COTE® Top Ten Award

Entrants

• All entries must identify an AIA Architect member in good standing (e.g. current on dues, no ethical violations) that is licensed to practice in the U.S. affiliated with the project to serve as the project Submitting Architect.
• Submitting architects do not have to be the head of the team.
• Projects must credit every substantial contributor.
• Owners, individual practitioners, private design firms, public agencies, civic organizations, and public interest groups can submit projects or programs in which they were involved.
• Submitting firms must have signed the AIA 2030 Commitment.

Projects

• Completed new buildings, renovations, restorations, interior architecture, and urban/regional plans are eligible.
• Projects may be located anywhere in the world but must have been designed by a U.S.-licensed architect.
• Projects must have been completed at least twelve (12) months prior to the submission deadline and are required to include twelve (12) months of performance data at 75% occupancy.

Fee

All entry fees are non-refundable. Entry includes a $450 fee for a single project submission to a single project-based award program, and $100 for additional submissions of the same project to any other project-based award programs. 

2026 Deadline 
Submissions are due by 5pm ET on Thursday, November 13, 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, Client Authorization, etc.), please visit the AIA Awards FAQ webpage.

Applications that do not conform to the program's formatting requirements for uploaded materials (e.g., required forms, images, and portfolio documents) are subject to automatic disqualification. AIA does not accept release forms with altered terms. 

Application components
The AIA online application portal houses extensive information on the materials required to submit an application. Please refer to this portal when the program receives materials for the 2026 season. 

COTE® Top Ten Award projects must have 12 months of performance data at 75% occupancy. 

Review process

• Entries to the COTE® Top Ten Award are reviewed by two bodies in separate sequences: A technical proficiency review panel whose evaluations are shared with a jury for an additional standard assessment.
• AIA Awards juries will be shared on AIA.org once available.
• All award advisory panels are composed of individual experts recommended to and appointed by the AIA President, to adhere to composition requirements outlined in the AIA Rules of the Board.
• All policy and application compliant entries are evaluated by uniform rubric(s).
• Jurors review submissions independently, then convene collectively to discuss submissions and select recipients.
• Contact from award applicants and/or their supporters (e.g., nominator, letter of reference writer, mentor, mentee, employer, etc.) to the real or potential jurors presiding over the review of an AIA award program is strictly prohibited.
• Evidence of current or future applicants and/or their supporters attempting or actualizing contact with an AIA award juror(s) pertaining to the evaluation of applications to specific award programs within specific award cycles can result in an official filing with the AIA Ethics Committee, suspension of membership in good standing, ineligibility of involved parties from participation in current and/or future AIA award program participation, and/or additional measures.
   

Review criteria

• The jury evaluates entries based on how successfully projects have met their individual requirements.
• All projects must demonstrate design achievement, including a sense of place and purpose, ecology and environmental sustainability, and history.
• Technical assessment of performance data completeness, accuracy, and achievement assessed across all AIA Framework for Design Excellence principles from provided narratives and metrics.
• A key criterion for evaluating projects is the integration of compelling design and exemplary performance.

Recognition

Recognition for this program typically includes the following elements but may be subject to change. Recipients will receive additional information about this cycle’s recognition benefits with their selection notification.

• Promotional recognition in AIA communication channels.
• Invitation for the recipient or a recipient representative to attend selected awards event celebrations, commonly held during the annual AIA Conference on Architecture & Design®.

2025

2024

2023

For previous recipients, please contact AIA Archives.