2012 entry - changes to RIBA Awards programme

There is now one point of entry for all RIBA Awards. 2012 entry| is now available. 

About RIBA Awards

RIBA Awards have been running continuously since 1966 and is judged and presented locally.

No matter the shape, size, budget or location, RIBA Award winning-schemes set the standard for great architecture all across the country. See the 2011 RIBA Award winners|.

RIBA Awards in the UK are for buildings by RIBA Chartered Architects and RIBA International Fellows. Winners of RIBA Regional Awards, known by a local name e.g. the RIBA Hadrian Awards in the north east of England, are considered for RIBA Awards. Winners of RIBA Awards are considered for the RIBA Stirling Prize|.

RIBA Awards in the European Union are for buildings by RIBA Chartered Architects only. Winners are also considered for the RIBA Stirling Prize|.

RIBA International Awards are for buildings outside the EU by RIBA Chartered Architects and RIBA International Fellows. Winners are considered for the RIBA Lubetkin Prize|.

The judging process

Regions appoint a shortlisting panel of architects who visit all the schemes entered and then meet to produce a list of buildings to be visited by the regional jury.

Every year a new regional jury is appointed jointly by the Awards Group and the regions/nations (Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales). Each regional jury is made up of:

• a regional representative who is appointed by the region or nation
• a lay assessor from various disciplines who is appointed by the Awards Group
• the jury chair, an architect appointed by the Awards Group who chairs the shortlisting panel.

Specialist advisors on conservation and sustainability may be appointed to help with the judging of regional special awards.

Visits to the shortlisted projects involve talking to clients and users and assessing design excellence.

The judges look at: 

• complexity of brief
• quality of detailing
• invention/originality
• sustainability
• social factors
• 'firmness, commodity and delight'
• budget
• size
• type of contract 
• client satisfaction. 

Sponsors 

Each RIBA Award-winning project is sponsored and produced by the Lead Sheet Association|. The association has been supporting the RIBA Awards since 1989 by producing the plaques, which can be seen on buildings all over the UK.