Fivesquares Development, Maurice Walters Architects, Inc., and LandDesign win awards honoring the best in architecture, urban design, and housing in Montgomery County.
BETHESDA, Md. – The Montgomery County Planning Department, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), announced the winners of the seventh biennial Design Excellence Awards competition at Celebrate Design 2025 held October 16 at Marriott International Headquarters in Bethesda. An independent jury of accomplished design and development professionals honored two developments with Design Excellence Awards and one development with a Merit Award that exemplify Montgomery County’s best architecture, urban design, and housing. The Celebrate Design event is a partnership with Montgomery Planning’s Design Excellence Awards program and the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Potomac Valley Chapter to recognize excellent design in the county and region.
“The Design Excellence Awards are a powerful reminder of how thoughtful design can elevate the everyday experience of our residents,” said Montgomery Planning Board Chair Artie Harris. “From vibrant downtowns to serene green spaces, these projects show how architecture and urban design can bring people together, foster community, and reflect the rich diversity of Montgomery County.”
“Design excellence is not just about aesthetics; it’s about creating places that are inclusive, resilient, and deeply connected to the people who live there,” said Montgomery Planning Director Jason K. Sartori. “These award-winning projects embody the goals of Thrive Montgomery 2050 by promoting sustainable growth, equity, and a strong sense of place across our neighborhoods.”
“We’re thrilled to celebrate the 2025 winners whose work demonstrates the impact of collaboration between designers, developers, communities, and our planning staff,” said Design Excellence Project Manager and Innovation Lead, Paul Mortensen. “Each submission reflects a deep commitment to quality at multiple scales of the building to the artistic detail, which strengthens the fabric of Montgomery County. We’re also grateful to AIA Potomac Valley for their continued partnership in recognizing design leadership.”
Montgomery County Council President Kate Stewart and Councilmembers Andrew Friedson and Laurie-Anne Sayles, State Senator Sara Love and the District 16 team of Delegates Marc Korman, Teresa Woorman and Sarah Wolek, as well as District 18 Delegates Aaron Kaufman and Jared Solomon presented awards at the ceremony.
2025 Design Excellence Awards Winners
Strathmore Square – Fivesquares Development with WMATA and Strathmore
Strathmore Square is this year’s winner of the top award, the Gwen Marcus Wright Design Excellence Award. This transit-oriented mixed-use development blurs the lines between inside and out, offering the residents the opportunity to connect with nature. The entire development is centered around a 1.25-acre central park linked to a grid of shared streets and pathways that link to adjacent neighborhoods and an abundance of community amenities such as the Strathmore Center and Rock Creek Park. Upon completion, Strathmore Square will be a vibrant, multi-generational urban village anchored by culture, nature, and transit.
The Sophia – Maurice Walters Architects, Inc., David M. Schwartz Architects, Inc., and Duball, LLC (developer)
The winner of this year’s Design Excellence Award for Exceptional Housing goes to The Sophia in Bethesda. The units within are fabulous and share thoughtful common spaces. This development won for being a beautiful addition to both the street and the city. It is a beautifully designed and detailed building that is timeless – evolving the best lessons that the past has to offer to meet the needs of how we live today.
7200 Wisconsin Avenue Plaza – LandDesign (landscape architects) and JBG Smith (property owner)
This year, the jury created a Merit Award for Placemaking, which goes to the 7200 Wisconsin Avenue Plaza in Bethesda. This unique redevelopment of a central public space is the perfect example of how such spaces should be designed with a great deal of love and effort to create a very strong public realm. It is delightful and artfully weaves the needs of its many users with beauty and whimsy on a very challenging site.
2025 Design Excellence Awards Jury
The 2025 Design Excellence Awards’ independent jury is composed of nationally accomplished and highly regarded practitioners in the fields of architecture, landscape architecture, planning and urban design, as follows:
- Duncan Lyons (Jury Chair), RIBA – Principal at Gensler
- Uwe Brandes – Brandes Partners, LLP., Director of Georgetown University Urban and Regional Planning Program
- Colleen Healey, AIA – Colleen Healey Architecture, LLC
- Kate Ries, ASLA – President of Clinton+Ries Landscape Architects
- Michael Watkins, FAIA, FAICP – Michael Watkins Architects
Read more about the jury members and their backgrounds.
For more information, contact Paul Mortensen at paul.mortensen@montgomeryplanning.org or 301.495.4523.
About Design Excellence
Montgomery County desires neighborhoods, public spaces and buildings of the highest-quality design to reflect our cultural health and maintain a competitive advantage within our region. Quality architectural design that frames a thriving public realm of streets and public spaces is a driving force for complete communities. Design excellence is increasingly important as available land for development in the county is shrinking, densities in our centers are increasing, and priorities for excellent public spaces become more acute. These development challenges present a great need to create and enhance attractive, safe, and sustainable places to live, work, and play. Design excellence is an important tool for attracting the best and brightest to our county – residents, businesses, and visitors. To raise the quality of design throughout the county, the Montgomery County Planning Department has launched a comprehensive Design Excellence initiative focused on the themes of inspiration, collaboration, and clarity.