In architecture, it’s always awards season. The field now has dozens of programs, bestowing hundreds of prizes each year, many of them online only. You have to wonder if the glory of winning isn’t diminished in such a crowded arena of supposedly superlative architecture.

Some prizes continue to carry a special distinction. The Pritzker Prize, just announced this month, is still the most prestigious, despite coming under fire in the past (including here on this page) for the lack of diversity among its winners. Initiated in 1979, it comes with a $100,000 check and a nice bronze medal. The independent jury that chooses the winning architect each year—under a shroud of secrecy the FBI could only envy (leaks are rare)—actually visits the contenders’ projects, which gives the prize unusual credibility.