Welcome to the 2026 AIA Kentucky Honor Awards Program

The AIA Kentucky Honor Awards program is dedicated to recognizing and applauding the design contributions of Kentucky architects and outstanding Kentucky architecture, to establish a standard of excellence against which architects can measure their own performance, and to promote public awareness and appreciation of the value of architecture and architectural practice.

The Kentucky Society’s “Honor Award for Achievement of Excellence in Architectural Design” is the highest professional honor bestowed upon a Kentucky architect by his or her peers, and it distinguishes the architect as one who is dedicated to making architecture the best it can be.

*In preparation for this year’s awards, we have been actively listening to our members' feedback and responding with improvements to the program. Here are some important details and updates to be aware of:

• Submissions are still blindly juried by a different panel of out-of-state architects each year
• All submissions will be featured on a banner exhibit visiting public libraries in Lexington and Louisville
• (*NEW) All submissions will be nominated for inclusion as a project feature in the upcoming season of the CBS hit, "America ByDesign"
• (*NEW) Previous submissions not yet recognized are encouraged to be resubmitted at a 50% discount
• (*NEW) Submissions have been modernized to an HD PDF format for design flexibility, software preference, and higher resolution images
• (*NEW) Awards Category thresholds have been updated to better align with current construction costs

Click here to download eligibility criteria and submission guidelines.Responsibility for compliance rests with the entrant, and entries submitted incorrectly may be disqualified.

THANK YOU for your interest and participation in the 2026 AIA Kentucky Honor Awards. Best of luck!