The Architectural Association of Kenya (AAK), through its Architects Chapter, has opened entries for the 2026 edition of the AAK – Basco DuraCoat Awards of Excellence in Architecture. The submission deadline has been extended to 18th March 2026, with the awards ceremony following on 26th March 2026.
Co-presented with Basco DuraCoat, the awards aim to set professional benchmarks, encourage design excellence, and recognise the architects and project teams behind the region's most notable completed buildings.
Eligibility
The awards are open to registered members of four professional bodies: the Architectural Association of Kenya, the Rwanda Institute of Architects, the Uganda Society of Architects, and the Architectural Association of Tanzania. Projects must have been completed between 2020 and 2025. There is no geographic restriction, meaning work completed anywhere in the world qualifies provided the designing architect holds membership with one of the four recognised associations.
Submission Categories
Nine categories are available for entry. Best Africa (Re)presentation asks entrants to demonstrate a contemporary interpretation of African cultural identity, drawing from local materials, tradition, and environmental knowledge systems. Best Commercial Project focuses on functionality, spatial organisation, and contextual integration. Best Empowerment and Social Equity Through Design looks at projects that have improved dignity, accessibility, and livelihoods for marginalised communities through concrete built-form solutions.
Best Hospitality Project covers hotels, lodges, and resorts with emphasis on place-specific spatial quality and environmental responsiveness. Best Institutional Project recognises public facilities, including schools, healthcare centres, and government buildings. Best Religious/Monumental Project targets architecture of symbolic or spiritual significance where form, materiality, and light are expected to work in concert.
Best Interior Environment rewards refined interior design covering spatial planning, material selection, and lighting coherence. Best Residential Project covers housing of all types that combines aesthetics, functionality, and climatic responsiveness. Best Student Project is open to conceptual work from students in accredited architecture programmes, with originality and presentation quality carrying significant weight.
How Projects Are Judged
Entries are scored across five criteria: design innovation, originality, and creativity at 45 percent; contextual appropriateness at 20 percent; sustainability at 15 percent; and socio-economic impact and creative use of materials at 10 percent each.
The jury includes Arch. Mphethi Morojele from the South African Institute of Architects, Arch. Flora Runumi from the Uganda Society of Architects, Prof. Paul Maringa from AAK, and Arch. Nikos Fintikakis of the International Union of Architects.
Submission Requirements
All entries must be compiled into a single high-resolution PDF and uploaded through the official submission portal. The full package is capped at eight A2 sheets in PDF or JPEG format, broken down as follows: one concept sheet with plans, sections, elevations, and perspectives; up to two floor plan sheets at 1:100 including topographical and site data; up to four sheets of sections and elevations at 1:100; and one sheet of 3D visualisations. All drawings must carry annotated descriptions of key design elements.
Fees and Key Dates
The submission fee is KES 5,500 per project, payable via M-PESA on AAK's Paybill number 988567, account name AWARDS. Each participating organisation receives one dinner ticket to the ceremony. The submission deadline is 18th March 2026, and the awards ceremony takes place on 26th March 2026.
Submitted projects will be exhibited at the ADD Building, University of Nairobi, and at the dinner venue. By entering, participants grant AAK permission to publish all submitted materials for promotional, CPD, and educational use. Entrants are responsible for obtaining consent from project owners before submitting.
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