Submit Your Brilliant Daylit Designs to Andersen’s Bright Ideas Awards, Powered by Dwell

Homes that make great use of daylight are not only healthier and happier places to live—they also tend to be more energy efficient. Over the summer we’ve been hard at work on a new design award with our friends at Andersen Windows & Doors to recognize dwellings that showcase transformational ideas in fenestration and make the most of smart siting.

For more than a century, Andersen has been opening homes to their surroundings and—like Dwell—championing design that contributes to a better built environment. Continuing this effort, the first annual Andersen "Bright Ideas" Design Awards will honor residential architecture with exceptional, solar-oriented design. 

The award will recognize new, completed work submitted in two categories—single family and multifamily—and a third, honorary mention will recognize one unbuilt project of note.

Selection of Winners

We will reveal a shortlist of nominees on Dwell.com in early September, and we’ll announce the winning projects online on October 4. Our winners will also be featured in the print magazine this winter.

Panel of Judges

Winners and runners up will be determined by our panel of judges, which includes:

Brandon Berg, VP of Research & Development at Andersen
Rebecca Rudolph and Catherine Johnson, principals at Design, Bitches
Lisa Iwamoto, Principal at IwamotoScott
E.B. Min, Principal at Min Design
Kevin Kudo-King, Principal/Owner at Olson Kundig
Ravi Raj, Principal at RARARA
William Hanley, Editor in Chief of Dwell

Award Criteria

The competition is open to licensed individual architects and firms anywhere in the world. Top projects will be:  

1. Creative in their approach to fenestration and daylighting.
2. Environmentally responsible with safe, healthy living spaces that incorporate recycled, renewable, or otherwise sustainable materials.
3. Structurally innovative in their use of new materials and/or methods.

And more... See all criteria and judging guidelines in the entry form.

How to Submit

Upload your project between now and and 10 p.m. Pacific time Tuesday, August 31. You may submit multiple projects per category. For the unbuilt category, provide a clear rendering and project description. As a final step, post your project on Instagram using the hashtag ​​#andersenbrightideas

We’re excited to see what you have in store—submit your project today!

Enter Now