An international jury of distinguished architects, designers and artists select the most outstanding design portfolios from work submitted by schools of architecture world-wide. Former judges included Cedric Price, Sir Denys Lasdun, Daniel Libeskind, Ian Ritchie, Sir Michael Hopkins, Eva Jiricna, Will Alsop, Bob Allies, Ian Davidson, Bruce McLean, Odile Decq, Lella Vignelli, Farshid Moussavi, Nathalie de Vries, Eric Parry and Julia B. Bolles-Wilson.

The judges for the Design Projects Awards welcome submissions that explore different subjects, methodologies and presentations. The key criterion for the Design Projects Awards is that the submission should be an exemplar within that year.

Juries are asked to judge the quality of the design of the scheme particularly in respect of its architectural ambition, ideas and the extent of innovation; its design vision as reflected in all aspects of the design, including the detail; its fitness for purpose, especially in response to the brief, but also in terms of wider concerns like accessibility and sustainability; its relationship to its context; the spatial experience it offers; the appropriateness of its structural and servicing systems and the selection and detailing of materials.

In all cases, submissions are expected to demonstrate a comprehensive, rigorous and coherent treatment of their chosen subject, demonstrating original analysis and the exercise of independent critical reasoning. Whatever the methodology and presentation format adopted, they should be appropriate to the subject being explored, and should positively contribute to its analysis and communication.

The judging panel view the projects anonymously via MS Powerpoint Presentation over 2 days in October. The panel may also look at supporting information in the form of an A3 portfolio, CD-ROM and video. (See Entry Form Guidelines for the exact specification.)