Categories & Guidelines

General Design Category & Guidelines

To enter the General Design category, the official entrant must be an Associate, Full, or International ASLA member, or eligible to join ASLA in one of those categories.

Recognizes: site-specific works of landscape architecture. Professional entries in this category must be built; student entries are not required to be built.

Typical entries include: public, institutional, or private landscapes of all kinds (except residential—see residential category); historic preservation, reclamation, conservation; green roofs, stormwater management, sustainable design; design for transportation or infrastructure; landscape art or installation; interior landscape design; and more.

Criteria: The jury will consider the quality of design and execution (for professional entries); design context; environmental sensitivity and sustainability; and design value to the client and to other designers.

Submission: Materials in the submission must not reveal the names of the entrant and/or landscape architects, firms, other designers, students, schools, or photographer. For student team entries, all team members who are landscape architecture students must be or join as Student or Student Affiliate ASLA members. All student team members and their course of studies must be submitted with the entry.

Project Title (Name): A submission must have a short, specific presentation title (containing no abbreviations) that indicates the nature of the presentation.

Project Statement: In 175 words or less, described the project and why it’s award-worthy. This statement may be used in promotional materials if the project is selected for an award. NOTE: failure to submit this statement will lead to disqualification of entry.

Project Narrative: Addressing the criteria for the General Design category, describe in 1275 words or less the project location, scope and size, site and context investigation, design program, design intent, materials and installation methods, environmental impact and concerns, collaboration with the client and other designers, and other significant issues.

Images*: Include at least (1) site plan, plus five (5) but no more than fifteen (15) drawings and/or photographs for a total of sixteen (16) images in a single .PDF file not to exceed 10 MB and 16 pages. Drawings and photographs must be “8.5x11” format and landscape orientation. Brief captions of no more than 40 words each are to be placed at the bottom of each image. Label the .PDF file with the project entry number (do not label using your name). NOTE: failure to submit images will lead to disqualification of entry. Winners will be required to submit high resolution photos.

Recognition: The Professional Awards Jury and the Student Awards Jury may each select one Award of Excellence and any number of Honor Awards in this category.

*Entrants are responsible for clearing photographs with photographers for publication and reproduction by ASLA. ASLA will provide proper photography and other project credits when using photos, but will not assume responsibility for any copyrights or photography fees. ASLA retains the right to publish photos submitted in winning entries in Landscape Architecture magazine, on the ASLA website, in promoting the awards program, and in other products in conjunction with promoting landscape architecture.

Residential Design Category & Guidelines

To enter the Residential Design category, the official entrant must be an Associate, Full, or International ASLA member, or eligible to join ASLA in one of those categories.

Recognizes: site-specific works of landscape architecture for residential use. Professional entries in this category must be built; student entries in this category are not required to be built.

Typical entries include: single or multifamily residential projects; activity areas for cooking, entertaining, recreation, or relaxation; sustainable landscape applications; new construction or renovation projects; historic preservation; affordable landscape concepts and innovations; and more.

Criteria: The jury will consider the quality of design and execution (for professional entries); context; environmental sensitivity and sustainability; and design value to the client and to other designers.

Project Title (Name): A submission must have a short, specific presentation title (containing no abbreviations) that indicates the nature of the presentation.

Project Narrative: Addressing the criteria for the Residential Design category describe in 1275 words or less the project location, scope and size, site and context investigation, design program, design intent, materials and installation methods, environmental impact and concerns, collaboration with the client and other designers, and other significant issues.

Recognition: The Professional Awards Jury and the Student Awards Jury may each select one Award of Excellence and any number of Honor Awards in this category.

Analysis and Planning Category & Guidelines

To enter the Analysis and Planning category, the official entrant must be an Associate, Full, or International ASLA member, or eligible to join ASLA in one of those categories.

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, rural, or regional planning efforts; development guidelines; transportation, town, or campus planning; plans for reclamation of brownfield sites; environmental planning in relation to legislative or policy initiatives or regulatory controls; cultural resource reports; natural resources protection; historic preservation planning; and more.

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.

Project Title (Name): A submission must have a short, specific presentation title (containing no abbreviations) that indicates the nature of the presentation.

