UVA Graduate Architecture Students Win Top Honors in 2025 AIA Virginia Prize

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Three graduate architecture students from the University of Virginia School of Architecture have earned top accolades in the 2025 AIA Virginia Prize, an annual design competition that challenges aspiring architects across the Commonwealth to reimagine the built environment.

Hosted by the Virginia chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the competition invites students from UVA, Hampton University, Virginia Tech (Blacksburg and the Washington-Alexandria Architecture Center), William & Mary, and James Madison University to participate in a weekend-long design charette. Since its inception in 1980, the AIA Virginia Prize has encouraged cross-institutional collaboration among students, faculty, and professionals throughout the state.

This year’s brief called for a thoughtful redesign of a public restroom facility at the King Street Metro Station in Alexandria, Virginia. Participants were asked to elevate the program into a meaningful public asset—one that supports a wide range of users, celebrates the city's identity, and integrates sustainable design strategies.

Following initial submissions, each school advanced up to ten proposals for final jury review. The 2025 jury, comprised of Julie Nelson, AIA; David Kubik, AIA; Harpreet Dhaliwal, AIA; and Todd Poisson, AIA of New York-based BKSK Architects, recognized three students from UVA for their exceptional work: Ethan Turner (M.Arch ’25, M.ArH ’26) won second prize, Eleanor Dedrick (M.Arch ’25) received third prize, and Kristina Dickey (M.Arch ’25) was honored with an honorable mention.

Ethan Turner, M. Arch '25, M. ArH '26

Second Prize: King Street Comfort Station

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Project details, King Street Comfort Station, clockwise from top: exterior rendering; view from King Street; site map; and section. © Ethan Turner

Inspired by Alexandria’s history as a railroad and trading hub, Turner’s proposal reimagines the site as a civic gateway using forms and materials drawn from its industrial past. Recycled railroad ties serve as both structure and screen, filtering light and framing a series of public amenities while referencing the scale of train cars. A greywater cistern and sustainable material palette further support the project’s environmental goals.

“Exploring the vast scale of Alexandria’s transportation history through the microcosm of this site was an exciting challenge,” said Turner. “I wanted the building to express that legacy through both form and material.”

Jury Comments:
“This project was thoughtful in its urbanistic approach and execution. The jury appreciated not only the presentation, but also the siting, which used the bathroom structure to create a transition between Old Town and the Metro Plaza.  Its circulation was particularly successful ... [and] the use of recycled materials was found to be sympathetic to the context while reducing environmental impact."

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Turner will continue his dual-degree studies in architectural history at the School of Architecture next year and hopes to pursue community design work or cultural landscape preservation in Richmond or Pittsburgh.

Eleanor Dedrick, M. Arch '25

Third Prize: Go With the Flow

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Dedrick’s design transforms the King Street Metro Station public restroom from a purely functional space into something playful and personal. Modular elements shape the program to accommodate varying levels of privacy, circulation, and rest. Bright geometric forms and a vibrant color palette guide users through the space, while key amenities—such as ADA stalls, a nursing room, and a shower—prioritize accessibility and care.

"I tried to keep the design process experimental and decisive," said Dedrick, "challenging myself to make quick decisions while having fun and being creative."

Jury statement: 
"The colorful palette and playful forms enlivened and successfully engaged with the existing concrete structure. Simple design elements, like the swirling light fixtures and confetti, add to the sense of play, and the written narrative clearly conveyed the design's intentions."

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Following graduation, Dedrick plans to travel and explore the world before beginning her architecture career in New York.

Kristina Dickey, M. Arch '25

Honorable Mention: Tree Toilet

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In Kristina Dickey’s proposal, Tree Toilet, the public restroom becomes a space of reflection and quietude. Drawing on phenomenology and her experience in a fall 2024 research studio led by visiting professors Andrea Soto and Alejandro Guerrero of Atelier ARS, Dickey creates a calming cedar-clad interior where each stall centers on a singular tree, inviting moments of contemplation.

“I wanted each space to incite awe," said Dickey. "It was challenging to make design decisions under such a short time span, but ultimately freeing."

Jury Statement: 
"This is the restroom we would most like to use.”

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Dickey plans to begin her architectural career in New York after graduation. 

A Legacy of Design Excellence

Julie Nelson (BS Arch ’88, M.Arch ’93), one of this year’s jurors and a UVA alumna, previously received an Honorable Mention in the AIA Virginia Prize during her student years. Now a principal at BKSK Architects, Nelson reflected on the relevance of the competition:

“Our firm has a surprisingly large portfolio of public restroom facilities, including several in NYC parks and a major project at the Bellevue Men’s Shelter,” she said. “It’s great to see this program as the focus of a design competition and the level of care students put into the design solutions.”

We congratulate Ethan, Eleanor, and Kristina for their 2025 AIA Virginia Prize recognitions.