Search this site
Embedded Files
Forge Prize
  • 2025 Winner
  • 2025 Forge Prize Jury
  • Get Inspired
  • Past Competitions
    • 2024 Winner
    • 2024 Forge Prize Jury
    • 2023 Winner
    • 2023 Forge Prize Jury
    • 2022 Winner
    • 2022 Forge Prize Jury
    • 2021 Winner
    • 2021 Forge Prize Jury
    • 2020 Winners
    • 2020 Forge Prize Jury
    • 2019 Forge Prize Finalists
Forge Prize
  • 2025 Winner
  • 2025 Forge Prize Jury
  • Get Inspired
  • Past Competitions
    • 2024 Winner
    • 2024 Forge Prize Jury
    • 2023 Winner
    • 2023 Forge Prize Jury
    • 2022 Winner
    • 2022 Forge Prize Jury
    • 2021 Winner
    • 2021 Forge Prize Jury
    • 2020 Winners
    • 2020 Forge Prize Jury
    • 2019 Forge Prize Finalists
  • More
    • 2025 Winner
    • 2025 Forge Prize Jury
    • Get Inspired
    • Past Competitions
      • 2024 Winner
      • 2024 Forge Prize Jury
      • 2023 Winner
      • 2023 Forge Prize Jury
      • 2022 Winner
      • 2022 Forge Prize Jury
      • 2021 Winner
      • 2021 Forge Prize Jury
      • 2020 Winners
      • 2020 Forge Prize Jury
      • 2019 Forge Prize Finalists

Enter the 2025 Forge Prize

Enter now! Submissions are due by 11:59 p.m. Central on December 6, 2024.

The Forge Prize welcomes any conceptual design. All we ask is creative, technical, or other innovative approaches to solving a specific design challenge (i.e. environmental, economic, social, logistical, etc). 

Successful Forge Prize submissions should also think outside the box when it comes to designing and building the concept. Consider and demonstrate how structural steel can make the whole process faster.

Your concept may be outside the box, but we want you to ground it in an existing physical context--that is, an actual site. You may locate your design anywhere in the U.S., and your drawings should prominently identify the site. If you choose a site that is already occupied by an existing structure, note the replacement in your narrative. 

The competition is open to designers or teams of designers based in the U.S. who are:

  • Emerging practicing architects (those licensed for less than 10 years or on the path to licensure);

  • Tenured or tenure-track educators who have taught for less than 10 years in a university-level architecture program in the U.S.;

  • Adjunct architecture educators who have taught for less than 10 years and have been licensed for less than 10 years or are on the path to licensure;

  • Graduate-level architecture students enrolled in a university-level, U.S.-based architecture program.

If you have questions about your eligibility, please email theforgeprize@aisc.org to discuss your individual circumstances.

Required documents 

1. Narrative

This is where you'll explain the challenge you've set yourself and how you propose to solve it. Tell the judges all about your idea--where it came from, why it works, why steel would be a good choice for this design, and how your concept could shorten the time it would take to design and build a structure.

  • Be concise. The narrative shouldn't exceed 500 words.

  • We'll need some basic information listed on the submission. These items will not count toward your word count and should appear in the upper left corner of your document.

    • Name of project

    • Location of project

    • Type of project (i.e., museum, residential, etc.)

    • Size of project (in sq. ft)

  • All entries are judged anonymously to ensure fairness. Do not put your name on your narrative.

  • Upload your narrative as a single-page PDF (standard letter size). The filename should be formatted to include the project name and the word "narrative" (i.e., SmithTower_Narrative).

2. Images:

A picture truly is worth 1,000 words. Show off your design!


  • Robust submissions are more competitive. We encourage you to provide compelling visual content that best illustrates your concept (i.e. perspectives, renderings, interesting sections, 3D modeling, photography, plans, elevations, spatial diagrams, stacking diagrams).  

  • You may upload up to five ARCH D Sheet layouts (24”x36”) in full color or animations that supplement your drawings.

  • PDF drawings should be submitted at 300 DPI, not to exceed 20 MB each.

  • The file name for each item you upload should contain the project name, a description, and credit info (i.e., SmithTower_LobbyView_creditJaneSmith).

Submitted photographs and images used for exhibition or publication purposes will bear a credit line, if such information is provided. However, AISC is not responsible for errors or omissions. AISC reserves the right to retain indefinite possession of all materials for reproduction and subsequent exhibition. Submitting an entry constitutes acceptance of this policy by individuals, firms, companies, and project photographers and indicates that they agree to the release of the submitted photographs and images for use by AISC. 

Smarter. Stronger. Steel.

The American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC), a not-for-profit structural steel technical institute, partners with the AEC community to develop safe and efficient steel specifications and codes while driving innovation to make steel the most sustainable, economic, and resilient structural material on the market. Learn more at aisc.org.


©2025 American Institute of Steel Construction. All Rights Reserved. terms & conditions
Report abuse
Page details
Page updated
Report abuse