SCUP Excellence Awards
Recognizing visionary innovation, planning, and sustainability in the campus environment since 1987.
A Legacy of Distinction
The SCUP Excellence Awards stand as the premier global recognition for outstanding achievement in architectural design, landscape architecture, and campus planning. For over three decades, we have celebrated the firms and institutions who push boundaries, challenge conventions, and create spaces that inspire and endure.
Winning a SCUP Excellence Award elevates your team to international prominence, validates your commitment to design excellence, and connects you with a prestigious network of industry leaders and innovators. Our recipients join an elite community of visionaries who are shaping the future of our built environment.
Explore the Program
About the Awards
Discover how this accolade can celebrate your project and planning team. Learn which category best suits you along with the tangible benefits and prestige that come with winning a SCUP Excellence Award.
Invitation to Submit
Join the ranks of planning innovators recognized for their outstanding contributions.
The 2027 Awards submission period will open November 2026.
Previous Recipients
Be inspired by the exceptional projects that have received our highest honors. Browse our gallery of award-winning designs from the past three decades and witness the evolution of architectural excellence.
Just Announced! Explore All of the 2026 Recipients
Jury’s Choice
SCUP/AIA-CAE Excellence in Architecture for Building Additions, Renovation or Adaptive Reuse
Honor
SCUP Excellence in Landscape Architecture for General Design
Honor
SCUP/AIA-CAE Excellence in Architecture for a New Building
Waipapa Taumata Rau | University of Auckland: Hiwa, Recreation Centre
Awards are Presented in Three Categories
SCUP Excellence
in Planning
Recognizes excellence in comprehensive campus planning and design.
Excellence in Planning Awards:
- New Campus
- Existing Campus
- District or Campus Component
SCUP Excellence
in Landscape Architecture
Recognizes excellence in the planning and design of campus grounds.
Excellence in Landscape Architecture Awards:
- General Design
- Open Space Planning
SCUP/AIA-CAE Excellence
in Architecture
Recognizes excellence in the planning and design of campus buildings and facilities.
Excellence in Architecture Awards:
- New Building
- Building Additions, Renovation or Adaptive Reuse
- Rehabilitation, Restoration or Preservation
Meet the Jury
Learn about the members of the jury making selections for the SCUP Excellence Awards.
What We Celebrate
The SCUP Excellence Awards program seeks to recognize projects that push boundaries, solve complex challenges, and inspire the planning community. We celebrate work that demonstrates:
Visionary Thinking
Projects that challenge conventions and propose new ways of thinking about planning, space, and the built environment.
Technical Excellence
Sophisticated engineering solutions, innovative construction methods, and masterful use of materials and technology.
Cultural Significance
Work that reflects and enriches cultural identity, preserves heritage, or creates meaningful new landmarks for campus communities.
Transformative Impact
Projects that create lasting positive change, revitalize neighborhoods, or set new standards for their building typology.
All project types are welcome: From small-scale interventions to large town-gown developments, from new construction to adaptive reuse, we celebrate excellence across all scales and project types. What matters most is the quality of planning, execution, and impact.
Recognition
Celebrate your project on the global stage with a project listing on the SCUP website, project display at the SCUP annual conference, and exposure to the SCUP community through email and social postings. At the annual conference, Jury’s Choice winners are recognized during the jury’s session, and top award winners are recognized from the plenary stage. Winners may also receive an invitation to speak or present on their project.
Jury’s Choice
The highest level of achievement. This award is given to the project that most clearly conveys how well-conceived planning strategies can be implemented with an integrated approach. Only one project is selected to receive this award each year.
Honor
Awarded to the one project in each of the three main categories (Architecture, Planning, and Landscape Architecture) who excelled in use of integrated planning practices to achieve tangible results.
Merit
Acknowledges high-quality work that closely follows honor-level standards. It is up to the Jury’s discretion to determine how many projects are deserving of this level of award.
Honorable Mention
Recognizes noteworthy contributions that may have fallen short of communicating their strategies or following an integrated approach. It is up to the Jury’s discretion to determine how many projects are deserving of this level of award.
Special Citation
Occasionally awarded to highlight projects with innovative or unique aspects with importance. It is up to the Jury’s discretion to determine how many projects are deserving of this level of award.
Have Questions?
KenDra McIntosh
Corporate Relations Manager