Washington, DC — On Sunday, September 22, architecture students from the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area gathered at the National Building Museum for the 2024 Interschool Design Competition. This annual event, organized by the three Washington, DC, area chapters of the American Institute of Architects (AIA)—AIA Northern Virginia, AIA Potomac Valley, and AIA DC—has been a celebrated tradition for over two decades, fostering creativity and collaboration among emerging architects.

This year’s design challenge focused on reimagining an exhibition space and flea market location to enhance the H Street promenade, an iconic part of the Washington, DC, community. Over the course of a week, students worked together in teams, guided by mentors from the architecture and design industry, to develop innovative solutions to this real-world challenge.

Participating students were assembled into teams with representatives from several DC-area accredited architecture programs, including The Catholic University of America, Howard University, Morgan State University, the University of Maryland, the University of the District of Columbia, and Washington Alexandria Architecture Center (WAAC) – Virgina Tech.

The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) proudly sponsors the competition as part of its ongoing mission to support architecture students and raise awareness about the pathway to licensure. Through this competition, students earned credit toward the Architectural Experience Program (AXP), a key component on the path to licensure, and received a free NCARB Record for a year.  By sponsoring the Interschool Student Design Competition, NCARB aims to connect with local students and architecture schools to promote innovation within the architectural field.

Winners of the 2024 Interschool Design Competition will be announced later this week, with prizes awarded to the top teams for their innovative and thoughtful designs. As the competition continues to grow each year, NCARB and AIANOVA are committed to nurturing future generations of architects and providing platforms for their growth and success.