Monumental Awards Judging Criteria & Category Requirements

as of 4/28/2023

Architecture

Sanctioning Organization

American Institute of Architects (AIA)

Category Requirements

Architectural submissions must include:

  • A project narrative and site plan
  • Floor plan (for additional entries, please designate new and existing on the plans)
  • Significant interior and exterior elevations (as required)
  • A photo showing the contextual environment of the project
  • For renovation entries, please include clearly identified before and after photos
  • All other requirements as noted in the Entry Guidelines

Note: All designs must be prepared by a licensed architect in the State of Indiana.

Judging Criteria

 

The AIA recognizes professional achievement in one or more of the following aspects of design:

  • Relationship to surrounding community
  • Responsiveness to owner’s requirements
  • Function
  • Aesthetics (form, style, color, etc.)
  • Problem solving
  • Creative use of materials
  • Integration of building systems
  • Response to project cost issues
  • Incorporation of sustainable design techniques, material selection or conservation methods and treatment of environmental issues (i.e., brownfield redevelopment project, green building, LEED certification, etc.)
  • Performance Data
  • Extent to which project utilizes XBE participation
  • Reflect commitment to inclusion, diversity, and equity

 Other

  • Must select a first, second, and third place in this category. There can be no ties.
  • If there is a discrepancy among jurors or the selection, the final decision is that of the Indy Chamber leadership team.

Additional eligibility guidelines

  • Projects completed between June 2020 and May 2023 are eligible for submission.

 

Construction

Sanctioning Organization

Indiana Construction Roundtable (ICR)

Category Requirements

Submissions must illustrate the unique challenges of the project specific to the construction delivery process. Submissions should include:

  • Challenges as to the project location and logistics
  • Complexities introduced by the owner (aggressive timing, diversity requirements, phasing relative to occupancy, unique budget constraints, etc.) and the team’s resolution of these
  • Project start and end date, include schedule challenges
  • Innovation in construction techniques
  • Safety record (include supportive statistics)
  • Additional consideration to achieving sustainability and the project’s contribution to the surrounding community
  • Illustrate a measure of success not noted related to financial measurements.
  • Project budget
  • How did the final cost of the project compare to budget?
  • What was the aggregate percentage of change orders
  • All other requirements as noted in the Entry Guidelines

Judging Criteria

ICR recognizes excellence in construction. Projects are judged on merit regardless of size. Projects will be graded heavily for the following attributes in the Construction Category:

  • Application of unique construction techniques and technology
  • Unique construction complexity and scope of work
  • Schedule achievements by the construction delivery team
  • Safety performance
  • Inclusion of green and sustainability efforts, specifically during construction and complexities of integration (i.e., brownfield redevelopment project, green building, LEED certification, etc.)
  • Project’s significance to the community
  • Highlight quality assurance
  • Extent to which project utilizes XBE participation
  • Reflect commitment to inclusion, diversity, and equity
  • Highlight any workforce development efforts
  • Performance Data

Other

  • Must select a first, second and third place in this category. There can be no ties.
  • If there is a discrepancy among jurors or the selection, the final decision is that of the Indy Chamber leadership team.

Additional eligibility guidelines

  • Projects completed between June 2020 and May 2023 are eligible for submission.

 

Engineering

Sanctioning Organization

American Council of Engineering Companies of Indiana (ACEC Indiana)

Category Requirements

  • Engineering submissions must include a narrative outlining the scope of the project and shall include project location, design challenges, unique and special features, complex characteristics, creative use of materials, innovative solutions, and project’s contribution to the surrounding community.
  • All other requirements as noted in the Entry Guidelines

Note: All engineering designs must be prepared by a registered professional engineer.

