International Awards Entry Guidelines

Please note that entries to the RIBA International Awards 2020 have now closed.

Why enter the RIBA Awards

For over 50 years the RIBA awards and prizes have championed and celebrated the best architecture in the UK and around the world, no matter the form, size or budget. Successful projects reflect changes and innovations in architecture, but at their core display a commitment to designing and developing buildings and spaces for the improvement and enhancement of people’s lives.

RIBA awards are regarded by both the public and profession as the most valued architecture awards with an unrivalled approach to the judging and promotion of good architecture.
RIBA awards and prizes are the most rigorously judged awards for architectural excellence and are based on the judgement of peers as a result of building visits.
All award-winning projects will have been visited by at least one expert jury.
All RIBA awards are judged by award-winning architects and relevant lay assessors.
Award winners will have PR support from the RIBA and the chance to be featured in online, print and filmed content by our prestigious media partners. Please note, there are filming requirements for any projects that make the House of the Year Longlist.
Award-winning projects are featured on architecture.com which has a growing annual visit rate of over 2.5 million globally.
RIBA awards are highlighted and amplified on all of our social media channels with a global reach of over 300,000 followers.
Award winners will receive both hard copy and digital RIBA Awards marketing assets.

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Who can enter

International Awards 2020

The RIBA International Prize welcomes any qualified architect from across the globe.

To enter, the lead architect must:

be a qualified architect
submit a project outside of the UK
submit an architectural structure that has been completed three years prior to applying. The structure must also be in use during the judging period, which takes place from the closing date to one year following
have the client's permission to submit the building

Applicants are asked to provide evidence of their membership of an organisation such as the RIBA, or registration with an architecture registration board. If the applicant is not a member of any such organisation, we will need details of qualification certificates and the academic institute in which they graduated from.

If you would like to benefit from the RIBA member discount offered on entry fees please see more information on becoming a UK or International member.

RIBA, RSAW, RIAS, RSUA members and RIBA International Fellows can enter projects into both the UK and international awards. If you are thinking about entering buildings in the UK but are not a member, then please see more information on becoming a member.

How to enter

To complete an awards submission, all of the following information is requested:

Project information

Project name
Project address (including county) and postcode if applicable
Gross internal area in sq m, in the case of largely landscape/ urban design projects gross external area in sq m
Contract value / building cost of the project including build and fit-out if done/overseen by the architect (excluding land costs and fees)
Occupation date of the project

Contact details

Architect practice / studio name
Architect practice / studio address/ country
Contact details for project director/architect, client and contractor
Contact for jury visits if different from project director/architect
Press contact if external to the practice entering and
Photographer details.

If you worked in collaboration with another practice or architect then you must all be in agreement on the entry and how the building should be credited.

Project description

150 words per judging criteria category, describing how the project meets each criteria
Additional information about the unique aspects of the building describing the project which includes setting out the client’s brief, planning constraints, materials and method of construction, summary of timetable, programme and budget constraints,
A short statement on what makes the building award worthy in terms of how the building contributes to its society and meets the principles of inclusive design.

This project description will be used in jury meetings and to influence editorial coverage, so please ensure this fully covers your entry.

Key consultants

A list of all key consultants to be credited, e.g. structural engineer, services engineer, landscape architect(s) etc with contact details.
These consultants will be credited on all of our online content, press releases and awards certificates.

Images

Entrants are required to submit the following:

Minimum of 5 and up to 10 JPEG images with a minimum width and/or height of 1000 px. Max file size is 10MB.
You will be asked to select 5 of your images to be used for press purposes. We recommend press images to be at least 2000 pixels in height or width and 300dpi.
Project images should be a mixture of external and internal shots of the project.
Each image must be uploaded as single image files, not composite boards. An exception to this rule would be to place the before and after images of a refurb project side by side and upload as one file.
These images are used for judging purposes and should convey the way in which the project relates to its context.
We advise both wide shots and close-ups and, if possible, show the building in use.
Do not put company logos or text on any images.
We will ask for the photographer name and contact for each image uploaded.

Drawings

Entrants must also upload:

Minimum of 1 and up to 6 drawing files as JPEG format only. Max file size is 2MB.
you should include a location plan (showing project in context, eg 1:1250), site plan, ground floor plan (showing main access), typical floor plan, and two sections.
You may upload up to 6 separate files. These can be configured as 1-2 drawings per page if needs be.
Please bear in mind the jury will be reading the drawings on A4 paper and on screen so landscape orientation is preferred if possible.

