CATEGORIES

GENERAL DESIGN

This category recognizes constructed, site-specific works of landscape architecture.  Professional entries in this category must be built. Entries in this category will be submitted and judged under only one of the following sub-categories:

COMMERCIAL DESIGN: shopping areas, industrial parks, mixed use developments, parking areas, and office complexes.

HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND RESTORATION DESIGN: public and private grounds, urban spaces, gardens, estates, and other sites demonstrating integration of historic value into the design process.

INSTITUTIONAL DESIGN: churches, school campuses, hospitals, assisted living facilities, military installations, cemeteries, civic centers, and theaters.

LAND AND WATER RECLAMATION AND CONSERVATION: reclamation and/or design of power line, flood protection, habitat restoration, and drought tolerant sites.

LANDSCAPE ART: art forms created with landscape elements, art in public places, and projects in collaboration with artists.

PARK AND RECREATION DESIGN: national, state, or local parks and playgrounds, trails, marinas, botanical and zoological gardens, and fairs.  This category will be divided into “under $2M” and “over $2M” in construction budget. Please indicate estimated construction budget on the entry text document.

RESORTS: hotels and similar facilities.

TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES DESIGN: parkways, streetscapes, interstate and other freeways, rest areas, parking overlooks, airports, and mass transit.

New Subcategory! INTERNATIONAL: institutional design, park and recreation design, resort, transportation facilities, landscape art, land and water reclamation and conservation, and commercial design.  All projects outside of the United States.

CRITERIA:The jury will consider the quality of design and execution; design context; environmental sensitivity and sustainability; hazard mitigation, climate adaptation, and resilience strategies; and design value to the client, community, and to other designers.

RECOGNITION:  The Professional Jury may select one (1) Honor Award and any number of Merit Awards in this category.

RESIDENTIAL

This category recognizes site-specific works of landscape architecture for residential use. Entries in this category must be built.  NOTE: This category will be divided into “under $300,000” and “over $300,000” in construction budget. Please indicate estimated construction budget on the entry text document.

DEVELOPMENT DESIGN: model complexes, entries, recreational complexes, common areas or streetscapes in multi-unit housing projects.

RESIDENTIAL GARDEN DESIGN: project of one- or two-unit homes on a single lot.

CRITERIA: The jury will consider the quality of design and execution; context; environmental sensitivity and sustainability; and design value to the client and to other designers.

RECOGNITION:  The Professional Jury may select one (1) Honor Award and any number of Merit Awards in this category.

ANALYSIS & PLANNING

This category recognizes the wide variety of professional activity that leads to, guides, and evaluates land use and development.

Typical entries in this category might include:

• Urban, suburban, rural, or regional planning efforts
• Development guidelines; transportation, town, campus, or recreation master plans
• Plans for reclamation of brownfield sites, environmental planning in relation to legislative or policy initiatives or regulatory controls.
• Cultural resource reports; natural resources protection; historic preservation planning

CRITERIA: The jury will consider the quality of the analysis and planning effort; context; environmental sensitivity and sustainability; likelihood of successful implementation; and value to the client, the public and other designers.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:  Please provide a simple site plan to give jurors context of the entire project. This plan should be submitted as one of your digital images. Do not send a hard copy or full-sized planning documents.

RECOGNITION:  The Professional Jury may select one (1) Honor Award and any number of Merit Awards in this category.

RESEARCH

This category identifies and investigates challenges posed in landscape architecture, providing results that advance the body of knowledge for the profession.  Typical entries include Investigations into methods, techniques, or materials related to the practice of landscape architecture; studies of relationships of landscape architecture; studies of relationships of landscape architecture to law, education; public health and safety, or public policy; and more.

CRITERIA: The jury will consider clarity and importance of research question, hypotheses, or goals; significance of historical data, where relevant, and links to current knowledge; appropriate research design and use of rigorous methods of inquiry; the clarity of presentation of outcomes; and the outcomes’ potential applications to practice.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS: Please submit relevant graphs, tables, site plans, and/or planning documents as digital images. Do not send a hard copy or full-sized planning documents.

RECOGNITION:  The Professional Jury may select one (1) Honor Award and any number of Merit Awards in this category.

CONCEPTS, IDEAS, AND THEORIES

Many landscape architects develop concepts, ideas, designs, and/or theories that are never implemented. This category provides the opportunity to recognize these concepts and un-built works.  

CRITERIA: Entries here can be from any of the other categories.

RECOGNITION: The Professional Jury may select one (1) Honor Award and any number of Merit Awards in this category.

