[ eligibility ]

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, 2005.

Can I enter a project that has won other awards or been previously published?
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 1-11). The fee for specialty entries is $95. Entry fees will not be refunded after Nov. 30, 2009.

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)
4. Restoration / Preservation
5. Multifamily Housing
6. Single-Family Production Housing / detached
7. Single-Family Production Housing / attached
8. Affordable Housing (At least 20 percent of the units must be affordable to families earning 80 percent to 120 percent of the local Median Family Income. Consult your area HUD office or local government office for the MFI.)
9. Adaptive Reuse (end use must include residential)
10. Campus Housing
11. Architectural Interiors (residential)

Specialty Entry Categories - $95:
12. Outbuilding
13. Kitchen
14. Bath
15. Architectural Design Detail
16. On the Boards

[ how to enter ]

Complete the online registration using Internet Explorer as your browser. (Firefox and Safari users may find they are unable to successfuly 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. You can download entry forms by clicking on the link under the heading “assembling your entry packet.”

When is the deadline for online registration?
Registration at www.radesignawards.com has been extended and will end Nov. 20, 2009. You must register online even if you pay by check. Requests for late registration can be submitted by e-mail to RADA@hanleywood.com.

What if the online registration isn’t working?
If you have trouble with online registration, please call 202.736.3402 or e-mail RADA@hanleywood.com.

Can refunds be given once I’ve registered?
Refunds can be requested until Nov. 30, 2009. No refunds can be processed after that date, but credit for future awards programs can be given on a case-by-case basis.

[ assembling your entry packet ]

No binders will be mailed this year. All entry forms (with the exception of those noted below), photographs, plans, and drawings should be presented in a coverless, spiral/wire-bound booklet no larger than 8.5x11 inches and no thicker than 1.5 inches in size.

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 completing your online registration, you will be sent an e-mail with downloadable Microsoft Word and PDF entry forms and instructions. You will also be able to click here to download the forms as a writable PDF.

Why no binders?
The vinyl binders used in past competitions are toxic to produce and cannot be recycled. We are always looking for more eco-friendly ways to improve the competition.

How will I receive my entry number assignment?
Judging for the residential architect Design Awards is blind, so all submissions are tracked by individual entry numbers. You will be sent an e-mail listing one number for each entry you submit; you must list this number along with the category number on every photo, plan, drawing, and form you submit with your completed entry packet. Your CD of submitted images must also be labeled with your entry number and category. Even if you enter the same project in more than one category, each entry will have a different entry number.

Is my confirmation number the same as my entry number?
No. Once you register online and hit “Submit,” you will receive an e-mail with your confirmation number. This number should only be used if you need to re-enter the system and alter your registration. Your confirmation number is completely different from your entry number (or numbers).

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 entry number. Please note: Your entry number will stay the same.

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 2009 issue.

Can the project statement exceed 150 words?
Statements longer than 150 words will not be penalized, but entrants are encouraged to keep statements as succinct as possible and to 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 only be used 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 submitted with 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?
Completed entry packets must be received on or before Dec. 18, 2009.

[ 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 Production Housing, Affordable Housing, Adaptive Reuse, 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. 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 Architectural Interiors, 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. Printing and presenting photos as spreads is acceptable. Printing on the front and back of the paper also is acceptable.

The top left corner of every spread must be labeled with your entry and category numbers.

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 2009 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. Raw files are preferred, but TIFF format is fine. Do not compress files or make color corrections. 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 entry 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 other 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 16 categories. 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 take place at the end of January 2010. The list of winners will be posted online and e-mails announcing the results will be sent to all entrants in February 2010. Winners will be honored at the annual Best in Housing Awards Dinner held during the 2010 AIA Convention in Miami.

When will the winners be published?
Winning projects will be featured in the May/June 2010 issue of residential architect and online.

[ contact us ]

[ deadlines ]

(EXTENDED!) November 20 — Entry form and fee due
November 30 — Last day to request a refund
(EXTENDED!) December 18 — Completed entry packets due