Awards

2024 Design Awards

The Association for Learning Environments (A4LE) is a professional association whose sole mission is improving the places where children learn. A4LE members — individuals, institutions, and corporations — are actively involved in planning, designing, building, equipping, and maintaining schools and colleges.

The 2024 Tennessee Chapter Design Awards will be held at a location TBA on June 6, 2024. As a leader in the field of educational facilities, you are invited to participate in the 2024 Tennessee Chapter Design Awards.

This Award recognizes innovative solutions in school design that provide spaces serving as a catalyst for inspired learning.

The winning design team will receive an afternoon of Top Golf for up to 15 people at the Nashville or Knoxville locations.

All projects will be displayed as a part of the exhibition.

Eligibility

• All PreK-12 grade schools located in Tennessee occupied after the Summer of 2018.
• A4LE Members may apply with a registration fee of $100 per entry, non-members with a registration fee of $200 per entry.
  • Click here to become a member
• Entries must be one of the following categories:
  • New construction
  • Addition/ renovations

Criteria

The jury, which will consist of nationally‐recognized industry‐specific professionals, will consider the planning and design responses in the following focus areas:

• Community Environment,
• The Learning Environment,
• The Physical Environment,
• The Planning Process,
• Additional factors that will be considered are:
  • Response to educational program and design criteria,
  • Innovative elements,
  • Spatial organization,
  • Technology integration,
  • Design efficiency and expansion capability,
  • Safety and security features,
  • The level of community involvement and the degree to which the building facilitates teaching, fosters learning, and raises the bar and promotes excellent school planning, design and construction,
  • Any other criteria deemed important by jury.

Entry Forms and Submittal Package

The entry forms and submittal package including receipt of payment should be completed no later than April 30, 2024 and emailed to [email protected].

Downloads:

• Photo Release Form
• PowerPoint Exhibit Template

Submittal Format

Digital material will be reviewed by the jury. Complete one set of entry forms for each project being submitted. Each project submission will include (1) one digital copy of high-resolution photographs on the PowerPoint exhibit template and the completed forms. Digital materials must be transmitted to the Julie Fried via email by April 30, 2024, to be reviewed by the jury.

Digital Materials

Digital submissions must utilize the pre‐formatted PowerPoint templates.

Slides 1-8: Project slides. Each entry should be accompanied by up to eight (8) digital slides depicting the essence of the design and its relationship to the educational program. Content should include at a minimum:

• a site plan with north arrow
• representative floor plan(s) with relative scale(s)
• building section (if desired)
• exterior elevation(s) – drawings and/or photographs
• interior elevation(s) – drawings and/or photographs
• before/after images for renovations/additions

Slide 9: Descriptive data slide. Entrants shall include a ninth slide listing essential data:

• size of site (acres)
• student capacity*
• area of building (SF)
• total project cost**($)
• cost per square feet (SF/S)
• cost per student ($/student)
• space per student (SF/student)

Slide 10: Identification slide. Entrants shall include a tenth slide listing:

• the name and location of the project (city, state)
• owner (school division & superintendent)
• owner's representative
• design firm including principal-in-charge, project designer and construction administrator
• educational planner (if any)
• landscape architect (if any)
• engineer(s)
• builder
• photographer

A digital image of the company logo shall also be included on slide 10 only. Do not include slide transitions, animations or video/audio in your slides. Do not use proprietary fonts.

Drawings / Photographs

Drawings and/or photographs should emphasize the design's relationship to the educational program. The inclusion of information about instructional areas is essential. Drawings shall include graphic indications of scale. Drawings and/or photographs should include short (one or two word) captions describing the major idea (e.g. Second floor plan, north elevation, science lab).

Display

The architectural exhibits (digital) will be displayed in a designated location at the award event space.