Details
Download the 2023 Information Package
Dates
January 3 – February 24, 11:59pm EST: Submissions Period
April 20, 2023: Finalists are announced and People’s Choice voting opens
May 19, 2023: People’s Choice voting closes
Friday, June 23, 2023: Winners are reveal and are published in print and online
Eligibility
The 2023 AZ Awards is open to:
- Designers and design firms from all disciplines
- Architects, landscape architects and architectural firms
- Developers
- Post-secondary students enrolled in design and architecture programs in 2022
- Clients and manufacturers
- Projects must be completed on or before December 31, 2022
- Products must be prototyped or in production
- Concepts must have been developed or presented for the first time in 2022 (This criterion refers only to entries in the CONCEPTS categories.)
Categories
Design
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Furniture, single piece: Residential, office, contract and outdoor furniture
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Furniture systems & collections: Entire systems and collections, with multiple pieces and variations, for residential and/or contract uses (office systems, kitchen and bath furniture systems, storage systems, office and residential furniture collections)
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Lighting fixtures: Indoor and outdoor fixtures and systems
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Lighting schemes: Permanent architectural lighting programs for commercial, institutional or residential projects; and temporary light-art installations.
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Interior products: Finishes and accessories, including wall and floor coverings (wallpaper, rugs, tiles, etc.), flooring (wood, tiles, broadloom, etc), housewares, textiles, window coverings, hardware
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Architectural products: Built-in and heavy-duty items, including sanitary fixtures and fittings (sinks, tubs, faucets, etc.), appliances, doors and windows
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Tech products: Wearables, gadgets, smart-home and other technological design products
Architecture
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Residential buildings, Houses: new builds, renovations and additions
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Residential buildings, Multi-unit: new builds, renovations and additions
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Commercial & institutional buildings over 1,000 square metres
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Commercial & institutional buildings under 1,000 square metres
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Temporary and experiential installations: Exhibition designs, experiential installations, showrooms, pop-ups, theatre sets, displays and similar projects
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Adaptive re-use: Projects that reimagine existing buildings or sites in innovative and sustainable ways
Landscape Architecture
- Public and private landscapes
Urban Design
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Built Development Projects: Completed commercial, residential or mixed-use developments consisting of more than one building
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Unbuilt Development Projects: Unbuilt commercial, residential or mixed-use developments consisting of more than one building
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Infrastructure: Completed bridges, transportation structures, etc.
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Urban Interventions: Redesigns to incorporate new green and public spaces into the built environment and schemes for ameliorating transit, cycling and pedestrian circulation
Experiential Graphic Design
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Way finding, sign programs, information and map design, experiential brand identity
Interiors
- Residential Interiors
- Commercial and institutional interiors
Concepts
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Unbuilt projects: Proposals for buildings, landscapes and interiors that are abstract, hypothetical or speculative intended for a credible client commission – whether planned to be built or not – or a purely experimental idea.
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Ideas /prototypes: Conceptual works, design solutions and objects not yet realized or not in production
A+ Award for Student Work
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Student work: Any industrial design product, architectural structure, landscape, interior space or unbuilt/unrealized concept developed by a student enrolled in a post-secondary design or architecture program in 2022. The winner will receive a $5,000 cash prize.
Social Good Award and Environmental Leadership Award
In addition to the category in which they are submitted, entries may also be considered for the SOCIAL GOOD AWARD and/or the ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERSHIP AWARD. A winner in each of these categories will be selected.
For the SOCIAL GOOD AWARD, projects must advance social equity and have a positive impact on the collective realm. For the ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERSHIP AWARD, projects must show sensitivity and respect for the use and management of natural resources throughout their lifecycle, especially with respect to materials and energy use. Projects may be entered in one or both categories.
Competition Details
Guidelines
- Entries must be submitted and received via the online entry system by 11:59 pm EST on Friday, February 24, 2023.
- Full payment must be received by the submission deadline. Entries submitted without the appropriate submission fee will not be eligible for judging. Payments are only accepted online.
- All images must be jpg format, at least 300 dpi resolution.
- Project descriptions and images must not contain the name or logo of the designer, architect, firm, company, client or manufacturer.
General Terms and Conditions
- All information and requested materials must be provided or the submission will be disqualified without notice or return of payment.
- Works are excluded from the competition if their presentation would infringe a right. The entrant authorizes Azure Publishing Inc. to publish the submission in the print edition of AZURE Magazine, on azuremagazine.com, and any websites affiliated with the AZ Awards competition. The submission may be reproduced, in whole or in part, for editorial and promotional purposes.
- No refunds will be issued under any circumstances.
- All submissions become the property of AZURE and therefore photography credits are not required and will not be included in publication. If the photography rights are owned by a party other than the submitter, the submitter must obtain copyright permission on behalf of AZURE.
Submission Specs
- Images: You may submit up to 20 images and/or drawings/renderings in jpg format, at least 300 dpi (minimum of 9” height and width). If submitting a rendering, please ensure that this is clearly indicated in the file name. Make sure to credit the photographer. When submitting images from multiple photographers, include the photographer’s name in the file name.
- Video: Entrants are encouraged to share videos of their work that help to communicate the project. It is preferred if the video is shared via web link (e.g. YouTube, Vimeo), but we will accept direct uploads in .mov, .mp4 or mpg format with a file size less than 1 GB. NOTE: Images and videos are primarily for the jurors to get a better representation and thorough understanding of your projects. If there are any images or videos that should not be published – should your entry be shortlisted – make sure to add DO NOT PUBLISH in the image/video file name.
- Project name: Indicate the name that represents your project/product and that should be used when referring to your project/product.
- Project description: Include objectives and how they were met, design challenges, technological and/or material innovations, social and environmental impact.
- Project specs: Indicate dimensions, materials, fabrication techniques, manufacturing process.
Fees
Regular Fees: Entries submitted after the early-bird deadline
- A+ Award for Student Work – $45 per submission
- All other categories – $175 for the first submission; $150 for the second submission; $130 for the third and all subsequent submissions
Each entry includes a 1-year digital subscription to AZURE Magazine, valued at $25.95 CAD.
Full payment must be received by the submission deadline. Entries submitted without the appropriate submission fee will not be eligible for judging. Payments are only accepted online.
People’s Choice
All finalists are considered for the People’s Choice selection, decided by the general public. Voting will take place from April 20 to May 19, 2023.
Judging Criteria
Each project is evaluated on its own merits according to the following four criteria:
- Aesthetics – Is the design contemporary, visually and intellectually stimulating? Does it provoke curiosity, have the capacity to uplift spirits or simply delight?
- Function – How well does it serve its intended use? Does it effectively resolve problems?
- Creativity – Does it incorporate a unique approach, use a new medium or materials? Is it technologically innovative, forward-looking?
- Social and Environmental Responsibility – Does it make respectful use of materials and resources? Does it possess a long life span? Does it contain recycled materials and/or can it be recycled? Does it provide a social benefit?
For more information and support: azawards@azureonline.com
