ASLA 2026 Student Awards
Competition Brief
The ASLA 2026 Student Awards are designed to bring the spotlight on the best landscape architecture projects done by world-wide students and to keep the emerging designers of tomorrow by giving them the awards of recognition for the excellence in design, research, and planning. The winning projects demonstrate the originality, the careful interaction with the context, and the high technical quality.
Intent
The competition is intended to showcase the best student landscape architecture projects and to recognize emerging designers by giving them the awards for excellence in design, research, and planning.
Purpose
The awards of landscape architecture students serve as a stepping stone towards their professional careers as they get more exposure and connect with a global audience. The awards help graduates to recognize the bridge that connects academic performance with job opportunities by encouraging them to hold to their outstanding academic work.
Requirements
All students, student affiliates, and international student members of ASLA are permitted to participate. The projects should incorporate images, diagrams, and narrative text that articulate design intent, process, and outcomes. All submissions are to be in English, and identifying details are to be obliterated for the purpose of blind review. Every category requires individual submission and adherence to that category’s specified requirements for participation.
Jury
A varied selection of skilled landscape architects, educators, and practitioners carry out the evaluation of the Student Awards. The jury is divided into two sections with coverage over various categories of student awards including design, planning, research, and service.
- Ebru Özer, FASLA — Chair, Florida International University, Miami, FL
- Daniel Winterbottom, FASLA — Washington State University, Seattle, WA
- Jonathan Hayes, ASLA — Anchorage Museum, Anchorage, AK
- Danielle Pieranunzi, Sites, AP, LEED AP BD+C, Hon ASLA — U.S. Green Building Council, Washington, DC
- Nancy Levinson — Places Journal, San Francisco, CA
- Jose de Jesus Leal, FASLA — MIG, Inc., Sacramento, CA
- Scott Lewis, ASLA — Scott Lewis Landscape Architecture, San Francisco, CA
- Kristina Floor, FASLA — Floor Associates, Phoenix, AZ
- Patricia Algara, FASLA — BASE Landscape Architecture, San Francisco, CA
- Nina Chase, ASLA — Merritt Chase, Pittsburgh, PA
- April Westcott, FASLA — Ball State University, Muncie, IN
- Tod Hueser, ASLA — City of Olathe, Shawnee Mission, KS
- Steven Spears, FASLA — GroundWork Development Company, Austin, TX
- Timothy Schuler — Places Journal, Manhattan, KS
- Charles Crawford, FASLA — The Lamar Johnson Collaborative, St. Louis, MO
- Carley Rickles, ASLA — Martin Rickles Studio, Atlanta, GA
- Janelle Johnson, ASLA — OLIN, Philadelphia, PA
- Ron Henderson, FASLA — L + A Landscape Architecture, Chicago, IL
Fees
| Submission Type | Fee (USD) |
|---|---|
| ASLA Member | 80 |
| Each Additional Entry | 80 |
Rewards
| Award | Description |
|---|---|
| Award of Excellence | Highest recognition for outstanding student work across categories. |
| Honor Award | Recognition for distinguished student projects in specific categories. |
| Honorary Mention | Honors for noteworthy contributions not selected for higher awards. |
Important Dates
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Registration Deadline | April 24, 2026 |
| Submission Deadline | May 8, 2026 |
| Winners Announcement | June–July 2026 |
✦ ArchUp Competition Review
The ASLA 2026 Student Awards are really a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for young up-and-coming landscape architects to not only have their works formally acknowledged but also to become part of the larger conversation between the design world and their academic qualifications. Different categories provide the room for a wide range of student contributions. On the other hand, the submission process requiring anonymity and the use of English documentation might make it necessary to prepare very carefully. Moreover, students could check on ArchUp other design competitions like Urban & Architecture Design Awards 2026, Architecture at Zero, and International Excellence Awards 2026 for a better and wider view of the international design standards.
Conclusion and Final Thoughts
The ASLA 2026 Student Awards are a chance for novice landscape architects to earn professional recognition and to present their work that connects academic success with broader design discourse. The large variety of categories stimulates the students to contribute in different ways. Yet, the requirement for blind submission and strict adherence to English documentation may necessitate the use of very careful preparation. In addition, students may also want to look at other design competitions on ArchUp such as Urban & Architecture Design Awards 2026, Architecture at Zero, and International Excellence Awards 2026 for a broader perspective on international design trends.
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