Photographers

Name and contact details of photographer(s).
The RIBA will only use the photographs or other media submitted for the purposes of the RIBA Awards.
The RIBA will require confirmation that the relevant copyright owner of the photograph or other media submitted has licensed the right to use the photograph or other media of your scheme for all purposes related to the RIBA Awards (in print, social and digital media). For instance, this might include publicising an exhibition (of winning entries), a lecture series (featuring the winning architects), or promoting the award itself.
Photographers will always be credited on their images so supplying us with the correct information on each photograph is essential.

Sustainability

The RIBA is committed to meeting the challenges of climate change and resource depletion, and raising the understanding of sustainability within the profession. This form is to provide quantitative and qualitative data on the sustainability credentials of buildings submitted for awards. Please note the mandatory questions for all projects and those that are optional for projects up to £1m in contract value. You can download the full form to send to your sustainability expert. The information must then be completed in the online form.

UN Global Compact

The RIBA supports the universal principles on human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption that form the UN Global Compact. As a signatory the RIBA is committed to upholding and promoting the highest standards of ethics in architecture and the wider construction industry. The RIBA reserves the right to request further information about the ways in which the scheme complies with the principles of the UN Global Compact and will take this into account when determining awards.

Payment

Online entry must be paid by credit card or debit card and in GBP sterling. We cannot issue invoices.
The entry fee is dependent on the contract value of the building entered, see payment bands below, which are applicable to all entrants.
Payments must be made separately for each entry submitted, i.e. they cannot be grouped together for multiple entries and you must pay the full amount, including UK VAT.
Payments must be made online using a valid credit or debit card at the end of the entry process.
Once payment is made you cannot alter your entry.

Use of Information

Data, including images, plans, drawings, technical and budget information and narrative text submitted in support of all RIBA Awards entries will be used by the RIBA and Judges acting on its behalf for the purposes of assessing Awards entries in the current year of judging. Any information relating to budget, personal details, such as company names or client names, addresses that the individual or agent preparing the application wishes to remain confidential during and subsequent to the Judging process has the facility (through the online entry system) to mark this information as confidential during the application process. Information marked as Confidential will not be shared for publicity or any form of public dissemination. Information not marked as Confidential will be assumed to be suitable for public dissemination. For the avoidance of doubt, information marked confidential will be shared with Awards Juries acting on the behalf of the RIBA for the purposes of evaluating and assessing Awards entries. Juries will be made aware of their obligation to treat the information as Confidential beyond the immediate purposes of assessing Awards entries. The visual data (images, plans, drawings) will also be used by RIBA for the promotion of the Awards.

Data will be held by the RIBA in perpetuity for the purposes of maintaining a record of the entries and for the RIBA archive. This information will not be shared with any third party without the express and prior consent of the author, their clients or agents acting on their behalf.

Entry fees

The entry fee is dependent on the contract value of the project.
All fees are shown in GBP sterling excluding VAT. UK VAT will be charged for all entries.

Please note that prices are based on the RIBA International Awards 2020 and may vary from year to year.

RIBA members receive a further 25% discount on entry fees see more information on becoming a UK or International member.

Contract value / building cost	Fee before 23:59 on 30 September 2019	Fee from 1 October 2019
Under £500k	£103.50 + VAT	£115 + VAT
£500k - £2m	£226.80	£252
£2m - £5m	£404.10	£449
£5m - £10m	£587.70	£653
£10m - £20m	£674.10	£749
Over £20m	£766.80	£852

Judging criteria and process

Judges will be asked to assess buildings on the following criteria:

Architectural integrity

capacity to stimulate, engage and delight its occupants, visitors and passers-by
design vision - is this reflected in all aspects of the design?
extent of innovation, invention and originality
selection of materials and rigour with which it is detailed
size/space, in terms of the special experience it offers
architectural and conceptual ambition

Usability and context

has it made a significant contribution to its immediate environment?
response to the issues of accessibility and other social factors
suitability of its structural and servicing systems
generous contribution to the public realm or environment

Delivery and execution

complexity of brief/degree of difficulty - its architectural ambition and ideas
fitness for purpose, especially in response to the client's brief as reflected in the level of client satisfaction
timetable - the project should not have gone over time without good cause
type of contract, e.g. traditional, design and build etc
value for money - budget

Judging process

RIBA Awards and prizes are the most rigorously judged awards for architectural excellence. No award or prize is given unless the project has been visited by at least one jury. All RIBA awards are judged by award-winning architects and relevant lay assessors. RIBA juries assess design excellence irrespective of style, size or complexity, taking into account constraints of budget, brief and timetable while being sensitive to the economic and social contexts of each project.

Before any visits are made, every judge will read and digest the criteria and study all the submitted materials. They will then visit an agreed list of projects, looking in detail at all aspects, interior and exterior, listen to the story that both architect and client have to tell and interrogate them about the process and its results.

After discussion with fellow judges, they will arrive at their provisional decisions. Once all visits have concluded the jury will meet for a final time to decide the awards.