The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is proud to announce the selection of Kate Diamond, FAIA, LEED AP, for the 2026 AIA Award for Excellence in Public Architecture. This award recognizes Diamond’s transformative efforts in advancing environmental sustainability, social equity, and civic trust through public architecture, celebrating individuals who design exceptional public facilities and advocate for excellence in public spaces.
Diamond, the Civic Design Director at HDR, is a nationally celebrated architect known for her groundbreaking work in civic design. She has led a body of work that demonstrates how high-performance, regenerative design can elevate public infrastructure into meaningful civic assets. Diamond’s projects challenge conventional expectations of public buildings, transforming infrastructure into places of education, engagement, and community identity.
Her work on the Orange County Sanitation District Headquarters establishes a new model for infrastructure design, integrating net-zero energy strategies, biophilic design, and public accessibility to communicate the value of sustainable systems. Similarly, the Puente Hills Environmental Justice Center reclaims one of the nation’s largest landfills as a regenerative public park and community resource, demonstrating how design can advance both environmental restoration and social equity.
Across a diverse portfolio including courthouses, transit facilities, water infrastructure, and justice-centered environments, Diamond consistently brings design excellence to projects that shape daily civic life. Her work on facilities such as the Douglas County Juvenile Justice Center reimagines public institutions through restorative, human-centered design, improving outcomes for both users and communities. She approaches each project as an opportunity to align performance, beauty, and long-term value, proving that sustainable design is not an added feature, but a foundational principle embedded from the outset.
Diamond’s legacy is a testament to the transformative power of architecture. Her visionary designs not only meet practical needs but also ignite inspiration, foster education, and drive meaningful change. By redefining the role of public architecture, she has set a benchmark for environmental responsibility, social progress, and enduring civic contribution.
Click here to learn more about Diamond’s selection as recipient of the 2026 AIA Award for Excellence in Public Architecture.
About the American Institute of Architects
Founded in 1857, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) consistently works to create more valuable, healthy, secure, and sustainable buildings, neighborhoods, and communities. Through more than 200 international, state and local chapters, AIA advocates for public policies that promote economic vitality and public wellbeing. AIA provides members with tools and resources to assist them in their careers and business as well as engaging civic and government leaders and the public to find solutions to pressing issues facing our communities, institutions, nation, and world.
