SHLTR BLUE CHIP
DESIGN AWARDS
Win it here. Make it here!
Spring 2026: Design the Next Luxury Cabin
SHLTR™ invites Bay Area architects, designers, and advanced architecture students to reimagine luxury living in nature. The 2026 SHLTR Blue Chip Design Awards challenge participants to design an innovative, sustainable, 250-square-foot cabin for a future retreat in the Yuba River region of Northern California.
The winning professional and student designs will be featured in SHLTR™ Magazine. The winning professional design will be developed for construction in collaboration with Aaron Gordon Construction and STRATA Landscape Architecture.
Awards
Professional Winner: $5,000 honorarium + project collaboration + publication in SHLTR™
Student Winner: $500 cash award + feature in SHLTR™
Merit Awards: Publication in SHLTR and recognition.
Eligibility
Open to Bay Area architects, designers, and design-build firms based in Northern California.
Students must be currently enrolled in an accredited senior or graduate-level architecture or design program in the Bay Area.
Submission Requirements
Each submission must include:
- One A1 presentation board (PDF) illustrating plan, elevation, and perspective views.
- 250-word written narrative describing concept, materials, and sustainability approach.
- Site response diagram or context concept (site brief provided upon registration).
- Optional 3D visualization or physical model images (max three images).
(Consolidate the information and visuals in a single PDF document)
Evaluation Criteria
- Design Innovation (30%) — Originality and creativity
- Site and Context Response (25%) — Integration with the Yuba River landscape
- Sustainability & Constructability (25%) — Practical, responsible, buildable solutions
- Presentation & Clarity (20%) — Visual impact and communication
A jury of architects, builders, and editors from SHLTR™— including architect Tom Kundig and landscape architect Andrea Cochran — will evaluate entries anonymously.
Dates
- Launch & Registration Opens: November 1, 2025
- Submission Deadline: January 31, 2026 (11:59 PM PT)
- Jury Review: February, 2026
- Winners Announced: March, 2026
- Construction Development: Through 2026 – Spring 2027
Submission fee:
The administrative fee for Bay Area-based architecture professionals is $375 for each submission. Eligible students can enter for a reduced fee of $100 for each submission. There are no limits to the number of submissions per firm or individual, however, each submission requires a separate administrative fee.
Application fees:
Professionals:
$375 paid by December 31
$300 early bird by December 15
Students:
$100 paid by December 31
$75 early bird by December 15
Once the entry form is sent to Coralie@shltr-mag.com, SHLTR™ will send an invoice to be paid by check or Venmo. Full receipt of the administrative fee by SHLTR™ confirms your official entry into the competition.
Intellectual Property & Credit
Entrants retain full copyright to their work. By submitting, participants grant SHLTR and partners the right to publish and exhibit their designs with full credit as well as to build it. The winning designer(s) will be acknowledged in all publications, signage, and project documentation.
How to Enter
Use form below to register, upload credentials and receive the official site brief.
Questions may be directed to coralie@shltr-mag.com.
About Aaron Gordon Construction
Aaron Gordon Construction, Inc. is a San Francisco–based high end residential general contractor known for full-home remodels, custom additions, kitchens, baths, exteriors, and even new single family home construction across the Bay Area—including Wine Country and the Peninsula. Founded and led by native San Franciscan Aaron Gordon, the firm places strong emphasis on integrity, meticulous craftsmanship, and transparent, ongoing communication with clients, architects, and designers. The firm’s expertise extends across high end residential remodels, covering everything from elegant kitchen and bathroom upgrades to custom exterior enhancements and full-scale new home builds throughout the Bay Area—including Wine Country, the Peninsula, and San Francisco’s high rise interiors. Aaron Gordon Construction’s work has been recognized in high profile outlets, including the San Francisco Chronicle.
About Strata Landscape Architecture
Known for its elegant, award-winning, and ecologically minded landscapes that bridge architecture and nature, Strata Landscape Architecture creates sustainable environments featuring native plantings, sculptural grading, and finely detailed hardscape elements—work that has been featured in major design publications. Strata will provide the master plan and a landscape solution attuned to the winning design, subtly enhancing the site’s native features and creating a synergy between structure and setting.
Thanks to our sponsors of the first
SHLTR™ Blue Chip Awards Competition
