AIA San Antonio’s Residential Design Awards (RDA) celebrates the best of local residential architecture. 

Entries are evaluated by a national jury of residential architects based on design quality, programmatic resolution, conceptual clarity, innovation, thoughtfulness, and execution.

Projects are entered and juried by category. Sub-categories exist to further differentiate the work, but are designed to collapse into their broader Primary Categories if the required number of entries is not met. Five entries are required to constitute a Sub-Category or Primary Category.

All entries submitted will be showcased in an online social media campaign on Instagram in the weeks leading up to the Residential Design Awards Ceremony. Following the jury process, three “Finalist” projects in each category will be publicly announced on Instagram. The “Top Prize” winner in each category will be revealed at the Residential Design Awards Ceremony the evening of May 14, 2026.

CALL FOR ENTRY

New in 2026:

• Category Winners in each Category will receive a trophy
• Winners will be featured in the June San Antonio Magazine’s Mi Casa
• NEW Bonus Category for 2026: Unbuilt Architecture

Submissions are due on March 23, 2026 MIDNIGHT.

Late Entries are due on March 30, 2026 MIDNIGHT. (additional fee applies)

STUDENT DESIGN AWARDS 

Call for Entries

The AIA San Antonio Design Awards program recognizes outstanding built and unbuilt architectural projects by local architectural professionals and students and promotes public awareness on the value of Design Excellence. Student Entries will be judged on the merit of quality of design, resolution of the program, conceptual clarity, innovation, thoughtfulness, and execution.

The People + Place Awards Celebration will be held on Tuesday, July 28, 2026.

STUDENT AWARDS

Entry is open to currently enrolled students or recent graduates from UTSA’s School of Architecture and Planning or the San Antonio College Architecture program. Students may submit assigned studio projects, theoretical projects, independent research projects or competition entries completed in the last two academic years (beginning Fall 2024) while enrolled at UTSA or SAC. Each entry will be judged solely on a PDF presentation and a written project description. Online submission is required. See Entry Form for instructions .

For additional criteria, download the SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

FEES

There are no entry fees for students. The winning submission will receive complimentary reservations for two to the People + Place Awards Celebration to accept the award .

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION

Submissions are due by 11:59 pm, Monday, June 1

INQUIRIES

Please contact AIA San Antonio (210) 226-4979 with any questions about the submission process.