Whitney M. Young Jr. Award
Given to an architect or architectural organization that embodies social responsibility and actively addresses a pressing social issue.
Honoring social responsibility in architecture
Civil rights leader Whitney M. Young Jr. challenged architects to assume their professional responsibility to address pressing social issues. Named in his honor, the Whitney M. Young Jr. Award distinguishes an architect or architectural organization that embodies social responsibility and actively addresses a relevant issue, such as affordable housing, inclusiveness, or universal access.
This social engagement isn’t restricted to architecture—it can be expressed in any area of the nominee’s life or work.
Questions? Email AIA Awards
Congratulations 2026 Whitney M. Young award winner: Michael Ford, AIA, NOMA
AIA has named Michael Ford, AIA, NOMA, as the recipient of the 2026 Whitney M. Young Jr. Award. This prestigious honor celebrates an architect who exemplifies the profession's social responsibility by actively addressing critical issues like inclusiveness and equity. Ford, known widely as “The Hip Hop Architect,” has earned this distinction through his visionary work merging hip hop culture with architecture to inspire underrepresented youth and create pathways into the design profession.
The Whitney M. Young Jr. Award is open to architects and architecture-related organizations. To be eligible, nominees must affirm that neither they nor their firm employs unpaid intern architects, including working students (as defined in Section 11.0 of the AIA Rules of the Board).
Members of the AIA Board, Strategic Council, and past AIA National Officers are not eligible to be nominated until three (3) years have passed since their service ended.
Nomination
Candidates are welcome to proactively secure an eligible nominator in order to self-apply. Nominators are welcome to identify and put forward candidates. Nominators putting forward a candidate(s) that otherwise would not self-apply should coordinate closely with that individual to ensure the candidate is fully willing and able to participate in all application proceedings within the required formats and timelines.
AIA Members in good standing, members of the AIA Board and Strategic Council, components, and Knowledge Communities may make nominations for the Whitney M. Young Jr, Award.
Nominator duties
All individuals acting as a candidate nominator must affirm that neither they nor their firm / organization employs unpaid intern architects, including working students.
All nominators are required to submit a one-page letter of recommendation for the candidate. For more information on the requirements for this application component please access the online submission portal once the program is accepting materials.
Restrictions & exceptions
Chapter 11 of the publicly posted AIA Rules of the Board (12/2024 ed.) state the following restrictions and exceptions to applicant, nominator, and letter of reference writer eligibility:
- "National Officers, Officers-Elect, Directors, and Directors-Elect are not eligible to be nominated for any AIA Honors or Awards described in these Rules where they personally would be a recipient. ... Nothing in this section shall prevent AIA leadership from applying for Fellowship, Honorary Fellowship, or Honorary Membership."
- "AIA staff, National Officers, Officers-elect, and members of the Board, or Strategic Council are prohibited from campaigning on behalf of, nominating, sponsoring, or serving as a reference for candidates of any AIA Honors or Awards described in these Rules."
- "Jurors are prohibited from campaigning on behalf of, nominating, sponsoring, or serving as a reference for candidates of their respective programs until three (3) years after their end date of service."
Finalist rollover
Finalists who are not selected may roll over their application materials to the next cycle for consideration in the initial pool of applicants.
Fee: There is no fee for this program.
2026 Deadline
Submissions are due by 5pm ET Thursday August 7, 2025. All materials must be submitted via the online application portal (i.e., cannot be accepted via email, phone, shared online drive, fax, post, etc.) by the prescribed deadline(s): deadline extension or exception requests will not be granted. Applicants and interested parties are encouraged to seek award assistance well in advance of application deadlines to minimize the risk for ineligibility and/or application noncompliance rendering the entry removed from review.
Formatting requirements
For information on templates for required uploaded forms (e.g., Image Release Form, Application Release Form, Copyright Information File), and information on format of portfolio document (e.g., page size / orientation standards), or addressing letters of recommendation, please visit the AIA Awards FAQs webpage.
Applications that do not conform to the program's formatting requirements for uploaded materials (e.g., required forms, letters of reference, and portfolio documents) are subject to automatic disqualification. AIA does not accept release forms with altered terms.
Application components
Extensive information on the materials required to submit an application is housed in the AIA online application portal. Please reference the information in this portal when the program is receiving materials for the 2026 season.
