RADA faqs
[ frequently asked questions ]
[ deadlines ]
Dec. 5 — Online registration and fee due
Dec. 5 — Last day to request a refund
Dec. 21 — Completed entry packets due
[ eligibility ]
Architects and designers may submit residential projects completed after Jan. 1, 2007. Other building industry professionals may submit projects on behalf of an architect or designer. Hanley Wood employees, their relatives, and regular contributors to the magazine are not eligible.
Can I enter a project that was entered for last year's competition?
Yes. The only stipulation is that projects must have been completed
after Jan. 1, 2007.
Can I enter a project that has won other awards or been previously published?
Yes.
Can I enter the same project in more than one category (for example, custom home and kitchen or bath)?
Yes.
Do you accept entries from outside the United States?
Yes. Entries from outside the U.S. are welcomed.
[ categories and fees ]
There is a fee of $125 per standard entry (categories 1-10). The fee for specialty entries is $95 (categories 11-15). Payment must be made by credit card via our online registration system. Entry fees will not be refunded after Dec. 5, 2011
Standard entry categories ($125):
1. Custom Home / 3,000 square feet or less
2. Custom Home / more than 3,000 square feet
3. Renovation (residential remodeling and additions, including adaptive reuse)
4. Restoration/Preservation
5. Multifamily Housing
6. Single-Family Housing (including production, speculative, prototype, attached or detached)
7. Affordable Housing
8. Architectural Interiors (interior renovations, build-outs)
9. Campus Housing
10. Light Commercial (any building type four stories or under)
Specialty entry categories ($95):
11. Outbuilding
12. Kitchen
13. Bath
14. Architectural Design Detail
15. On the Boards (any unbuilt residential project not yet completed)
[ how to enter ]
Complete the online registration using Internet Explorer as your browser. (Firefox and Safari users may find they are unable to successfully complete the registration process.) You'll then be sent an entry packet via e-mail. Each packet will include entry forms and detailed instructions for organizing your entry. You must print out, bind (spiral or wire binding is required), and submit your entry forms along with color photos and drawings or plans. A CD containing all completed entry forms and high-resolution files of photos, plans, and drawings is required.
When is the deadline for online registration?
Registration at radesignawards.com will end Dec. 5, 2011.
What if the online registration isn’t working?
If you have trouble with online registration, please e-mail RADA@hanleywood.com.
When is the deadline for submitting completed entry packets?
Completed entry packets must be received on or before Dec. 21, 2011.
Can refunds be given once I’ve registered?
Refunds can be requested until Dec. 21, 2011. No refunds can be processed after that date.
[ assembling your entry packet ]
All entry forms (with the exception of those noted below), photographs, plans, and drawings should be presented in a paper, spiral/wire-bound booklet no larger than 8.5x11 inches and no thicker than 1.5 inches in size. Deadline to receive completed entry booklets is Dec. 21, 2011. The contact and credits form, photo release form, and product specification sheet should be separated from the remaining entry forms, stapled together, and attached to the front of the bound booklet with a secure, removable clip. The cover sheet included in the entry materials should be the first page of the bound booklet and must be clearly visible.
How will I receive entry materials?
After registering online, you will receive an e-mail with downloadable Microsoft Word and PDF entry forms and instructions. Or e-mail RADA@hanleywood.com to request a copy of the entry packet.
Why no binders?
Vinyl binders cannot be recycled. We are always looking for more eco-friendly ways
to improve the competition.
How should I label my submissions?
Judging for the residential architect Design Awards is blind, so all submission are tracked numerically. Once you register online and hit “submit,” you will receive an email with your confirmation number. Please list the last 3 or 4 digits of this number (everything after the E), along with the appropriate category number (1-15), on your entry packet and CD so it is clearly visible.
Can I change my entry to a different category after submitting my entry form?
Yes. Write the new category number and category name on your entry packet forms and e-mail RADA@hanleywood.com with the category change and your confirmation number.
What should I do if I'm not sure which category best fits my entry?
Enter your project in the category you feel is most appropriate. If the judges believe it belongs in another category, they will switch it to that category during judging. Your entry will not be penalized.
What is an architectural detail?
Any aspect of the architect's design that is unique, even for a custom house. Click here for previous winners in this category or see our March/April 2011 issue.
Can the project statement exceed 150 words?
Statements longer than 150 words will not be penalized, but entrants are encouraged to keep statements succinct and focus
on the highlights of the entry.
What should I do if my photographer will not sign the release form?
Photographers are welcome to clarify the language or provide their own release. Images of winning projects will be used only in conjunction with the design awards, and will be published in residential architect magazine, posted on our website, and used for next year's RADA brochure. They will not be used outside of the awards without the photographer's expressed permission.
Can I submit the entry packet without the photo release form?
Entry packets should be include all completed forms as required. If there is a delay with the photo release form, you may submit your entry packet on or before the deadline and then fax or e-mail that form separately, when completed. Your entry will not be penalized if the photo release form arrives after the deadline date.
When is the deadline for submitting completed entry packets?
This deadline also has been extended: Completed entry packets must be received on or before Dec. 21, 2011.
[ photo requirements ]
Each entry (except those in the On the Boards category) requires the inclusion of professional-quality color photographs.
How many photos do I include with my entry packet?
Entries in the Custom Home, Renovation, Restoration/Preservation, Multifamily, Single-Family, Affordable Housing, Architectural Interiors, and Campus Housing categories must include at least six professional-quality 8x10-inch or 8.5x11-inch color prints of the project's important interior and exterior features. You may include more than six photos if you wish, but no more than 20 total. Entries in the Renovation category also must include at least one “before” photograph (any size), in addition to the other six required photographs.
Entries in the Outbuilding, Kitchen, Bath, and Architectural Design Detail categories must include at least two photographs. Photographs are not required for On the Boards entries.
Photos should be printed on card stock or heavy paper. Presenting photos as spreads is acceptable, as is printing on the front and back of the paper.
All projects (except for On the Boards submissions) must be professionally photographed.
Can I use photographs I took myself?
Only if they are professional-quality photographs that can be reproduced for publication. Entrants should refer to previous winners or see our March/April 2011 issue for an idea of the standard of photography required.
Can I include photo captions?
Yes, brief captions detailing what’s shown are acceptable.
Do I need to include high-resolution images with my entry packet?
Yes. You must include a CD containing high-resolution files of all printed photographs, plans, and drawings submitted in the entry booklet, as well as digital versions of all completed entry forms. Minimum resolution requirements are 300 dpi (dots per inch) in RGB mode. TIFF format is preferred. Images should be 8x10 inches in size.
Please place the CD into a protective envelope (not a hard plastic case) and attach it to the front of the bound entry booklet with a secure, removable clip. The CD must be labeled with your confirmation and category numbers. Please do not use plastic cases.
[ on the boards ]
What are the requirements for On the Boards?
Floor plans, site plans, and elevation renderings are required. Any additional drawings, sectionals, or renderings are encouraged.
Are theoretical projects eligible as On the Boards entries?
Yes.
Are projects under construction eligible as On the Boards entries?
Yes.
[ selection of winners ]
A panel of respected design professionals will select Grand and Merit award winners from entrants in the 15 categories as they see fit--awards may not be given in every category at the judges' discretion. One project will be chosen from among the Grand winners as the best residential Project of the Year.
When will the winners be announced?
Judging will occur at the end of January 2012. An email announcing the results will be sent to all entrants and the winners will be posted online by March 2012.
When will the winners be published?
Winning projects will be featured in the March/April 2012 issue of residential architect and online at www.residentialarchitect.com.
[ contact us ]
Please email RADA@hanleywood.com.