Buildings never arise in isolation. The best planning accounts for the entire built environment, local culture, and available resources—modeling architecture’s promise and true value to communities. 

The Regional & Urban Design program recognizes the best in urban design, regional and city planning, and community development.

In 2019, the AIA adopted the Framework for Design Excellence as the set of guidelines and requirements to assess project performance. Climate action requires a holistic approach addressing the interdependence among people, buildings, infrastructure, and the environment. The Framework for Design Excellence provides the elements that support this vision during project evaluation. While projects submitted do not need to address all the measures included in the framework, they do need to highlight how they perform in this context and highlight relevant narratives and metrics when applicable.