2026 Excellence in Structural Engineering Awards

The Structural Engineers Association of Illinois announces its Call for Entries in the Excellence in Structural Engineering Awards Program for 2026, the 47th annual awards event conducted by the association. The Excellence in Structural Engineering Awards Competition takes place each year to recognize creative achievement in structural engineering via innovative structural designs and individual contributions that advance the profession.

• Submission Form

Submission Information

DEADLINE  Tuesday March 31, 2026

1. SEAOI Membership

A member of the design team or a principal of the firm submitting the entry must be a current SEAOI member in good standing, or a neighboring state SEA member for entries in the Best Neighboring State category.  Submitting a Membership Application at the time of entry will satisfy this requirement. 

2. Eligibility

Projects completed since January 1, 2023 are eligible, and projects must be completed or under construction as of January 1, 2026 to be considered. Incomplete projects must be sufficiently complete to clearly show the basic design of the structural system.

3. Required Materials

Entries are required to include the following materials:

• Completed online entry.
• If you would like to compile necessary submission information prior to submitting your entry online, a worksheet is available here.
• A concise description of the project, outlining its significant attributes as they relate to the judging criteria (500-word maximum)
• Up to five photos, plans or sketches - uploaded to the online form
• Entry fee of $450 (waived for Lavicka Award).

New Categories: thanks to your feedback, the Renovation/Retrofit/Preservation category has been updated to two new categories:

• Best Forensic/Retrofit/Rehabilitation Project
• Best Renovation/Adaptive Reuse Project

Project finalists will present the project at the SEAOI Finalists Present dinner meeting on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, and provide the following:

• 5-8 minute PowerPoint presentation (dependent on the number of finalists presenting)
• Digital photos representing the project (300 dpi minimum).
• Unconditional release of photos for publication purposes. Credits should be properly noted. 

View the complete Call for Entries for more information.

4. Deadline for Entries

Complete entries must be received by Tuesday March 31, 2026.

The winning projects will be announced during the Awards Celebration on June 4, 2026 at Goose Island Barrel House (additional details coming soon!).