Excellence in Design Awards

The AIA Maryland Design Awards programs are designed to

  • encourage and recognize distinguished architectural achievement
  • honor the architectural team, their clients, and consultants who work together to improve the built environment
  • demonstrate the breadth of services architects provide
  • raise public consciousness of the Architect’s role in shaping the quality of life through design excellence.

The Design Awards Celebration is September 17th

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Or Click Here to See the Schedule & Menu

  • September 17, 2026
  • Registration Opens: 5:00 PM
  • Newton White Mansion, Mitchellville, Maryland

Award Categories

commercial
architecture

historic
preservation

institutional Architecture

interior Architecture

residential architecture

mixed-use development

urban design & master planning

Meet the Jury

The 2026 AIA Maryland Design Awards will be Juried by AIA Lousiana!

Andrew M Liles, AIA

A M Liles Architect

Rex Cabaniss, AIA

WHLC Architecture

Calvin Gallion, AIA

Studio Rise Design

Alex Shows, AIA

VSG Architects

Gregory Damico, AIA

AQ Studios Architecture

Samantha Johnson, AIA

Nano LLC

Pierre Theriot, AIA

Holly & Smith Architects

Event Details

Schedule

Join us September 17th

5:00 PM – Welcome Hour & Networking with hors d’oeuvres and cocktails

7:00 PM – Awards Program Begins

9:00 PM – Awards Ceremony Concludes

Get Your Tickets

Menu

Signature Bar

The Rowhouse – A Maryland-inspired signature cocktail featuring bright citrus notes and local character, paying tribute to the iconic homes that shape our communities.

The Town Square (Non-Alcoholic) – A refreshing sparkling mocktail with pear, ginger, and citrus.

Premium Beer & Wine

Small Plates

Roasted Tomato, Chèvre & Basil

Whipped Burrata & Seasonal Jam

Prosciutto, Fig Jam & Ricotta

Mushroom, Ricotta & Rosemary

Passed Hors d’oeuvres

Steakhouse Bites – Tender sliced steak atop crispy Yukon potato with manchego cheese and cabernet aioli.

Mushroom & Leek Tart (Vegetarian) – Roasted mushrooms and caramelized leeks in a flaky pastry shell.

Mini Popovers (Vegetarian) – Saint André cheese and seasonal preserves.

Mini Sweet Potato Taco (Vegan & Gluten-Free) – Roasted sweet potato, corn salsa, and fresh herbs served on a corn tortilla.

Chicken & Waffle – Buttermilk fried chicken with spiced maple syrup and herbed waffle.

Dessert to Go

Cheesecake Bars
Lemon Raspberry Bars

Join us September 17th for the
2026 Excellence in Design Awards

Tickets are available for AIA Members, Non-Members, and Students
Everyone is welcome!

Get Your Tickets

2025 Design Awards

Andrew Liles, AIA, LEED AP

Andrew Liles, AIA, LEED AP owns his own practice in New Orleans, Louisiana and is an instructor at the
Tulane University School of Architecture and Built Environment. Liles focuses practice in the deep south with
projects ranging from small commercial to custom residential work, infusing each project with regional
relevance and a high degree of creativity. He currently serves as president of the Louisiana Chapter of the
American Institute of Architects, having similarly served as president of the New Orleans component.

Liles’ design prowess and technical expertise have afforded the opportunity to teach consistently at the School of Architecture for over fifteen years.

He has taught design studio at all three years of core design instruction, and lecture courses in building technologies, sustainability and drawing and observation. In addition, as a visual artist and habitual observer, Liles mines content from his context, codifying the language of place, be it a meeting house or a mirliton, and largely through pencil, pen, and watercolor.

Liles has twice been juried into the Ogden Museum of Southern Art’s Louisiana Contemporary, recognizing the spectrum and vitality of artistic voices emanating from New Orleans and across Louisiana.

Rex Cabaniss, AIA, AICP

As Planning & Design Director, Rex Cabaniss oversees a broad range of projects throughout the southeast.

His career spans over 40 years of professional practice across the United States and England. This experience in a variety of urban centers formed his interest in the planning and design issues of vibrant urban environments with a human scale.

Alex Shows, AIA

Alex, a native of Lake Charles, graduated from St. Louis Catholic High School. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies in 2015 and a Master of Architecture in 2016 from Louisiana Tech School of Design. His education focused on urban planning strategies, parametric design, Revit and BIM software, and advanced architectural detailing. He also contributed to the AIA National award-winning design-build project, Larkin Gibbs Pavilion at MedCamps of Louisiana.

He received the Henry Adams AIA Gold Medal for a 4.0 GPA in the Graduate Program, the 2016 Honorable Mention for Senta in the National ACSA Steel Competition, and the faculty-selected Milton Picket Award for Outstanding Graduate Studio Project for Crooker Center. He also served as President of the Tau Sigma Delta Honor Society, Alpha Lambda chapter. His work is published in multiple academic papers, and as one of the most sought-after design graduates in the nation, he chose to return to Lake Charles to invest his talents in the growth and architectural quality of his hometown. He later became a participant in Leadership SWLA Class of 2024, a program that brings together 30 emerging leaders from a wide range of industries.

An active leader within the American Institute of Architects, he served as President of AIA Southwest Louisiana from 2020 to 2025. During his tenure, he led the state for two consecutive years in AIA PAC fundraising efforts. In 2025, he led efforts to bring the first AIA Louisiana State Convention to Lake Charles in over four decades, serving as Committee Chair and delivering a highly successful and profitable event.

He interned at VSG Architects from 2011 to 2016 before becoming a full-time employee. As a Project Architect, he focuses on conceptual design, design development, architectural detailing, rendering services, and project management. His work reflects an energetic and bold approach, refined through real-world applications and detailing.

Pierre Theriot, AIA

Pierre attended the University of Southwestern Louisiana (now the University of Louisiana at
Lafayette), where he was consistently recognized for design excellence and received the prestigious
David R. Williams Thesis Award. He graduated magna cum laude and joined Holly & Smith Architects in
1998.

He became a licensed architect in the State of Louisiana in 2005 and was named a shareholder at Holly & Smith Architects in 2010. In 2020, he was appointed Vice President in Charge of Design Direction,
where he leads the firm’s design vision and brand identity.


Pierre has been actively engaged in community leadership, serving as Chairman of the Hammond Historic District Commission, a board member of the Hammond Regional Arts Center, and a member of the Hammond Downtown Development District Design Committee. He has also served as Chairman of the Board of Directors and as Treasurer on the Hammond Rotary Board of Directors. He is a graduate of Leadership Tangipahoa (Class of 2010) and a participant in the New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute (NORLI), Class of 2020.

Professionally, Pierre is a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Committee on Design and frequently serves as a design reviewer at his alma mater’s School of Architecture and Design. He is deeply committed to advancing Holly & Smith Architects’ mission of “Design for Life,” guiding the firm in creating meaningful work that supports the well-being of clients, communities, and the environment.

His leadership reflects a strong belief in designing with purpose, sustainability, and lasting impact.