Serving as Chair of the 2026 AIA New Hampshire Design Awards Jury was both an honor and a privilege, offering the opportunity to engage with an inspiring body of work that reflects the evolving role of architecture in shaping communities, environments, and everyday life. It was equally gratifying to serve alongside an exceptional jury whose breadth of expertise and thoughtful perspectives enriched every stage of the deliberations: Theresa Genovese, AIA, LEED AP (Principal, CETRARUDDY Architecture); Joseph Lauro, FAIA (Managing Director, Gensler); Roxana Escobar Kariyannis, Associate AIA (Founder and President, NAWI); and Giovanni Santamaria, Ph.D. (Associate Dean, School of Architecture and Design, New York Institute of Technology).
This year's submissions reflected professional trajectories that increasingly understand design excellence as the ability to integrate multiple aspirations simultaneously. Guided by the AIA Framework for Design Excellence, the jury evaluated projects holistically, recognizing those that balance clarity of concept with richness of experience, innovation with entrepreneurial approaches, environmental performance with social responsibility, and technical precision with a profound sense of place.
Throughout our deliberations, the jury sought projects that exhibited clarity of architectural intent and an economy of means, where composition, proportion, materiality, and detail worked together to create coherent and memorable spatial experiences. The strongest projects were distinguished not necessarily by formal complexity, but by the confidence with which simple ideas were developed into richly layered architecture. We were particularly drawn to work that revealed a purposeful design process, where every intervention - from the scale of the site to the smallest detail - reinforced a unified architectural vision.
A recurring quality among the recognized projects was their profound engagement with context. Whether situated within dense institutional campuses, residential landscapes, ecologically sensitive sites, or historic settings, these works demonstrated that architecture gains significance when it emerges from a careful reading of its physical, cultural, and environmental surroundings. Rather than imposing themselves upon a site, the most compelling projects established meaningful relationships between buildings and landscape, interior and exterior, public and private, creating environments that are simultaneously expressive, welcoming, and deeply rooted in place.
The jury was equally encouraged by the many interpretations of innovation presented this year. Innovation was not defined by technological novelty alone, but by thoughtful approaches to spatial organization, adaptive reuse, construction, environmental performance, and the creative reimagining of existing buildings. Several projects demonstrated that preservation and transformation are not opposing ambitions, but complementary strategies that extend the life, relevance, and cultural value of our built heritage while meeting contemporary needs.
Environmental stewardship and social responsibility emerged as defining characteristics across many submissions. The most successful projects integrated sustainable strategies seamlessly into their architectural language while fostering accessibility, inclusivity, education, and human well-being. These works illustrated that resilience is as much about creating meaningful places for people as it is about reducing environmental impact, and that architecture has the capacity to strengthen both ecological systems and community life.
The discussions among the jury were rigorous, thoughtful, and often spirited, reflecting the exceptional quality and diversity of the submissions. While only a limited number of projects could ultimately be recognized, the collective body of work affirms that architectural excellence today is measured by its ability to balance beauty with responsibility, innovation with continuity, and technical achievement with a profound understanding of the human experience.
The jury congratulates all participants for contributing to a vibrant culture of design that continues to elevate the profession and enrich the built environment throughout New Hampshire and beyond.
The jury also expresses its sincere gratitude to the members of AIA New Hampshire Design Awards Committee, and especially to Michael J. Petrovick, Past President of AIA New Hampshire, for the invitation to serve. Special appreciation is extended to Susan Phillips-Hungerford, Past President of AIA New Hampshire and former Chair of the AIA New Hampshire Design Awards Program, for her thoughtful guidance throughout the jury process, and to Bonnie Kastel, Executive Director of AIA New Hampshire, for her outstanding organization, generous support and coordination, which made the jury's work both productive and rewarding.
Maria Perbellini, Associate AIA
Dean and Professor
School of Architecture and Design, New York Institute of Technology