Judging Criteria

ACEC Indiana recognizes professional achievement in one or more of the following aspects of design:

  • Innovation (creative use of materials, originality, etc.)
  • Relationship to surrounding community (social considerations)
  • Responsiveness to Owner’s requirements
  • Technical value/Complexity
  • Innovation (creative use of materials, originality, etc.)
  • Integration of engineering systems
  • Response to project cost issues (economic considerations)
  • Performance Data
  • Extent to which project utilizes XBE participation
  • Reflect commitment to inclusion, diversity, and equity

Other

  • Must select a first, second and third place in this category. There can be no ties.
  • If there is a discrepancy among jurors or the selection, the final decision is that of the Indy Chamber leadership team.

Additional eligibility guidelines

  • Projects completed between June 2020 and May 2023 are eligible for submission.

 

Innovative Reuse

Sanctioning Organization

Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC)

Category Requirements

Submissions should include:

  • Project location and development team (please clarify team roles)
  • Narrative stating how project characteristics meet the judging criteria
  • Exterior photos of building before and after project
  • The following are optional:
    • Project development budget (essential to demonstrate innovative financing – must include budget to receive credit for this optional criteria)
    • Simple floor plans before and after project
  • All other requirements as noted in the Entry Guidelines

Judging Criteria

LISC recognizes projects in the region that have creatively transformed a vacant or underutilized building(s) into a community asset that models:

  • Innovative financing / Reuse
  • Bold design
  • Historic sensitivity
  • Environmental responsibility
  • Significant neighborhood impact
  • Performance Data
  • Employment statistics during the development and construction phase of the project:
    • Estimate number of net jobs resulting from completion of the development, including on-going operational jobs (include only completed phases. Do not include future phases not yet complete)
    • Estimate number of net jobs resulting from the construction phase of the development.
    • The final use of the project: Industrial, Education, Apartment, Office, Retail, Single Family Housing, Multi-use
  • Extent to which project utilizes XBE participation
  • Reflect commitment to inclusion, diversity, and equity

Other

  • Must select a first, second and third place in this category. There can be no ties.
  • If there is a discrepancy among jurors or the selection, the final decision is that of the Indy Chamber leadership team.

Additional eligibility guidelines

  • Projects completed between June 2020 and May 2023 are eligible for submission.

 

Interior Design

Sanctioning Organizations

American Society of Interior Designers (ASID)

International Interior Design Association Indiana Chapter (IIDA)

Category Requirements

Interior design submissions must include:

  • A project narrative and floor plan
  • Floor plan (for addition entries, please designate new and existing on the plans)
  • Significant interior elevations (as required)
  • A photo showing the contextual environment of the project is preferred
  • For renovation entries, please include clearly identified before and after photos
  • Renderings or photography that depict project attributes
  • All other requirements as noted in the Entry Guidelines

Note: All designs must be prepared by a Registered Interior Designer in the State of Indiana or NCIDQ Certified Interior Designer. Please include RID# or NCIDQ # for verification.

Judging Criteria

The ASID and IIDA recognize professional achievement in one or more of the following aspects of design:

  • Aesthetics (form, style, color, etc.)
  • Problem solving
  • Creative use of materials and/or furnishing
  • Responsiveness to owner’s requirements
  • Functional layout
  • Integration of building systems
  • Response to project cost issues
  • Incorporation of sustainable design techniques, material selection or conservation methods and treatment of environmental issues (i.e., brownfield redevelopment project, green building, LEED certification, etc.)
  • Executing the design concept
  • Supports health, safety, and welfare
  • Performance Data
  • Extent to which project utilizes XBE participation
  • Reflect commitment to inclusion, diversity, and equity

Other

  • Must select a first, second and third place in this category. There can be no ties.
  • If there is a discrepancy among jurors or the selection, the final decision is that of the Indy Chamber leadership team.

Additional eligibility guidelines

  • Projects completed between June 2020 and May 2023 are eligible for submission.

