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Baltimore Architecture Foundation Awards

The Baltimore Architecture Foundation invites nominations for its annual awards. Please see descriptions below and let us know if you know of an individual or organization that is doing wonderful work in Baltimore. The window to submit a nomination opens in early summer.

Roger D. Redden Award

Given annually since 2008, the Roger D. Redden Award honors an individual for exemplary contribution to the built environment/design.

Golden Griffin Award

Given annually since 1996, the Golden Griffin Award honors a group/institution for its exemplary contribution to or stewardship of built environment.

James Dilts Award

The Jim Dilts Award was created in memory of author, Baltimore Sun newspaperman, and BAF board member James D. Dilts. As a founding member of BAF’s ‘Dead Architects Society’ Jim authored and edited many books, including A Guide to Baltimore Architecture, The Great Road, the Building of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, The World the Trains Made and also co-authored Baltimore’s Cast-Iron Buildings.

The Jim Dilts award is a monetary prize that is awarded to an individual who creates publicly accessible works, of a written or visual nature, that celebrate or educate about Baltimore architecture, past, present, or future.

People’s Choice Award

Given annually, the People’s Choice Award is selected by members of the public from AIA Baltimore Excellence in Design Awards submissions.

FAR Scholarship Awards

The Future Architects Resources (FAR) Committee created a scholarship program for students pursuing careers in architecture that awards design excellence. Winning projects demonstrate innovation, social responsibility, environmental stewardship, and critical thinking. The FAR Scholarship is a joint program between Baltimore Architecture Foundation, AIA Baltimore, and AIA National.

2025 Award Winners

Roger D. Redden Award
Pamela and Christian Wilson

When Pamela and Christian Wilson retired to Baltimore, they were struck by the city’s homelessness crisis—3,000 children without stable housing each school night. They launched Heart’s Place Services to feed students, delivering 170,000 meals in one year. They didn’t stop there. Partnering with a local developer, they built Hope Village, a bold, repeatable model for addressing housing insecurity. The first 13 homes opened in November 2024 and each sold for $25,000 to small families who had experienced homelessness. In less than a year, residents began transforming their lives. Pamela and Christian Wilson’s work embodies the spirit of the Roger Redden Award—visionary civic engagement, design thinking in service to community needs, and a belief that architecture and place-making can be catalysts for human dignity and opportunity.

Baltimore Architecture Foundation is pleased to present the 2025 Roger Redden Award to Pamela and Christian Wilson.

Golden Griffin Award
G. Krug & Son

G. Krug & Son Ironworks has made an extraordinary and enduring contribution to Baltimore’s built environment. Founded in 1810, it is the oldest continuously operating blacksmith shop in the United States, and its ornamental and architectural ironwork has shaped the character of Baltimore for over two centuries. From railings and gates at landmarks like Johns Hopkins Hospital, the Peabody Library, and Greenmount Cemetery, to its signature “Otterbein Style” seen throughout the city, G. Krug & Son has left a lasting imprint on Baltimore’s architectural identity. G. Krug & Son is committed to craftsmanship, preservation, and historical continuity. Still family-run and operating from its original location on West Saratoga Street, the ironworks not only continues to produce custom metalwork but also restores historic pieces, bridging past and present in Baltimore’s urban fabric.

Jim Dilts Award
Neighborhood Design Center

The Jim Dilts Award was created in memory of author, Baltimore Sun newspaperman, and BAF board member James D. Dilts. As a founding member of BAF’s ‘Dead Architects Society’ Jim authored and edited many books, including A Guide to Baltimore Architecture. The Jim Dilts award is a monetary prize that is awarded to an individual who creates publicly accessible works that celebrate or provide education about Baltimore architecture, past, present, or future.

The 2025 Jim Dilts Award goes to Neighborhood Design Center for their forthcoming publication, “Sixty Years of Design Democracy: The Neighborhood Design Center and Baltimore’s Built Future.” This book chronicles how everyday Baltimoreans have shaped their neighborhoods through design. From storefront main streets in Waverly to storm-water parks in Cherry Hill, the book pairs archival drawings, contemporary photography, and first hand interviews to reveal the civic imagination behind some of the city’s most beloved public spaces. Essays trace the Center’s 1968 roots amidst urban renewal, profile volunteer architects whose sketches became bricks and mortar, and spotlight current residents using design to confront climate, equity, and mobility challenges. By foregrounding community voice, the book frames Baltimore architecture not as static monuments but as an evolving, people-driven practice – offering an inspiring model for cities everywhere.

