17 Why Awards Are Important for Architects Awards naturally create memorable, defining moments. Recognizing the achievements of others inspires and spurs us to create and contribute in meaningful ways to the conversation and ongoing work in our field. It’s refreshing to step outside your experiences to see what others have been doing; it allows you to see your efforts from a new perspective. Awards are an effective way for peers and outside organizations to recognize the best design work and confirm that projects have been handled effectively and to high standards. Since architecture is a visual art, it is well-suited to an award process. Celebrating wins is gratifying, and it gives architects the motivation to reach for new goals. Those with an established reputation have a chance to continue contributing to the profession, and mentoring the up-andcoming architects. Those who are new have a chance to gain credibility and introduce new ideas. And sometimes, it’s the other way around: the new ideas may come from recognized voices, while younger architects may be the ones to teach everyone else about what is possible. Great architectural firms are collaborative. Most architectural projects are created as a team, and architectural awards are a way to recognize team members. — continued on page 18
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