The Record Awards Returns for 2026 Edition
The editors are pleased to announce the second installment of the Record Awards, which recognizes the year’s best built and unbuilt projects and honors leading and emerging voices in the field. It supplements the magazine’s other long-running, submission-based accolades, such as Record Houses and Design Vanguard. The entry period kicked off earlier this month—submission guidelines, key deadlines, and other pertinent details can be found here—and closes July 15.
Projects across a variety of building types that embody excellence in design will be selected for individual awards. To be eligible, these projects must be completed within the 18-month period prior to the competition deadline. This year, the editors have also introduced four new categories—Civic & Government, Details & Facades, Restoration, and Parks & Recreation—and the Unbuilt category returns to recognize outstanding proposals designed by firms, students, and recent graduates. From this shortlist of prizewinners, the editors will select the 2026 Building of the Year.
Barozzi Veiga's Dynafit Headquarters in Kiefersfelden, Germany, was named Building of the Year for the 2025 Record Awards. Photo © Simon Menges & Nino Tugushi
Individual practitioners will also be celebrated with three distinct honors: Architect of RECORD, which recognizes a lifetime of achievement in the profession and exceptional work published in the pages of the magazine; Innovator of the Year, which commends outstanding contributions to the built environment that push disciplinary boundaries; and the Rising Professional Award, which acknowledges a leading architect or designer, under 50 years of age.
A jury of practicing architects and related professionals, from a range of firm sizes and expertise, and RECORD editors will select winners of the Best of Architecture Awards. They will judge submissions based on a set of criteria, including quality of design, sustainability, and innovation. Members of that jury will be announced in the coming weeks. Recipients of the individual awards will be selected by a jury of RECORD editors.
Architects and students with work recognized in the 2025 Record Awards program gather for a group photo at last year's ceremony in New York. Photo © Laura Stiles
RECORD editor in chief Josephine Minutillo presents the 2025 Architect of RECORD Award to Thomas Phifer at last year's Innovation Conference. Photo © Laura Stiles
The winning projects and individuals will be announced at the annual Record Innovation Conference, to be held in New York City in November. Additionally, the awardees will be featured in a fall issue of the magazine. Applicants will be notified of decisions by the end of September.
We look forward to receiving your submissions! And to peruse last year’s winners, check out the November 2025 print edition or catch up online here.
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