designs
12:25 | Regen Connect: A deep dive into the forces reshaping our cities. 🏙️
15:00 | Circular Design in Practice: Practical strategies for a sustainable future. ♻️
16:30 | Specification Transparency: Navigating the new landscape of compliance. 🔍
Your Evening at AYA 2026:
Once the sessions wrap, the celebration begins! Join the finalists and winners to toast the achievements of the past 12 months 🥂
The Deadline is Calling:
To be part of the evening's highlights, your practice must enter by Friday 8 May. Don't miss your chance to have your work featured in the sessions and honored on stage.
⏳ Enter the Awards: /2026/en/page/categories
🔗 Book Your Place: /live/en/page/book
8 days to go: 20 categories. One stage. Is your specialty on the list? 🏆
The Architect of the Year Awards shines a light on the breadth of excellence across the entire profession. Whether you are pioneering sustainability, designing for education, or leading the way as an employer, there is a category for your practice.
We’ve added four brand-new categories this year to reflect the shifting landscape of architecture:
1️⃣ Digital Design Innovation and Optimisation
2️⃣ Public Realm and Placemaking
3️⃣ Radical Retrofit and Reinvention
4️⃣ Regenerative Design
This year we're celebrating architecture at every scale as well as one off projects if you're not quite ready to put forward a full body of work.
Don't let your best work go unrecognised!
Entry Deadline: Friday 8 May 2026
View the full list and enter: /2026/en/page/categories
9 days to go: Don’t just enter—enter to win! 🏆
With the Architect of the Year Awards deadline looming, it’s time to move from "planning" to "perfecting." How do you make your practice stand out to our panel of esteemed judges?
Top Tips for a Winning Entry:
Be Clear & Concise: state exactly why your project deserves to win from the very first sentence. Include completion dates and show precisely how you met the criteria ✍️
Cast a Wide Net: there is no limit to how many categories you can enter. You can submit up to four projects per category to demonstrate a truly consistent body of work. 📂
Nail the Technicals: ensure your electronic presentation boards include the key details such as, practice name, project name, location, client, contract value, dates etc. 📋
Curate Your Visuals: high-quality photos and sketches are a must—but don't forget the essentials. You must include at least one plan and one section drawing 📐
Refine Until the End: You can log in and update your submission as many times as you like until the deadline 💻
Final Deadline: Friday 8 May 2026
Submit your entry: /2026/en/page/categories
21 Categories. One Mission: Celebrating Architectural Excellence ✨
Entries for the 2026 Architect of the Year Awards are officially open! This year, we’ve updated our categories to better reflect the urgent challenges and innovations defining our sector. New/refined categories for 2026:
💻 Digital Design Innovation and Optimisation Award – Celebrating those pushing the boundaries of technology.
🌳 Public Realm and Placemaking Architect of the Year – For the architects thinking beyond the site boundary. We’re looking for projects that delight the public, promote wellbeing, and create a lasting social and cultural impact.
♻️ Radical Retrofit & Reinvention: Refurbishment is no longer enough; we’re looking for radical reinvention. How are you creatively transforming existing structures to meet 21st-century needs?
🌱 Regenerative Design: Moving beyond "Net Zero." This award looks at the total carbon story—construction, operation, and deconstruction. (Pro-tip: Our judges love to see the performance data!)
Whether you're a young architect just starting your journey or an established firm leading the way in innovation, there is a place for your work this October at Convene Sancroft, St Paul's, London.
📅 Entry Deadline: 8 May 2026 🔗 Explore the full list and start your entry: /2026/en/page/categories
#AYA26 #ArchitectureAwards #DigitalInnovation #RegenerativeDesign #Retrofit #StPauls
📢 Entries for the 2026 Architect of the Year Awards are officially OPEN!
This year marks an exciting new chapter as we move to our stunning new home: Convene Sancroft, St Paul’s. The awards ceremony will take place on the evening of 7 October, co-locating with the Building the Future Conference in the day time.
Now in our 22nd year, we are ready to celebrate the projects that are shaping our industry with three brand-new categories for 2026!
Ready to gain the recognition your work deserves? Register free today to start your submission and refine your entry right up until the deadline on 8th May.
🔗 Link in bio: /2026/en/page/categories
#AYA26 #ArchitectureAwards #BuildingTheFuture #StPaulsLondon #ArchitecturalExcellence
Article of the Week 🚀
Red Flags over Broadgate: BIG workers protest planned mass lay-offs after major contract scrapped.
Click the link of our story to view the full story!
#architecture #buildingdesign #architecturenews
Cheers to our finalist!
Last week we celebrated the incredible talent making this year’s awards shortlist - here’s to the stars who’ll shine on the big night!
#buildingawards #ba2025 #construction
Just 5 days to go!
The countdown is on for the Architect of the Year Awards — celebrating the brightest talent shaping the future of architecture.
Who will take home the top honours this year?!
🏛️ The Architect of the Year Awards 2025 – London’s most prestigious night for architecture is back, and seats are going fast!
Don’t miss your chance to:
✨ Celebrate the very best in design
🤝 Network with industry leaders
🎉 Experience a night of glamour, awards, and entertainment
Tables are limited – secure your place now and make sure you’re part of the industry’s biggest night.
👉 Grab your tickets here: https://ow.ly/X2su50X2JHU
Our UK Design Capital of the Year series continues with a spotlight on Newcastle!
This prestigious award celebrates strategic ambition in placemaking and regeneration, and this city was carefully selected as one of four finalists.
The latest article exploring the series on BD looks at how Newcastle is using world-class regeneration (like the Helix and Pilgrim Street developments) to overcome post-industrial challenges and secure its future talent.
Will Newcastle take the title?
➡️ Join us at the Architect of the Year Awards to see the winner announced on the night. Link in bio
#UKDesignCapital #AOTY #Newcastle #Architecture #Regeneration #BuiltEnvironment
🏢 Spotlight on workplaces! 🏢
Our finalists for Office Architect of the Year are redefining the spaces where we work, collaborate, and innovate ➡️ https://ow.ly/aWHE50X1vo3
Find out who takes the crown on 15 Oct ➡️ https://ow.ly/QceJ50X1vo2
