David Rubenstein Treehouse at Harvard University | Studio Gang

The Rubenstein Treehouse is the first mass timber building on Harvard’s campus, setting a model for holistically sustainable buildings in Boston and institutions worldwide. The 55,000-sf building provides dedicated event space and meeting amenities for Harvard affiliates, the community, academia, and industry and business leaders from around the globe.

Forty Acres Fresh Market | Latent

This $5-million adaptive reuse and community preservation project transforms a former Salvation Army 12,000-sf bowtruss structure through functional, utility, and façade retrofits, bringing produce access deep within a 30 year food desert.

Computer Design, Research, and Learning Center, University of Illinois Chicago | Booth Hansen/LMN

The 135,000-square-foot facility provides a flexible, forward-looking environment that positions students at the forefront of the digital world. Designed to foster collaboration, the building integrates classrooms, labs, offices, and lounges around a five-story atrium filled with natural light.

 National Public Housing Museum | LBBA Architects

The project transformed the last remaining 1938 building of the historic Jane Addams Homes into a cultural destination, including restoration of the existing masonry walls and concrete structure, as well as installation of a new roof, windows, MEP systems, and life safety systems to meet the museum’s operational demands.

A Chapel Reborn | BRUSH Architects

For the meticulous restoration and historic conservation of St. Andrew’s Chapel located inside the historic St. James Cathedral at 69 E. Huron Street in Chicago, Illinois, including intricate faux-finish plaster restoration and partial, art glass conservation, and furniture restoration

David Rubenstein Treehouse at Harvard University | Studio Gang

The Rubenstein Treehouse is the first mass timber building on Harvard’s campus, setting a model for holistically sustainable buildings in Boston and institutions worldwide. The 55,000-sf building provides dedicated event space and meeting amenities for Harvard affiliates, the community, academia, and industry and business leaders from around the globe.

Midcentury For the Next Century | Tom Bassett-Dilley Architects

This special project was an extensive renovation of Better Homes and Gardens “The House You Asked For of 1953” resulting in a durable, decarbonized house for the next century.

LaGuardia Airport Terminal B | HOK

LaGuardia Airport’s new Terminal B symbolizes the top-to-bottom transformation of one of the nation’s highest-profile airports. The transparent, fluid design of the four-story, 850,000-sq.-ft. Arrivals and Departures Hall (headhouse) celebrates movement while conveying a strong civic presence in a city known for its remarkable architecture.

UChicago Medicine Crown Point | Perkins+Will

One of the nation’s newest multispecialty care centers. This innovative, free-standing microhospital is filling a gap in a region where accessibility to high-quality medical care was previously limited, offering a new way of delivering a variety of health services to the community, with access to abundant natural light, color, graphics, and views of nature.

A jury of esteemed architecture colleagues from throughout the county, including experts in high performance buildings and appointed by the AIA Illinois President, will review nominations in the Design Award category.

Nominations in the Service Award category will be selected by the AIA Illinois Board of Directors.

The AIA Illinois President serves as an ex-officio member of both juries.

Decisions of the juries are final. AIA Illinois reserves the right to not choose an award recipient in ANY category, should they and the jury make that determination.

• Design Awards: Nominees must reside in ILLINOIS, but their project may be located anywhere in the world. Projects must have been completed within the last five (5) years, except for those competing for the Excellence in Planning Award.

• Service Awards: Nominees must reside in ILLINOIS.
• • Award winners will be licensed architects or architectural interns, except recipients of Non-Architect Achievement Award and the President’s Award.
  • Nominations may be submitted without the knowledge of the nominee.
  • You may nominate yourself or your project(s).
  • You may submit for multiple award categories, but a separate entry is required for each nomination.
  • An entry fee is required for each Design Award submission with a discount for additional submissions. (AIA Member: $155 / Non-AIA Member: $225)

Entries for the 2026 AIA Illinois Honor Awards will only be accepted online through this submission website. No submissions will be accepted after Friday, May 15, 2026 at 11:59 pm CT.

The jury relies entirely on the representation made in the nomination. Submitters are asked to objectively state the nominee’s achievements in a clear and succinct manner.

Melanie is a licensed architect and a registered interior designer. She is a Senior Architect with Clark Nexsen, a JMT company. Melanie holds licenses in Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina. She earned a Master of Architecture Degree from the University of Virginia and a BA in Architecture from UNC Charlotte. Her varied professional experience includes work for public, private, local and international clients in all phases of project development. Melanie is also a part-time instructor for UNC Charlotte’s School of Architecture, as well as the current chair of the Mecklenburg County Historic Landmarks Commission. She is the immediate past president of AIA North Carolina.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/melaniereddrick/

Robert G. Bohlmann, AIA

Bob is the owner / Founder RGB Architectural Group in Kankakee (1994-2016) and previous executive director of the B. Harley Bradley House in Kankakee, Frank Lloyd Wright’s first Prairie style home. He is recognized as a guiding force and inspiration for his leadership, hard work and life-long devotion to the profession.

Andrea Aggertt, AIA, NCARB, Architect of the Capitol in Springfield, Illinois.

She is recognized for working tirelessly to provide leadership in civic improvement, development and implementation of government projects that conserve and enhance the Capitol Complex of the State of Illinois.

Kerl LaJeune, Assoc. AIA, NOMA

Through education, mentorship, and the development of accessible tools, he has contributed to a more equitable and inclusive vision of the profession. His contributions have helped bridge the gap between the profession and the public, ensuring that more people – especially young people – can engage with and shape the built environment.

Yash Mehta, Assoc. AIA Co-founder Defining Humanity

Credited for his vision and extraordinary leadership capacity, he has successful built and mobilized a diverse network of designers, students, professionals, and community advocates united around a shared mission of social impact.

Giacomo Tinari, AIA

Recognized for bringing not only skill and creativity to his work but also a genuine passion for architecture and design, demonstrating exceptional talent, dedication, leadership and professionalism.

Sheetal Vora, Assoc. AIA, LEED AP, WELL AP

Through AIA Chicago, ACE Mentorship, and organizations that advocate for underrepresented voices in the profession, she has shown a consistent willingness contribute beyond day-to-day work, representing the best of what an emerging professional can be.

Prof. Charles (Charlie) Pipal, AIA Distinguished Professor at SAIC

For excellence in teaching in both the Architecture and Historic Preservation Departments at SAIC, a dedication to architecture, preservation education and serving as the graduate advisor for architecture students pursuing a Certificate in Historic Preservation.

Illinois Main Street

For their 4-point approach that explicitly calls out “Design” as one of the pillars to creating successful main street revitalizations and their efforts tie into the AIA Illinois mission