Please join us for an informational webinar session on the Common App and how to submit for the 2025 Design Awards Program.

Design Committee chair Paul Lewandowski will discuss the Common App for Design Excellence and how firms may elect to use it for the 2025 submission.

The Common App is an Excel-based tool that has been adopted by state and local AIA Chapters across the country as part of their Design Awards process. Firms submitting for design awards are asked to complete the Common App form as part of their submission. The Common App tool is based on the 10 principles of the AIA’s Framework for Design Excellence which represent the defining principles of good design in the 21st century. The Framework seeks to inform progress toward a zero-carbon, equitable, resilient, and healthy built environment. 

How does the Common App work?

On the “Common Application” tab, applicants enter project information and answer qualitative and quantitative questions related to each of the 10 principles from the Framework for Design Excellence. The performance metrics are aggregated and automatically generate the spider chart at the top of the sheet. The spider chart is a visual representation of a project's performance, which can be used to quickly show project strengths and opportunities for growth or improvement. Higher performing measures will have longer spokes that reach the outermost concentric circles. The “Output” tab includes the spider graph and the narrative statements from the form. 

Executive Director Jeannette Schram will review the submission software, provide top-line details about the AIA's Framework for Design Excellence, and discuss why AIA Maine has formatted our Design Awards submission to match that framework.

Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions.

Please share this event with the people in your office who are responsible for submitting your award application.