Review criteria
Candidates are evaluated based on how their contributions have made significant progress in addressing a pressing social issue.
- AIA values
Throughout the submission, candidates are encouraged to highlight any aspects of work or life experience that may have reflected contributions or sensitivity concerning areas of special interest to AIA, its members, and the architecture profession, including but not limited to the Public Policies and Position Statements of the AIA. These might include such areas as diversity, sustainability, or the mentoring of emerging professionals, to the degree the candidate has had the opportunity to address them, or as these topics may enhance the presentation. - AIA Framework for Design Excellence
While Whitney M. Young. Jr. submissions are not required to fit comprehensively within the framework principles, candidates are strongly encouraged to consider submission materials in this context. For additional information visit the AIA Framework for Design Excellence.
Jury
2026 Collaborative Achievement & Professional Development Advisory Jury
(Chair) Winston L. Thorne, AIA, Winston Thorne Architect
Bolkar Acikkol, PhD(c), AIA, LEED AP, Energy Architecture Inc.
Cyrus P. Dahmubed, Assoc. AIA, Utile
Kara B. Gee, AIA, Smith Gee Studio
Carolina Montano-Owen, PhD, World Green Building Council
Finalists obligation
If you are selected as a finalist by the Advisory Jury, the next stage of the awards process includes a vote by the AIA Board of Directors and Strategic Council (the Jury) at their joint meeting, typically in early December. During their deliberations, the Jury may have questions or request additional information. Finalists are asked to provide contact information and ideally be available on the day of the vote to respond to any requests.
Recipient recognition for this program typically includes the following elements but may be subject to change. With their selection notification, recipients will receive additional information about this cycle’s recognition benefits.
- Promotional recognition in AIA communication channels.
- Invitation for the recipient or a recipient representative to attend selected Honors & Awards event celebrations, commonly held during the annual AIA Conference on Architecture & Design.
- Elevation to AIA Fellowship, as eligible.
2026: Michael Ford, AIA NOMA
2025:Bryan C. Lee, Jr., FAIA
2024: Douglas Ito, FAIA
2023: Robert L. Easter, FAIA
2022: Riding the Vortex
2021: Pascale Sablan, FAIA
2020: Gabrielle Bullock, FAIA
2019: Karen L. Braitmayer, FAIA
2018: Tamara Eagle Bull, FAIA
2017: Detroit Collaborative Design Center
2016: R. Steven Lewis, FAIA
2015: Auburn University Rural Studio
2014: Ivenue Love-Stanley, FAIA
2013: Harvey B. Gantt, FAIA
2012: Mortimer M. Marshall Jr., FAIA
2011: Sharon Egretta Sutton, FAIA
2010: J. Benjamin Vargas, FAIA
2009: Clyde Porter, FAIA
2008: Norma Sklarek, FAIA
2007: National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA)
2006: Theodore C. Landsmark, Assoc. AIA
2005: Stanford Britt, FAIA
2004: Terrance J. Brown, FAIA
2003: Hispanic American Construction Industry Association (HACIA)
2002: Robert P. Madison, FAIA
2001: Cecil A. Alexander, FAIA
2000: Louis L. Weller, AIA
1999: Charles McAfee, FAIA
1998: Leon Bridges, FAIA
1997: Alan Y. Taniguchi, FAIA
1996: John L. Wilson, FAIA
1995: William J. Stanley, III, FAIA, NOMA
1994: Ki Suh Park, FAIA
1993: David Castro-Blanco, FAIA
1992: Curtis J. Moody, FAIA
1991: Robert Kennard, FAIA
1990: Harry G. Robinson III, FAIA
1989: John H. Spencer, FAIA
1988: Habitat for Humanity
1987: J. Max Bond Jr., FAIA
1986: The Rev. Richard McClure Prosser
1985: Milton V. Bergstedt, AIA
1984: John Louis Wilson, FAIA
1983: Howard Hamilton Mackey Sr., FAIA
1982: John S. Chase, FAIA
1981: Robert T. Coles, FAIA
1980: Leroy M. Campbell, AIA
1976: Wendell J. Campbell, FAIA
1975: Van B. Bruner Jr., FAIA
1974: Stephen Cram
1973: Architects Workshop of Philadelphia
1972: Robert J. Nash, FAIA
Interested in learning about these past recipients? We’d love to hear from you—contact us.