New Category! SMALL BUDGET/BIG IMPACT + PRO BONO SERVICE

Small projects with big impacts and/or pro-bono community service by southern California landscape architecture professionals demonstrating sound principles and values of landscape architecture.

Typical entries could include Pro-bono community-based advocacy, design, and/or related site planning services to southern California non-profit organizations, community-based groups, schools, etc.

CRITERIA: The jury will consider the effectiveness related to the service and the demonstration value to other communities, students, and professionals.

RECOGNITION:  The Professional Jury may select one (1) Honor Award and any number of Merit Awards in this category.

STUDENT WORK

This category invites Landscape Architectural/Planning/Urban Design students to submit work of superior design quality, innovative landscape architectural planning, analysis, research communications, and/or leadership.  Student work may include senior or capstone projects.  Students who graduated in 2024, are encouraged to submit their work in the Student category.

Eligibility:  Students enrolled in a southern California chapter college, university, or extension landscape architecture curriculum are eligible for the Student Category.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

DEADLINE: All submissions are due by August 13, 2025 by 5:00 pm (PST).

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES FOR ALL CATEGORIES:

A separate entry form must be submitted for each project entry. The entry form and entry fee payment via Credit Card should be emailed to awards@socal-asla.org.  Checks for entry fee can be mailed separately to the ASLA Southern California Chapter at 360 East First Street; #371; Tustin, CA 92780.  Upon receipt of the entry form and fee, an email with a Project Entry ID will be sent to the primary contact person with an invitation to upload files to a shared folder on Dropbox.  The Folder will be set up for you. DO NOT add additional folders.  All project descriptions, images, and image summaries should be submitted digitally and uploaded to this Dropbox folder.

Materials in the submission must not reveal the names of the entrant and/or landscape architects, firms, other designers, or photographer.

ADDITIONAL SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

Each project entry should include:

Project Statement: In 175 words or less, describe the project and why it’s award worthy. This statement may be used in promotional materials if the project is selected for an award.

Project Narrative: Addressing the criteria for the General Design category, describe in 1300 words or less the project location, scope and size, site and context investigation, design program, design intent, materials and installation methods, environmental impact and concerns, collaboration with the client and other designers, and other significant issues.

Images:  Include at least (1) site plan, plus five (5) but no more than ten (10) drawings and/or photographs in a single .PDF file not to exceed 10 MB. Drawings and photographs must be “8.5×11” format and landscape orientation.  Up to 3 images accepted for a montage which will be counted as part of the maximum 10 images submitted.  Brief captions of no more than 25 words each are to be placed at the bottom of each image. Label the .PDF file with the project entry number (do not label using your name).  Winners will be required to submit high resolution photos, 300 dpi or higher. Photography credit is not to be included in the entry submissions but will be required for final presentation if the project is awarded.

NOTE: Failure to submit images will lead to disqualification of an entry. Computer enhanced imagery must be identified as such in each entry.

ENTRY PAYMENT

$300 per entry (ASLA Member firms over 10 employees and/or multiple offices)

$175 per entry (ASLA firms under 10 employees)

$50 for ASLA student entry

$75 for Non ASLA student entry

$400 for Non ASLA Member professionals

ADDITIONAL AWARD CATEGORIES

PUBLIC STEWARDSHIP AWARD:

This category recognizes people or organizations that have significantly contributed to enhancing the environmental quality within our chapter through their ideas and actions. This category is open to members of the public, associated professionals, or public officials who have made a major difference in improving the quality of life in the Southern California environment. Submissions should include a one-page summary describing the candidate’s contributions toward creating an improved quality of life in the chapter area. Additional back-up or exhibit material is limited to five (5) pages. No fee is required for submission.

RECOGNITION:  More than one award can be given at the discretion of the Chapter’s Executive Committee.

EQUITABLE COMMUNITIES CHAMPION AWARD:

This award recognizes any individual, group, or organization who has demonstrated outstanding achievement and a sustained level of commitment to social and environmental justice in Southern California.

CRITERIA: The chapter’s executive committee will consider relevant accomplishments and impact, leadership, social and environmental justice advocacy, partnership with communities in Southern California, and advancement of landscape architecture.

RECOGNITION: The chapter’s executive committee may select two (2) Awards for any individual, group, or organization.

SUBMISSION:  On a maximum of one (1) page, please include a biographical statement of the nominee, relevant accomplishments specific to social and environmental justice, impact to communities, and advancement of landscape architecture.  Any chapter member may submit a nomination.  No fee is required for submission.  To submit in this category, contact awards@socal-asla.org to receive an awards ID and information to upload the nomination narrative to DropBox.