Project Narrative: Addressing the criteria for the Analysis and Planning category, describe in 1275 words or less the project’s goals and objectives, what kinds of environmental and social data were collected and analyzed, methods of analysis, how options were considered, how interested parties were involved in the project, how design was used in the process, how the project was or would be implemented, and how project is or will be administered and/or monitored, and other significant issues.

Recognition: The Professional Awards Jury and the Student Awards Jury may each select one Award of Excellence and any number of Honor Awards in this category.

Communications Category & Guidelines

An official entrant in the Professional Awards Communications category is not required to be a landscape architecture professional.

Recognizes: achievements in communicating landscape architecture works, techniques, technologies, history, or theory, 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. Supplemental materials may be submitted directly to ASLA Awards Program, 636 Eye Street NW, Washington, DC 20001. Label each item with the project’s entry number.

Criteria: The jury will consider the effectiveness of message presentation, the innovation in approach or delivery, and the value to the intended audience.

Submission: For student team entries, all team members who are landscape architecture students must be or join as Student or Student Affiliate ASLA members. All student team members and their course of studies must be submitted with the entry.

Project Title (Name): A submission must have a short, specific presentation title (containing no abbreviations) that indicates the nature of the presentation.

Project Narrative: Addressing the criteria for the Communications category, describe in 1275 words or less the intended purpose, audience, message(s), impact and effectiveness, distribution method (commercial bookstores, Internet, etc.), circulation/distribution (number), and other issues as appropriate.

Images*: Include at least (1) site plan (Communications Category excluded), plus five (5) but no more than fifteen (15) drawings and/or photographs for a total of sixteen (16) images in a single .PDF file not to exceed 10 MB and 16 pages. Drawings and photographs must be “8.5x11” format and landscape orientation. Brief captions of no more than 40 words each are to be placed at the bottom of each image. Label the .PDF file with the project entry number (do not label using your name). NOTE: failure to submit images will lead to disqualification of entry. Winners will be required to submit high resolution photos.

Recognition: The Professional Awards Jury and the Student Awards Jury may each select one Award of Excellence and any number of Honor Awards in this category.

Research Category & Guidelines

In partnership with:

An official entrant in the Professional Awards Research category is not required to be a landscape architecture professional.

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: investigations into methods, techniques, or materials related to landscape architecture practice; studies of relationships of landscape architecture to law, education, public health and safety, or public policy; and more.

Criteria: The jury will consider clarity and importance of research question, hypotheses, or goals; significance of historical data, where relevant, and links to current knowledge; appropriate research design and use of rigorous methods of inquiry; the clarity of presentation of outcome; and the outcome potential applications to practice.

Project Title (Name): A submission must have a short, specific presentation title (containing no abbreviations) that indicates the nature of the presentation.

Project Narrative: Addressing the criteria for the Research category, describe in 1275 words or less the problem researched, relationships investigated, method of inquiry used, results of research (which may refer to statistical or other analysis that can be included under “Images”), conclusions concerning the significance of the results, comparisons with past research, applicability to landscape architecture practice, the need for new or further research, and other significant issues.

Images*: Include at least (1) site plan (Research Category excluded), plus five (5) but no more than fifteen (15) drawings and/or photographs for a total of sixteen (16) images in a single .PDF file not to exceed 10 MB and 16 pages. Drawings and photographs must be “8.5x11” format and landscape orientation. Brief captions of no more than 40 words each are to be placed at the bottom of each image. Label the .PDF file with the project entry number (do not label using your name). NOTE: failure to submit images will lead to disqualification of entry. Winners will be required to submit high resolution photos.

Recognition: The Professional Awards Jury and the Student Awards Jury may each select one Award of Excellence and any number of Honor Awards in this category.

The Landmark Award & Guidelines

An official entrant in this category is not required to join ASLA in order to enter. Local organizations, public officials, and other interested individuals are welcome to enter a qualified project in this category.

Recognizes: a distinguished landscape architecture project completed between 15 and 50 years ago that retains its original design integrity and contributes significantly to the public realm of the community in which it is located.

Typical entries include: parks, plazas, sculpture gardens, botanical gardens, river walks, and more. Public officials and agencies, civic and historic preservation organizations, and interested individuals and entities are encouraged to submit projects in this category.

