The American Institute of Architects New Orleans Chapter hosts the annual Design Awards, where architects, interior designers, clients, and consultants alike are celebrated and honored for their outstanding achievements in innovation and design excellence. The purpose of the Design Awards is to highlight the thought leaders in our community who work collaboratively each day to improve the built environment and shape the quality of life through design excellence.
This year, NANO took home the prestigious Honor Award for their conceptual project and international presentation “Shaping the City”. The highest distinction of the three award categories, the Honor Award is given to a project that is “easily distinguishable by exceptional quality of design and function”.



“We feel incredibly honored to be recognized by our industry peers for the work we’re doing to address climate change,” said NANO architect and co-founder Terri Hogan Dreyer. “Our vision for Shaping the City explores how we can optimize our existing landscape to survive and thrive in the face of disaster."
This year, NANO took home the prestigious Honor Award for their conceptual project and international presentation “Shaping the City”. The highest distinction of the three award categories, the Honor Award is given to a project that is “easily distinguishable by exceptional quality of design and function”.
Shaping the City discusses topics such as climate change, rising tide, New Orleans’ relationship to water, and the criteria required for a community to thrive and be flexible in the face of disaster.
Originally stemming from NANO’s award-winning exhibit at the 2021 ECC Time Space Existence/Venice Biennale, Terri and Ian discuss their proposed “arx”, or hubs, throughout the City of New Orleans in their presentation Shaping the City. Both practical and multi-purpose, the arx would allow the New Orleans community to not only adapt in a time of intensifying storms, but also to thrive.