Steel’s Top Design Honor Now Accepting 2027 Submissions

CHICAGO – The search for the next generation of steel innovation is on: The 2027 IDEAS Awards are now officially accepting entries!

Presented by the American Institute of Steel Construction, these awards represent the pinnacle of design achievement in the structural steel industry. Winning teams earn a full year of prestige, with their projects featured in national publications, across digital platforms, and at NASCC: The Steel Conference.

Does your best work only exist as a vision for the future? AISC wants to hear about that, too! The IDEAS|next award is specifically designed for concepts still “on the boards.” If your innovation has a client and a designated site, it is eligible for recognition before the first piece of steel is even erected.

We invite submissions that showcase the versatile power of steel across five core categories:

• Adaptive Reuse
• Architecture
• Constructability
• Engineering
• Sustainable Design and Construction

“For decades, AISC has taken pride in spotlighting the country’s most significant design accomplishments, from massive iconic landmarks to smaller projects driven by impressive innovation,” said AISC Director of Architecture Nima Balasubramanian, AIA, NOMA. “It is an honor to continue to recognize the premier structural steel projects in the U.S., whether they are already standing or are still inspiring visions being refined in a design studio.”

Entries are due August 31, 2026. For more information (or to get inspired by past winners), please visit aisc.org/ideas.