 

Landscape Architecture

Sanctioning Organization

American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA)

Category Requirements  

Architectural submissions must include:

  • A project narrative and site plan which also describes the overarching landscape scope of the project.
  • Planting plan and plant legend
  • Sections or sketches in 11” x 17” format
  • All other requirements as noted in the Entry Guidelines

Note: A registered landscape architect in the State of Indiana must prepare all landscape architecture designs.

Judging Criteria

The ASLA recognizes professional achievement in one or more of the following aspects of design:

  • Relationship to surrounding community
  • Problem solving
  • Responsiveness to owner’s requirements
  • Functional success
  • Aesthetics (form, style, color, etc.)
  • Creative use of materials
  • Quality of design
  • Overall significance to the profession and environment
  • Incorporation of sustainable design techniques, material selection or conservation methods and treatment of environmental issues (i.e., brownfield redevelopment project, green building, LEED certification, etc.)
  • Performance Data
  • Extent to which project utilizes XBE participation
  • Reflect commitment to inclusion, diversity, and equity

Other

  • Must select a first, second and third place in this category. There can be no ties.
  • If there is a discrepancy among jurors or the selection, the final decision is that of the Indy Chamber leadership team.

Additional eligibility guidelines

  • Projects completed between June 2020 and May 2023 are eligible for submission.

 

Neighborhood Revitalization

Sanctioning Organization:

Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC)

Entry Requirements

The Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) recognizes projects in central Indiana that enrich the community and set a good example for subsequent development. LISC prioritizes projects that exemplify inclusive growth, creating opportunities for increasing equity and inclusion.

Submissions must include a narrative outlining the scope of the project and how it impacts community development and how the project characteristics meet the judging criteria. Please include the project cost, information around the financing structure, and project timeline.

All other requirements are as noted in the entry instructions.

Judging Criteria

The Neighborhood Revitalization Award honors the following revitalization contributions to neighborhoods in central Indiana:

  • Promotes Equity and Inclusion
  • Investment in the community
  • Overall development including architectural, landscape architectural, construction and interior design
  • Significance and impact to surrounding community
  • Participation of the Community in the project
  • Innovation, design, and site planning
  • Incorporation of sustainable design techniques, material selection or conservation methods (i.e., brownfield redevelopment project, green building, LEED certification, etc.)
  • Performance Data
  • Employment statistics during the development and construction phase of the project:
    • Estimate number of net jobs resulting from completion of the development, including on-going operational jobs (include only completed phases. Do not include future phases not yet complete)
    • Estimate number of net jobs resulting from the construction phase of the development.
    • The final use of the project: Industrial, Education, Apartment, Office, Retail, Single Family Housing, Multi-use
  • Extent to which project utilizes XBE participation
  • Reflect commitment to inclusion, diversity, and equity

Other

  • Must select a first, second and third place in this category. There can be no ties.
  • If there is a discrepancy among jurors or the selection, the final decision is that of the Indy Chamber leadership team.

Additional eligibility guidelines

  • Projects completed between June 2020 and May 2023 are eligible for submission.

 

Public Art

Sanctioning Organization:

Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites (ISMHS)

Category Eligibility Requirements

According to Monumental Award’s eligibility section, projects may include both public and private sector facilities. However, for a project to be eligible in this category it must be accessible to the general public. Please review the following definitions to ensure that your project qualifies:

  • A public art project is defined as a project created by or with an artist in a public space. This includes creative placemaking, defined as the reimagining or reinvention of public spaces to better serve and inspire the communities that surround them, with the arts playing a vital role in such efforts.
  • A public space is defined as a site that experiences a high level of pedestrian and/or vehicular traffic and is easily visible and/or accessible. A project may be created for an interior site but should be accessible to the public during normal building operating hours without the need to obtain a special permit, pass, or ticket (with or without a corresponding fee). Exterior projects should be in spaces that are publicly accessible 24 hours a day or, if in a park or similar setting, should be accessible during the normal hours of that site’s operation.

