On the Jury: Darguin Fortuna and the 2026 AIA New York State Design Awards
Voice
Our Co-Founder and Principal, Darguin Fortuna, AIA, NCARB, NOMA, served on the five-member jury for the 2026 AIA New York State Design Awards and presented at the celebration in Princeton, NJ, where 25 projects were recognized.
Judging other architects’ work is one of the most serious responsibilities the profession can hand you. This fall, our Co-Founder and Principal, Darguin Fortuna, AIA, NCARB, NOMA, served as one of five jurors for the 2026 AIA New York State Design Awards, and joined the presenters on stage at the awards celebration at the Hyatt Regency Princeton on November 3. It was the program’s first in-person celebration since 2019.
Five jurors, 25 projects
The jury was chaired by Marcus Carter, AIA, of OBJECT TERRITORIES and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Darguin served alongside Andy Rockmore, AIA, of SAR+ Architects; Susan C. Knight, AIA, of Studio Enée; and Ginny Squire, CCIM, of Yaman Commercial. Peter Arsenault, FAIA, facilitated the process.
Together, the jury recognized 25 projects across architecture, interiors, housing, adaptive reuse and urban planning. The top honor, the 2026 Best of the Best, went to KPF’s TCC DAKA Renewable Resource Recycling Center in Xiulin Township, Taiwan, a project that brings a waste-to-energy plant, a visitors’ center and a public park together on one site. The full list of recipients is on the AIA New York State website.
A small-firm seat at the table
For a small firm in Salem, MA, a seat at that table matters. Darguin is the 2026 Chair of the AIA Small Firm Exchange, and he brought that perspective to the jury: design excellence is not a function of firm size or budget. It comes from listening closely, understanding context and solving the real problem in front of you. Those are the same standards we hold our own work to, from a single-family addition to a public housing renovation.
“Serving as a juror and being part of the celebration in Princeton was a real highlight of my year,” Darguin said. “The connections with fellow jurors, presenters and members are the part I will carry with me the longest.”
What we bring home
Reviewing work at this level sharpens how we design. Every submission is a lesson in how other teams respond to climate, to dense urban sites and to the honest use of materials. We bring those lessons back to our studio and to our clients.
Congratulations to all 25 award recipients, and thank you to AIA New York State for the invitation and for a celebration that was organized, welcoming and worth the trip.
Photos: ©OFF-WHITE MEDIA, courtesy of AIA New York State.