People’s Choice Award
Chrisvin Tel Nova Rathnakumar, Hord Coplan Macht

This unbuilt work is conceived for the edge of an artificial lake in Fox Ridge State Park, located in Illinois. The project envisions a modular biological field research station designed to support ecological studies. The project combines two elements: an observation tower and visitor center on the ridge of a hill overlooking the lake upon the edge of which is proposed a cluster of research and living pods to support the scientific activities.

Undergraduate Student Design Award + Scholarship

“BCFD: Engine 4 + Truck 29” by Aysia Williams, Morgan State University

BCFD: Engine 4 + Truck 29, is a submission for a fire station that promotes and fosters community engagement. This design was commended for being highly resolved and socially sensitive, demonstrating a deep understanding of the social program and integrating it with a high level of design refinement. The concept was described as well-conceived and sophisticated, showing maturity and thoughtful development that impressed the jury—especially notable for an undergraduate. The graphics and storytelling stood out and were praised for their clarity and effectiveness. The design is research-driven and sustainable, incorporating strategic responses to site conditions and programmatic needs. Additionally, its flexibility and responsiveness to the site, including thoughtful reuse and contextual sensitivity, further highlighted the project’s strength and adaptability.

Graduate Student Design Award + Scholarship

“The Scene” by Rachel Mensah, Morgan State University

The Scene at Oliver and Green(Mount) is an adaptive reuse proposal for the Copycat Annex, transforming the former industrial structure into a hybrid film school and public movie theater. The project stood out for its compelling design, strong graphics, and effective use of historical context. The timeline concept and diagrams were well-executed, and the commentary provided valuable insight into the project’s intent. Overall, it was a creative and thoughtful submission that resonated with the jury.

Graduate Student Design Award + Scholarship

“Research & Design Center for Offsite Construction – The Assembly Hub” by Adesola Adenekan, Morgan State University

The studio brief was to create a comprehensive design proposal for a Research & Design Center for Offsite Construction (RDCOC) on the site that formerly housed the American Ice Company in West Baltimore. Recognizing the environmental impact of new building material production, students were to develop strategies for the reuse of existing materials and infrastructure while accommodating a range of new programming. Adesola’s project, Research + Design Center for Office Construction – The Assembly Hub, was praised for its outstanding graphic presentation. The jury found the visuals both brilliant and engaging, with fun and effective diagrams that clearly communicated the design intent. The storytelling was strong and coherent, making the project easy to understand and appreciate. Notably, the thoughtful inclusion of scale figures in the section drawings added clarity and depth, enhancing the overall impact of the work.

Graduate Student Design Award + Scholarship

“Rocking Tent” by Cory Adcock-Camp, Morgan State University

Rocking Tent, a backpack that transforms into a rocking chair enclosed by a tent, captivated the jury with its originality and artistic vision. The concept of a wearable shelter was widely praised as fresh and inspiring. Its beautiful and artful presentation stood out as a model for future student work. Ultimately, the jury agreed that Rocking Tent sets an exciting tone for student creativity and innovation.

Past Winners

Roger D. Redden Award

2008 Walter Schamu, FAIA
2009 John McGrain
2010 James T. Wollon, AIA
2011 Elizabeth Evitts Dickinson
2012 M. Jay Brodie
2013 Fred Lazarus
2014 Larry Peterson
2015 Dan Rodricks
2016 Jillian Storms, AIA
2017 Kathleen Kotarba
2018 Dr. Lance Humphries
2019 Rebecca Hoffberger
2020 Mary Ellen Hayward
2021 Johns Hopkins
2022 Chelsea Thomas
2023 Mark Sissman
2024 Klaus Philipsen

Golden Griffin Award

1996 Nationsbank
1997 Maryland Institute College of Art
1998 Phoebe Stanton
1999 Baltimore Sun (Ed Gunts)
2000 Baltimore Heritage
2001 Preservation Maryland
2002 Struever Bros. Eccles, & Rouse
2003 Charles Brickbauer
2004 Jim Dilts
2005 Live Baltimore
2006 John Dorsey
2007 Walter Sondheim, Jr
2008 Whiting Turner
2009 The Engineering Society of Baltimore
2010 Gutierrez Studios
2011 Jubilee Baltimore
2012 University of Baltimore
2013 Seawall Development
2014 Chesapeake Shakespeare Theater
2015 Mt. Vernon Place Conservancy
2016 Parks & People Foundation
2017 Baltimore Arts Realty Corp
2018 Morgan State University
2019 Enoch Pratt Library
2020 Neighborhood Design Center
2021 The National Aquarium
2022 Poppleton Now!
2023 CivicWorks
2024 Black Women Build Baltimore

Jim Dilts Award

2019 Lance Humphries
2021 Leon Bridges
2022 Charlie Brickbauer
2024 Nick Redding and PreserveCast