Category Submission Requirements

  • To address the judging criteria, your 1000-word narrative should include the following:
    • An overview of the process used to select the artist(s) (or relevant creative professionals).
    • A brief outline of the key challenge or opportunity presented by the space and/or the place-based community (be sure to define the intended community) and how the artist(s) selected chose to address it.
  • In your narrative, please provide the names of all the creative personnel, partner organizations and firms, and individual participants in the project with their roles.
  • In your narrative, please provide the overall budget for the project and the amount paid as fee(s) to the participating artist(s).
  • Extent to which project utilizes XBE participation
  • Reflect commitment to inclusion, diversity, and equity
  • All other requirements as noted in the Entry Guidelines

Judging Criteria

The Public Art Award recognizes notable public art projects that demonstrate the outstanding professional achievement of artists and other creative professionals. Our goal is to highlight how the quality of life in our region has benefited from the increased involvement of arts professionals in the planning and utilization of our region’s public spaces.

The selection criteria in this category are (in order of importance):

  • Positive impact on the site and/or community
  • Aesthetic and conceptual rigor
  • Effective site-specific and/or community-specific approach
  • Appropriate and respectful employment of fine artists and other creative professionals
  • Success in addressing applicable issues of accessibility, public safety, and long-term maintenance

Other

  • Must select a first, second and third place in this category. There can be no ties.
  • If there is a discrepancy among jurors or the selection, the final decision is that of the Indy Chamber leadership team.

Additional eligibility guidelines

  • Projects completed between June 2020 and May 2023 are eligible for submission.
  • Temporary and permanent public art projects, installations, or place-based creative interventions are eligible for submission.
  • The project must be submitted by an entity (organization or individual) that is directly responsible for the creation or facilitation of the work.
  • Please note that the award is made to the submitting organization(s) and/or individual(s). There may be multiple entities listed as submitting the project, but two individuals must be selected for recognition at the Monumental Awards ceremony and each winning project will receive two awards, with the option of purchasing additional awards after the ceremony. For more details, please see the general Entry Guidelines.
  • The public must have been able to experience temporary installations or place-based creative interventions for a minimum of 8 hours if in one location, or for a minimum total of 12 hours in any 24-hour period if the project was intended to move from place to place.

 

Real Estate Development

Sanctioning Organization

Urban Land Institute (ULI)

Introduction

The Urban Land Institute recognizes projects that demonstrate exceptional achievement of best practices in real estate development.  Entries should be consistent with the ULI mission, which includes the responsible use of land and creating and/or sustaining thriving communities.  Nominations are invited from private, public and non-profit sectors.

Category Requirements:

  • Submissions must include a narrative outlining the scope of the project and how the project characteristics meet the judging criteria.
  • All other requirements are as noted in the Entry Guidelines.

Judging Criteria:

Awards may be presented to projects that are exceptional in one or more of the following areas, with preference given to projects that meet multiple criteria:

  • Innovative design and planning features
  • Filling of a special societal or market need
  • Creative solutions to unusual or difficult obstacles to development, including financial
  • Contribution to the quality of the community’s built environment
  • Resourceful and responsible use of land
  • Preservation or enhancement of environmental or cultural resources
  • Entrepreneurship or creativity in team organization and management
  • Demonstrated economic/financial success.  Nonprofit and public projects are exempt from the financial viability requirement; however, community reaction is also taken into consideration
  • Performance Data indicative of the project’s impact and success, such as:
    • Increase in assessed value,
    • Jobs accommodated,
    • Housing units created,
    • Occupancy rates,
    • Rent values,
    • Etc.
  • Extent to which project utilizes XBE participation
  • Reflect commitment to inclusion, diversity, and equity

Other

  • Must select a first, second and third place in this category. There can be no ties.
  • If there is a discrepancy among jurors or the selection, the final decision is that of the Indy Chamber leadership team.

Additional eligibility guidelines

  • Projects completed between June 2020 and May 2023 are eligible for submission.