Image: 2023 25 Year Award Recipient Sexton Commons at St. Johns University, designed by Rafferty Rafferty Tollefson Lindeke (RRTL) Architects (now Architecture Advantage).

The 25 Year Award recognizes completed building projects — either individual buildings or groups of buildings — completed at least 25 but not more than 50 years ago. The projects must have been designed by firms with architects registered and practicing professionally in Minnesota.

The award honors one exemplary architectural project that stands the test of time and continues to set standards of excellence for its architectural design and significance, both in its original form and by today’s standards.

The submission window for the 25 Year Award program is closed until 2024.

 

Eligibility

The 25 Year Award recognizes completed, built projects — either individual buildings or groups of buildings. Projects must be completed after January 1, 1973, and before December 31, 1998. Note: Use the first date when a certificate of occupancy is issued. Entries must have been designed by firms with architects registered and practicing professionally in Minnesota.

Entries must be nominated or submitted by a current AIA Minnesota member. Nominations may be made by any AIA Minnesota member; the nominator does not need to be the original architect on the project.

Jury

Submissions will be judged by a jury to include: a past 25 Year Award recipient or University of Minnesota, College of Design/Dunwoody School of Architecture faculty member; a past Young Architects Award recipient; and a new AIA Minnesota Fellow. 

The 2023 25 Year Award jury:

Scott Schlotthauer, AIA (chair)
Katie Blaisdell, AIA
Peter Hendee Brown, FAIA
David Wilson, AIA
Dingliang Yang

Requirements

Submissions must include a minimum of three exterior images, three interior images, and one site plan. 

All AIA Minnesota award programs will now require a declaration that candidates for awards are in compliance with the AIA Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct. Nominators will need to certify that candidates comply to the best of their knowledge. This is part of our commitment to ensuring that recipients of AIA Minnesota awards comport to the highest standards of character and professionalism, and is in compliance with requirements for AIA national awards.

2023 25 Year Award Recipient

St. John’s University’s Sexton Commons, designed by Rafferty Rafferty Tollefson Lindeke (RRTL) Architects (now Architecture Advantage), is the winner of the 2023 25 Year Award. The RRTL Architects project team included Lee Tollefson, FAIA, Craig Rafferty, FAIA, Albert (Chip) Lindeke III, FAIA, Eric Amel, AIA, and Tom Lillyman. Project consultants and contractors included BKBM Engineers (structural engineer), Gausman & Moore (mechanical and electrical engineer), and McGough Construction.

Read the press release.

2022 25 Year Award Recipient

The Minnesota Zoological Gardens-Weesner Family Amphitheater, located in Apple Valley Minnesota and designed by HGA, is the 2022 recipient of the 25 Year Award. The project team included Gary Reetz, FAIA, principal-in-charge/project manager; Bill Blanski, FAIA, project designer, and Jim Butler, AIA, all from HGA; landscape architects Tom Oslund, FASLA and Tadd Kreun, FASLA, previously at HGA, and project consultants Arkay Construction and Kvernstoen, Kehl and Associates.

Read the press release.

25 Year Award Recipients

Download a list of past 25 Year Award recipients.

Questions? Contact AIA Minnesota