AIA South Carolina Announces 2026 Design and Chapter Award Recipients

The American Institute of Architects, South Carolina Chapter (AIA SC) has announced the 2026 recipients of the AIA SC Design and Chapter Awards. This annual juried competition encourages and recognizes design excellence throughout South Carolina and promotes public awareness of the role architects play in shaping the quality of life in their communities.

This year’s awards ceremony, held on Thursday April 30, 2026, at Cannon Green in Charleston, was attended by the AIA SC board of directors, chapter membership, colleagues, and honored guests.

2026 Jury Chair Heather McKinney, FAIA announced the 20 design awards. In addition, the AIA SC board of directors conferred three individual chapter awards. Also presenting awards were AIA SC Board Chair Jonathan Garvin, AIA SC Design Awards Director Kris Feldmann, and Executive Producer of American ByDesign Mike Chapman.

“Receiving an award from AIA SC is a prestigious acknowledgment by one’s peers. The achievement sets new standards to innovation and the overall pursuit of design excellence.”

- Jonathan Garvin, 2026 AIA SC board chair

Awarded projects were granted “Honor,” (highest) “Merit,” or “Citation,” and were selected based on design quality, response to its context and community, program resolution, innovation, thoughtfulness, and technique. Submitted projects were completed by AIA SC architects practicing in South Carolina or South Carolina projects designed by architects/designers based elsewhere.

Awarded and submitted projects will be featured in the upcoming 2026 SCA Design Issue (summer 2026), which will include project images, notes from the jurors, and a review of their discussion.

DESIGN AWARDS

• Student Design

  • Merit, Students: Matthew Ngango and Jared Cook

    • Clemson University, Richard A. McMahan School of Architecture

    • Project: Anderson Community High School

  • Citation, Students: Lily Wolf and Shane McGoldrick

    • Clemson University, Richard A. McMahan School of Architecture

    • Project: Shell-tered

• Unbuilt

  • Merit, Firm: Hord Coplan Macht

    • Project: Athletic Locker Facility

• Small Projects

  • Merit, Firm: Fathom Firm

    • Client: Justin Liepman

    • Project: Jake Frame

  • Citation

    • Firm: Teague Studio

    • Client: Lynn & David Proctor

    • Project: Lakeside Outdoor Living

  • Citation, Firm: Craig Gaulden Davis | PBK (CGD | PBK)

    • Client: York County

    • Project: South Carolina Ebenezer Park

• Interior Architecture

  • Citation, Firm: DP3 Architects, Ltd.,

    • Client: Dunean Capital Management

    • Project: The Daniel

• Adaptive Reuse or Historic Preservation

  • Honor, Firm: Young + Wales Architects

    • Client: Edisto Island Open Land Trust

    • Project: Hutchinson House Reconstruction

  • Merit, Firm: Studio 2LR

    • Client: Avant Holdings, LLC

    • Project: The Laundry

  • Citation, Firm: McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture

    • Client: The Furman Company

    • Project: The Borden Building

• Robert Mills Residential Award < Residential New Construction under $1,000,000

  • Merit, Firm: Frederick + Frederick Architects

    • Client: Steve & Beth Stansell

    • Project: Wild Marsh Cottage

  • Citation, Firm: Fortress Architecture Studio

    • Client: Julie and Scott Keyes

    • Project: Firewatch House

• Robert Mills Residential Award > Residential New Construction over $1,000,000

  • Citation, Firm: Architecture 224 LLC

    • Client: Jeff and Katherine Day

    • Project: Watersheds

  • Citation, Firm: MHK Architecture

    • Client: Southern Living

    • Project: Sea Island Farm House

• New Construction > New Construction/Substantial Renovation over 5,000SF

  • Honor, Firm: Studio 2LR, in association with Shea Studio

    • Client: Laurens County Public Library

    • Project: Clinton Public Library

  • Merit, Firm: McMillan Pazdan Smith

    • Client: Greenville Technical College

    • Project: Prisma Center for Health and Life Sciences

  • Merit, Firm: Goodwyn Mills Cawood

    • Client: Richland School District Two

    • Project: South Carolina Pontiac Elementary

  • Citation, Firm: McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture

    • Client: United Community Bank

    • Project: United Community Bank

  • Citation, Firm: Hanbury

    • Client: Western Carolina University

    • Project: Western Carolina University Lower Campus Residence Halls

  • Citation, Firm: Quackenbush Architects + Planners

    • Client: Central Carolina Technical College

    • Project: Academic & Student Services Building

CHAPTER AWARDS

• 25 Year Award

  • Jeffrey Rosenblum Architect

    • Project: Bankers Trust Branch Bank

• Firm Award

  • BOUDREAUX

• Social Justice Award

  • Metanoia SC

• Presidential Citation

  • Laura Middleton, AIA

2026 DESIGN AWARDS JURY

• Chair: Heather McKinney, FAIA, founding principal of McKinney York Architects

• Michael Hsu, FAIA, founder and principal of Michael Hsu Office of Architecture

• Wendy Dunnam Tita, FAIA, principal, chief practice officer at Page (now Stantec)

• Murray Legge, FAIA

SPONSORS

Special thanks to the 2026 award partners: Hill Construction (premiere sponsor), Terracon (celebration sponsor), PAC Clad/Petersen Aluminum (new construction award sponsor), Delta Millworks (residential award sponsor), Trident Construction (adaptive reuse/preservation sponsor), and First Community Bank.