2024 CAA Awards Programme launched

The 2024 CAA Award Programme will recognise the work of architects and students that engages with contemporary challenges such as climate change and rapid urbanisation together with associated increases in vulnerability, inequality, and biodiversity loss.

The Commonwealth Association of Architects (CAA) is committed to delivering on its charter objectives: ‘To maximise the contribution by architects to the well-being of society’ and ‘helping to create a better world for tomorrow, today’.  As the world continues to grapple with the combined challenges of climate change and rapid urbanisation together with associated increases in vulnerability, inequality and biodiversity loss, the 2024 CAA awards programme has been developed to recognise the work of architects that has made a demonstrable contribution to addressing such issues and contributes to delivery of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs).

The awards are free to enter.

Lifetime Achievement

• CAA Lifetime Achievement Award (also known as the CAA Robert Matthew Lifetime Achievement Award): The CAA Lifetime Achievement Award recognises a Commonwealth architect, or architectural practice, whose body of work is considered to have made a significant impact to the advancement of architecture in the Commonwealth over a number of years.

Professional Practice

• CAA Environmental Impact Award: The CAA Environmental Impact Award will recognise work in any sector which can demonstrate having achieved a significant positive environmental impact in areas such as circular economy, energy & carbon, water, ecology & biodiversity and/or connectivity & transport.
• CAA Social Impact Award: The CAA Social Impact Award will recognise work in any sector which can demonstrate having achieved significant positive social impact in areas such as affordability, community development, health & well-being, and social value.

Education

• CAA Student Award: The CAA Student Award will recognise the work of students in Years 1-3 which creatively addresses issues associated with social, economic, and environmental well-being in the context of the current biodiversity crisis and climate emergency.
• CAA President’s Award: The CAA President’s Award will recognise the work of students in Years 4, 5 & 6 which critically and creatively addresses the issues associated with social, economic, and environmental well-being in the context of the current biodiversity crisis and climate emergency.

See below for details of the 2024 award categories, award criteria and submission details:

The CAA is pleased to confirm the composition of the juries for the 2024 Awards Programme as follows:

Lifetime Achievement & Professional Practice

• CAA Chair of Professional Practice: Ms Mina Hasman, (United Kingdom)
• Caribbean & Americas: Mr Bryan Bullen, (Grenada)
• Europe: Ms Nana Biamah-Ofosu (United Kingdom)
• Africa: Mr Christian Benimana (Rwanda)
• Asia: Prof Rafiq Azam, (Bangladesh)
• Pacific: Ms Caroline Pidcock, (Australia)

Education

• CAA Chair of Education: Mr Alex Ndibwami, (Kigali Rwanda)
• Caribbean & Americas: Ms Nooshin Esmaeili, (Canada)
• Europe: Dr Byron Ioannou, (Cyprus)
• Africa: Dr Hermie Delport, (South Africa)
• Asia: Prof Sajida Haider Vandal, (Pakistan)
• Pacific: Dr Rachel Hurst, (Australia)

Past winners of the CAA Lifetime Achievement Award have included:

• 1983, Philip Cox AO, (Australia)
• 1985, Arup Associates, (UK)
• 1989, Raj Rewal, (India)
• 1991, Hampshire County Council Architects Department, (UK)
• 1994, Ian Ritchie Architects, (UK)
• 1997, Gregory Burgess Architects, (Australia)
• 2000, TR Hamzah and Yeang, (Malaysia)
• 2003, Balkrishna Vithaldas Doshi, (India)
• 2016, Joint winner, Grimshaw Architects, (UK)
• 2016, Joint winner, Pervaiz Vandal & Associates, (Pakistan)
• 2019, Prof Richard England, (Malta)
• 2022, Rafiq Azam, Shatotto Studio, (Bangladesh)