Architects and designers: it’s time to throw open the doors on your best work — literally.
Presented by LaCantina Doors in partnership with Architizer, the 9th Annual Best of LaCantina Competition celebrates projects that explore new ways of connecting indoor and outdoor environments, and it’s now open for entries!
Residential and commercial projects completed between 2020 and today are eligible across a wide range of categories. And best of all, entering the competition is 100% free. You can submit your projects until September 11, 2026, Midnight PT.
Ready to showcase your work? Click the button below to enter the competition.
Note: You’ll need an Architizer account to enter. If you don’t have one yet, click “Need an account?” on the submission page to sign up, then return to the form.
Recognition That Lasts Beyond the Competition
Last year’s winning projects. Learn more about each project here. Images courtesy of the architects / LaCantina
The competition’s highest honor, Best in Show, comes with a grand prize trip for two to the 2027 AIA Conference on Architecture & Design (AIA27) in Philadelphia, taking place May 19–22, 2027. The winner will receive travel, hotel accommodations and event passes to one of the architecture profession’s premier annual gatherings.
The Best in Show winner will also be invited to participate in a live online panel hosted by Architizer, offering the opportunity to present their project, discuss the design process and share the ideas behind their work with a global audience of architects and designers.
Beyond the grand prize, the Best in Show winner will receive extensive editorial and promotional exposure, including:
- A feature article and promotion on Architizer.com;
- Promotion across Architizer’s global social media network, reaching more than 4.75 million followers across Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook and X;
- Coverage in Architizer’s Weekly Newsletter, delivered to more than 127,000 subscribers;
- A featured project spotlight on LaCantinaDoors.com;
- An invitation to serve as a juror for the 2027 Best of LaCantina Competition.
And more! See the full prize offering on the competition site.
Winners across all categories will also be published in a special editorial feature announcing the winners on Architizer.com, shared widely via our newsletter and social platforms.
Also returning this year is the Reader’s Choice Award, a public vote powered by Architizer’s 1.6 million+ Instagram followers. Finalists for this award will be handpicked by Architizer’s editorial team and voted on by the global architecture community, providing a huge global platform for visibility and engagement.
Note: You’ll need an Architizer account to enter. If you don’t have one yet, click “Need an account?” on the submission page to sign up, then return to the form.
Choose Your Category
Split Cabin by Syndicate Smith, Lake Wenatchee, Washington, 2025 Best of LaCantina “Best in Show” winner. Contractor: Carlisle Classic Homes; Structural Engineer: BTL Engineering; Photo by Will Austin.
The Best of LaCantina 2026 competition is open to architects, designers, custom home builders, design-build firms, and interior designers based in the United States. Both residential and commercial projects are eligible. Finalists will be selected for the following categories:
- Best in Show
- Best Commercial
- Best Rural Residential
- Best Urban Residential
- Best Suburban Residential
- Best Compact
- Best Renovation
- Most Innovative
- Best Planned Concept
To be eligible, projects must include LaCantina products and have been completed between January 2020 and today. The only exception is the “Planned Concept” category, which allows unbuilt or in-progress projects. Entrants must be based in the United States for prizing purposes, but submitted projects can be located anywhere globally.
Meet the 2026 Jury
A selection of former winners of the Best of LaCantina Competition; images courtesy of the architects / LaCantina
This year’s competition will be evaluated by a panel of architects, design professionals and industry experts with experience spanning media, product development and the built environment. Television host and builder Joshua Temple brings firsthand construction expertise and a practical perspective on projects of every scale. Representing LaCantina Doors, Chase Clark, Product Line Manager, offers deep insight into product performance, engineering and how door systems contribute to exceptional design. Completing the panel is Hannah Feniak, Executive Editor of Architizer, whose editorial perspective is informed by years of covering outstanding architecture and the ideas shaping the profession. Additional jurors will be announced soon.
Whatever the scale — a light-filled home, a bustling commercial hub, a bold compact renovation — if your project features LaCantina Doors, submit it for free for consideration in the 2026 Best of LaCantina competition:
Note: You’ll need an Architizer account to enter. If you don’t have one yet, click “Need an account?” on the submission page to sign up, then return to the form.
The post Call For Entries: Enter Your Projects in the 2026 Best of LaCantina Competition! appeared first on Journal.