AIA Minnesota

AIA Minnesota Awards

Collaborative Achievement Awards

Honoring individuals and organizations who have made exceptional contributions to AIA, the architectural profession, and the quality of the built environment.

Through the Collaborative Achievement Awards program, AIA Minnesota celebrates people and organizations whose exceptional work strengthens AIA, shapes the future of architecture, and enhances the built environment.

The submission window for the 2026 AIA Minnesota Collaborative Achievement Awards will open June 1, 2026, and close July 17 at 12:00 noon CST.

Jane King Hession Receives 2025 Collaborative Achievement Award

“What came across in Jane’s nomination is the amount of research that has gone into her writing and curatorial work and how accessible she’s made these histories for a wider audience. She is a gifted storyteller.”

Read the press release
Head shot of architectural historian and writer Jane King Hession
Photo credit: Bill Olexy

Eligibility

The nominator must be a current AIA Minnesota member. The nominee does not need to be an AIA member.

Nominees may be recognized for a significant achievement or a sustained body of work in a wide range of endeavors, including but not limited to:

  • Administration
  • Architectural education
  • Architectural scholarship and criticism
  • Building technology innovation
  • Construction
  • Industrial design
  • Information science
  • Professions allied with architecture and architectural patronage
  • Public policy and design advocacy
  • Research, art, and craftsmanship
  • Service to AIA or any of its components
  • Visualization, recording, and illustration
  • Writing and publishing

Professions allied with architecture and architectural patronage may include contractors, materials manufacturers, exhibitors, and other collaborators. Nominated clients must work broadly with architects and may not be affiliated with only one firm.

Recipients of the Collaborative Achievement Award should embody AIA Minnesota’s core values: Authenticity, Equity, Collaboration, and Integrity.

Collaborative Achievement Awards Process & Past Recipients

Submission Requirements

An AIA member must nominate an individual or organization and prepare all required submission materials. Self-nominations are not permitted.

Submissions must include:

  • One nomination letter: A letter written by the nominator describing the nominee’s contributions and achievements, including any extraordinary accomplishments that warrant special recognition. The letter must be written by a third party and may not come from an individual within the nominee’s organization, except in the case of nonprofit organizations and public entities.
  • Two letters of reference: One-page letters focusing on one or two specific aspects of the nominee’s work. Letters must be signed and submitted on company letterhead.
  • Exhibits (maximum 15 pages): Images, drawings, or other materials that demonstrate the nominee’s accomplishments and support the purpose of the award.
Timeline

June 1, 2026: Submission window opens

July 17 at 12:00 noon CST: Submission window closes

July/early August: Jury

Early August: Recipients and nominators of unsuccessful candidates informed of selections

August: Recipients honored at the AIA Minnesota Summer Awards Celebration

Jury Composition

The Collaborative Achievement Award for Service jury is composed of:

  • One AIA Minnesota Committee on Design member
  • One previous Louis Lundgren Award recipient
  • One previous Young Architects Award recipient
  • One AIA Fellow
  • One additional AIA member leader

The members of the 2026 Collaborative Achievement Award jury will be listed here in summer 2026.

Recent Recipients

2025
Jane King Hession

2022
Dan Collison
Meghan Elliott, Assoc. AIA

2021
Lonnie Laffen, AIA
Kim Palmer
Ben Ptacek, AIA

2020
Greg Donofrio
Jennifer Newsom, AIA, NOMA
Lars Peterssen, Assoc. AIA

Entry Deadline

Application deadline is Friday, July 17, 2026, at 12:00 noon CST.

Recent Recipients

Dan Collison, recipient of a 2022 AIA Minnesota Collaborative Achievement Award

2022 Recipient

Dan Collison »

“Dan has been an influential leader in the formation and development of downtown Minneapolis and adjacent neighborhoods. As past director of several nonprofits, he leveraged the vision of these organizations to promote positive development and growth.”

Meghan Elliott, Assoc. AIA, recipient of a 2022 AIA Minnesota Collaborative Achievement Award

2022 Recipient

Meghan Elliott, Assoc. AIA »

“Meghan has dedicated her career to historic building redevelopment. She has also been a high-profile advocate for the Minnesota Preservation Tax Credit, an important tool for preserving and redeveloping existing building stock in (our) communities.”

Staff

Editor-in-Chief

Chris Hudson, Hon. AIAMN