Waterloo Architecture Graduates Win International AIA COTE Top Ten Competition

Luca Vasconcelos Ricci and Nicole Cao 2025 AIA COTE Top Ten Award for Excellence and Innovation in Sustainable Architecture

Two projects from the 4B Comprehensive Building Design studio have been recognized in an international competition celebrating 10 exemplary architectural proposals addressing sustainability and climate change. These projects were selected from over 1300 submissions from 81 schools internationally.

4B Comprehensive Building Design Studio: The Blair Environmental School

Teaching Team: Walter Bettio, Michael Bootsma, Anna Ingebrigtsen, Amrit Phull, Lola Sheppard, Jaliya Fonseka (coordinator)

From the AIA competition organizers:

The American Institute of Architects, Committee on the Environment (AIA COTE), in partnership with the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA), have selected the recipients of the 2025 AIA COTE Top Ten for Students Competition in two categories: Foundation Level and Upper Level. The competition recognizes ten outstanding projects, along with one honorable mention, that meaningfully address the impacts of climate change. These creative designs imagine a healthy, sustainable, and equitable future. The winning projects emphasize achieving net-zero emissions, adapting to resilient climate impacts, and addressing social and environmental inequities.