New Practices New York, a biennial competition since 2006, serves as the preeminent platform in New York City to recognize and promote new and innovative architecture and design firms. The juried portfolio competition is sponsored by the New Practices Committee of the AIA New York Chapter and honors firms that have utilized unique and innovative strategies, both for the projects they undertake and for the practices they have established.

http://aiany.aiany.org/index.php?section=newpractices

What to Submit:
Submit a mini portfolio (8-1/2” x 11”, 10 pages maximum) along with a narrative describing your practice (500 words maximum) that should answer the following questions:

Methods of Collaboration and Integrated Practice
How does your firm work together in new, different, and/or more supportive ways than traditional practice? How have concepts of collaboration and integration influenced the structure of your practice and the type of work it undertakes?

Critical Practice
How does your practice respond to the variety of forces that influence critical thinking about designing and constructing within our contemporary condition, both local and global?

Variety of Project Experience
Why do you choose to undertake certain projects and not others?

Location & Nature of Practice
Some new practices call for new types of work environments. Does the location or layout of your office influence how you practice?

We encourage you to submit projects that showcase innovative building systems, net-zero strategies or high performance sustainable design.

Winners Receive:

• Inclusion in the New Practices New York 2012 exhibition at the Center for Architecture opening June 14, 2012
• Opportunity to present the work of their practice
• Participation at the AIA National Convention
• Potential for international exposure (previous winners have lectured at The Architecture Foundation in London and exhibited at The DAZ in Berlin; 2010 winners are participating in the 2011 São Paulo Biennial)
• A free one year membership in the AIA New York Chapter
• A free one year subscription to The Architect's Newspaper

Jury:
Stan Allen FAIA, Principal, Stan Allen Architect
Kit von Dalwig AIA, Principal, Manifold (winner of New Practices New York 2010)
Billie Tsien AIA, Principal, Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects LLP
Mahadev Raman P.E., Chairman | Americas, Arup
William Menking, Editor in Chief, The Architect's Newspaper

Eligibility:
The New Practices Showcase has the following eligibility requirements:

• New Practices are defined as architecture and design firms that have been founded after January 1, 2006. (Please include a copy of “Certificate of Firm Incorporation” or a signed certification that practice was founded after January 1, 2006).
• Selected firms must be located within New York City.
  - all work for built projects must credit the architect of record on the project portfolio page.
  - theoretical and un-built work is welcome and encouraged

Entry Fee:
All Entrants: $125
$50 late fee

Registration and Submission Process:
Register online by January 15, 2012. Upon registration you will receive an ID number, which should be affixed to your portfolio in the top right corner (black type, Arial or similar, size 36, on a white label). Portfolios should be 8-1/2” x 11” and no longer than 10 pages, which includes the 500 word maximum narrative describing your practice. Entrants must also include a signed image release form.
(Registration after January 15th is subject to a $50 late fee.)

Apart from registration, there is no digital component to the entry process. Entries must be received at the Center for Architecture no later than 5pm on Wednesday, January 18, 2012. Submittals become the property of the AIA New York and will not be returned.

Images
Entries should include a CD. The CD should contain high resolution images used in the portfolio submission (though please do not include more than 10 images), and should be affixed to the inside front panel of the portfolio itself. The CD should also be marked with the ID number provided to you following registration.

Credits
When applicable, the architect or firm of record, associate architects, project team, consultants, client, and general contractor must be credited.