2025 AIA Virginia Prize Competition

Congratulations to ten of our students for their recent recognition in the 2025 AlA Virginia Prize Competition.

The brief for this year's Virginia Prize, written by faculty from Virginia Tech's Washington-Alexandria Architecture Center (the WAAC), which afforded students the opportunity to design a public toilet for the local municipality of Alexandria, Virginia in the vicinity of the King Street Metro Station.

First Prize, State Competition: Taylor Wypyski "Washington D.P(ee)" (Photo 2)

The jury appreciated that this project was ambitious in its design while intelligently addressing functionality. The connection to the existing Metro at two levels and the use of stormwater runoff from the large station roof to serve the bathrooms was particularly notable. The inventive form marked a gateway to the station while serving the variety of functions required by the program. The color of the finish material was found to be sympathetic to the surrounding context and a nod to the color of Virginia clay.

Honorable Mention, State Competition: Rifat Mostafa (WAAC) "Social Lounge" (Photo 3)

"We loved the energy of this scheme and the way the interventions permeated the site, inside and out. The bathroom facility layout was well done."

Honorable Mention, State Competition: Marie Zenzie

"Glass Eddy" (Photo 4)

"The project was notable for its quality of presentation and clarity of idea." The pencil drawings of the curvilinear glass block scheme were "simple yet evocative."

Internal School Winners:

Jonce Culberson (Fifth from Left)

Julian Dunn (Third from Left)

Marie Zenzie (First from Right)

Also sent to AlA for state-level competition:

Marcello Acito (First from Left)

Celeste Constantine (Second from Right)

Vrinda Goel (Second from Left)

Eve Lee (Fifth from Right)

Danny Robles (Third from Right)

Olivia Thacker (Fourth from Right)

Taylor Wypiski (Fourth from Left)