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PROFESSIONAL DESIGN AWARDS PROGRAM

The Rhode Island Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects continues to encourage and recognize excellence in the practice of landscape architecture and to inform the public of the broad scope and value of landscape architecture services.  The Executive Committee of the Rhode Island Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (RIASLA) hereby invites landscape architects and affiliated professionals who have demonstrated excellence in their pursuit to lead, educate and participate in the stewardship, planning, and artful design of our cultural and natural environment.

 

Projects selected as worthy of an award will receive one of the following in each category:

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• Presidential Award of Excellence - One award may be presented (if merited) from all categories, determined by unanimous vote of the Jury, for work demonstrating exceptional contribution in the advancement of the profession.

 

• Honor Award - The Jury may choose a limited number of Honor Awards to recognize superior professional accomplishment.

 

• Merit Award - The Jury may select any number of Merit Awards to recognize outstanding professional accomplishment.

 

• Special Recognition Award - The Jury may select a single project that recognizes the outstanding professional accomplishment and stands alone from the other entries in its attributions.

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GENERAL INFORMATION

Winners will be recognized at the 2021 Holiday Party and Awards Banquet, date, and location TBD.

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ELIGIBILITY

The Professional Design Awards Program is open to all landscape architects registered to practice in Rhode Island, Projects located within Rhode Island, professionals in public or private practice of landscape architecture who reside in Rhode Island, affiliated professionals, faculty currently teaching at accredited Rhode Island landscape architecture programs, and students currently enrolled in an accredited Rhode Island landscape architecture curriculum submitting works associated with their academic pursuits.  Projects designed and completed after January 1, 2012 are eligible.  Once the project receives an award, it is no longer eligible for future RIASLA Professional Award Programs.

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FEES

An entry fee of $200 for ASLA members, $275 for Non-ASLA-Members, $25 for ASLA Student members and $50 for Non-ASLA Student members made payable to RIASLA must accompany each submission.

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THE JURY

A distinguished panel of jurors from the Oklahoma of the American Society of Landscape Architects has been assembled to judge the entries. The Jury will be conducted by blind review; materials submitted must not bear names, seals, or pictures of the submitting professional(s).

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JUDGING CRITERIA

The Jury will base their decisions upon the following:

• A considered response to program, context, and overall excellence within the awards

• category, and are specifically outlined within each of the award’s categories below.

• The extent to which excellence is informed by the following criteria: aesthetics; functionality.

• environmental sensitivity and resilience; regional and social context; overall significance to the profession; design value to the client and to other designers; and other characteristics including technological advancements and pioneering efforts.

 

CATEGORY DESCRIPTIONS:

• CATEGORY I - LARGE SCALE BUILT PROJECTS
  This category recognizes site-specific built works of landscape architecture or urban design with construction budgets exceeding $300,000. Typical entries include public, institutional, or private landscapes of all kinds; residential landscapes; historic preservation, bicycle and pedestrian trails, cemeteries and memorials, recreational facilities and athletic field design, waterfront design, parks and open spaces; green roofs, stormwater management, or sustainable design; design for transportation or infrastructure; landscape art or installation; and interior landscapes
  
  CRITERIA:  The jury will consider the quality of design and execution; design context; environmental sensitivity and resilience strategies; and design value to the client, community, and to other designers.

 

• CATEGORY II - SMALL SCALE BUILT PROJECTS
  This category is the same as large scale-built works but for projects with construction budgets of less than $300,000.
  
  CRITERIA:  The jury will consider the quality of design and execution; design context; environmental sensitivity and resilience strategies; and design value to the client, community, and to other designers.

 

• CATEGORY III - ON THE BOARD PROJECTS
  This category is the same as large scale-built works but this category recognizes site-specific design works that have yet to be built and these projects must offer innovative design solutions or be visionary in scope.
   
  CRITERIA:  The jury will consider the quality of design and innovation of the design solution; design context; environmental sensitivity and sustainability; and design value to other designers.

 

• CATEGORY IV-PLANNING AND ANALYSIS
  This category recognizes the wide variety of professional activities that lead to, guide, and evaluate landscape architecture/design. Entries in this category are not required to be built or implemented. Typical entries include urban, suburban, or regional planning efforts; development guidelines; transportation, town, or campus planning; plans for reclamation of brownfield sites; cultural resource reports; and cultural and natural resources protection, conservation, or historic preservation planning.
  
  CRITERIA:  The jury will consider the quality of the analysis and planning effort; context; environmental sensitivity and sustainability; likelihood of successful implementation; and value to the client, the public, and other designers.
   

• CATEGORY V-COMMUNICATIONS
  This category recognizes media promotion achievements in communicating landscape architecture works, techniques, technologies, information, history, theory, or practice of the profession, and the lesson value to an intended audience. Typical entries include print media, film, video, audio, CD, or DVD formats; online communications; interpretive design; exhibition design; and more.
  
  CRITERIA: The jury will consider the effectiveness of message presentation, the innovation in approach or delivery, and the value to the intended audience.

 

• CATEGORY VI-RESEARCH
  This category recognizes research that identifies and investigates challenges posed in landscape architecture, providing results that advance the body of knowledge for the profession.  Typical entries include scientific research on topics related to the practice of landscape architecture; investigations into methods, techniques, or materials related to landscape architecture practice; and studies of the relationships of landscape architecture to law, education, public health and safety, or public policy.
   
  CRITERIA: The jury will consider how the research is framed; the context and resources of the study; the methods of inquiry; the results of investigation; and the lesson value of the research conclusions to the field at large.

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ENTRY PROCESS

Awards entry is a two-step process.
 

FIRST, you submit your entry form to rhodeislandasla@gmail.com and pay the entry fee by clicking the PayPal “Buy Now” button. Payment shall be received by 5:00 pm on Wednesday, October 27, 2021. No exceptions.

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You can also mail a check payable to Rhode Island Chapter ASLA to: RIASLA PO Box 8303, Cranston, RI 02920.
The check must be received by the payment deadling

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THEN, instructions, a checklist, and your applicant ID will be emailed to you. Digital Entry must be a single PDF not to exceed 15MB, sent via email to rhodeislandasla@gmail.com by 5:00 pm on Monday, November 1, 2021.

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AWARDS PROGRAM

Please click here for full requirements and category descriptions.

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Entry Form

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