Criteria: The jury will consider the project's sustained value to the community it serves and the continued relevance of the project's design expression.

Submission: Materials in the submission must not reveal the names of the entrant and/or landscape architects, firms, other designers, or photographer.

Project Title (Name): A submission must have a short, specific presentation title (containing no abbreviations) that indicates the nature of the presentation.

Project Narrative: Addressing the criteria for The Landmark Award, describe in 1275 words or less the project’s original intent, design challenges, original surrounding environment (and how it may have changed), social concerns, history of use, community context, and impact on the public realm, the profession, and practice.

Recognition: The Professional Awards Jury may select one Landmark Award recipient.

The Student Community Service Award & Guidelines

Recognizes: pro bono community service by students demonstrating sound principles and values of landscape architecture.

Typical entries include: individual students, student teams, or student organizations providing pro bono community-based advocacy or public service.

Criteria: The jury will consider the effectiveness related to the service and the demonstration value to other communities, students, and professionals.

Submission: Materials in the submission must not reveal the names of the entrant and/or landscape architects, firms, other designers, students, schools, or photographer. For student team entries, all team members who are landscape architecture students must be or join as Student or Student Affiliate ASLA members. All team members and their course of studies must be submitted with the entry.

Project Title (Name): A submission must have a short, specific presentation title (containing no abbreviations) that indicates the nature of the presentation.

Project Narrative: Addressing the criteria for the Student Community Service category, describe in 1275 words or less the project’s goals and objectives, what kinds of environmental and social data were collected and analyzed, methods of analysis, how options were considered, how interested parties were involved in the project, how design was used in the process, how the project was or would be implemented, and how project is or will be administered and/or monitored, and other significant issues.

Recognition: The Student Awards Jury may select one Award of Excellence and any number of Honor Awards in this category.

Student Collaboration Category & Guidelines

Recognizes: collaborative work by landscape architecture students with students from allied and/or complementary disciplines, including those in other design fields, business, and the natural and social sciences, for example. Student entries are not required to be built.

Typical entries include: landscape architecture projects that meet the criteria within the categories of General Design, Residential Design, Analysis and Planning, Research, Communications, and Community Service brought about through collaborative effort among students from landscape architecture programs and allied and/or complementary disciplines. Select two categories: (example: Student Collaboration/General Design).

Criteria: Projects submitted in this category must be team projects, and each team must include at least one landscape architecture student and one non-landscape architecture student. The jury will evaluate the project under the criteria outlined in the appropriate category and will also consider the demonstration of collaboration among the disciplines represented on each team.

Submission: Materials in the submission must not reveal the names of the entrant and/or landscape architects, firms, other designers, students, schools, or photographer. For student team entries, all team members who are landscape architecture students must be or join as Student or Student Affiliate ASLA members. All team members and their course of studies must be submitted with the entry.

Project Title (Name): A submission must have a short, specific presentation title (containing no abbreviations) that indicates the nature of the presentation.

Project Narrative: Addressing the criteria for the subcategory most closely fitting the entry using the General Design, Residential Design, Analysis and Planning, Research, Communications, and Community Service guidelines. You will select Student Collaboration, and a second category using its criteria and narrative requirements.

Images*: Include at least (1) site plan (Communications and Research Categories excluded), plus five (5) but no more than fifteen (15) drawings and/or photographs for a total of sixteen (16) images in a single .PDF file not to exceed 10 MB and 16 pages. Drawings and photographs must be “8.5x11” format and landscape orientation. Brief captions of no more than 40 words each are to be placed at the bottom of each image. Label the .PDF file with the project entry number (do not label using your name). NOTE: failure to submit images will lead to disqualification of entry. Winners will be required to submit high resolution photos.

Team Description: Without identifying the team members by name, identify each team member by field of study, level of study (undergraduate or graduate), and what responsibilities they had for the project. Describe the project and the collaboration among team members. Pay particular attention to describing the role of the landscape architecture student(s), how landscape architecture contributed to the success of the project, what the landscape architecture student(s) learned from the other field(s) of study, and vice versa.

Recognition: The Student Awards Jury may select one Award of Excellence and any number of Honor Awards in this category.