2025 Design Excellence Awards
The seventh biennial Design Excellence Awards were presented on the evening of October 16 during Celebrate Design 2025 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 Award program and the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Potomac Valley Chapter to recognize excellent design in the county and region.
Winner of the 2025 Gwen Marcus Wright Design Excellence Award
Strathmore Square
Developer: Fivesquares Development, WMATA, and Strathmore
Location: North Bethesda, Maryland
Design Excellence Award categories
The Gwen Marcus Wright Design Excellence Award for exceptional urban design, architecture, and/or landscape design
The top award, now named after former Montgomery Planning Director and Design Excellence Award program founder Gwen Marcus Wright, recognizes an exceptional building, urban design, and/or landscape that represents beauty and built excellence that enhances the public realm. Winning projects promote stronger community through physical design, and foster social, environmental, and economic enhancement to the owner, users, and surrounding community.
Exceptional Housing Award for multi-family condo, apartment, and/or townhouse developments
The Exceptional Housing Award honors housing that exemplifies design excellence and enhances the lives of those who live there. Winning projects enrich the adjoining neighborhood, promote human connections, and bring a sense of pride to the residents and community. The winning designs help promote great urbanism and walkability no matter where their location is within the county.
Merit Award for Placemaking
The 2025 awards jury created a Merit Award for Placemaking to recognize designed spaces that create a strong and vibrant public realm and stimulate socialization.
2025 Design Excellence Awards Jury
- Duncan Lyons, RIBA – Principal and Design Director at Gensler
- Michael Watkins, FAIA – Principal at Michael Watkins Architect, LLC
- Colleen Healey, AIA – Principal at Colleen Healey Architecture, LLC
- Kate Ries, ASLA – President of Clinton+Ries Landscape Architects
- Uwe Brandes – Principal of Brandes Partners LLP, and Director of the Urban & Regional Planning Program at Georgetown University