Judging Process & Criteria

For each of the 39 categories, the Jury will select five (5) finalists which represent the five best in the category. Out of the finalists, one (1) winner will be selected and will win the coveted Jury Award for that specific category. Additionally, the online community, through a public vote, will also select one (1) winner from the five finalists in each category. These products will receive a Popular Choice Award. There will also be a number of Special Mentions, selected by Architizer’s in-house team, given to products that do not make the top five in their respective categories but deserve recognition.

The A+Product Awards Jury will evaluate these projects based on the following criteria:

• Aesthetics
• Performance
• Impact

Aesthetics

Aesthetics are the visible shape and materiality of the product. The jury will consider the product’s form, detailing, quality, etc. The product’s aesthetic should have a clear stance on its relationship to the architecture it inhabits and the users who will experience it. It isn’t enough to be sculptural; it should also be relevant for its function and end users. How much aesthetics are taken into consideration by jurors will vary depending on the category entered; for example, the aesthetics of a product submitted in the Decorative Lighting category may be more important than those for a product submitted in the Building Systems category.

Performance

Performance refers to achieving the often complex goals for which the product is intended. The jury will refer to the product’s description to better understand the criteria used in designing and developing the product and what it aims to serve. This includes innovations that utilize new materials, improve existing building practices, or address new needs. The criteria against which products are judged in terms of performance varies depending on the category entered; for example, a product entered for the Best Flexible Design Award will be judged according to its flexibility compared with other similar products within its vertical.

Impact

Impact refers to a product’s potential to change the way buildings are designed and built. Product designers and brands must embrace new technologies and shifting demands and trends in order to remain relevant. Products that work to improve existing materials and practices, and push technical and conceptual boundaries are considered impactful. Impact can be measured in a multitude of ways, including a product’s impact on the environment or on the construction industry itself, and high scores will be given to products that attempt to catalyze positive change. Both short-term, immediate impacts and long-term, potential impacts will be taken into consideration.