AIA Atlanta Announces 2023 High School Design Competition Winners

ATLANTA — April 12, 2023 — AIA Atlanta and presenting sponsor YKK AP announce the winners of the 18th Annual High School Design Competition (HSDC). The awards celebration was held at the Kennesaw State University College of Architecture and Construction Management, returning in person for the first time since 2019.

HSDC invites Georgia high school students to immerse themselves in fundamental architecture concepts and learn skills that will be useful in college and beyond. The competition focuses on a design prompt to which students will create a solution using their creativity and architectural knowledge. HSDC comprises two levels to accommodate students’ varying levels of experience, including beginner and advanced.

The 2023 competition received 211 submissions from 36 schools. Winners of the advanced level receive cash prizes. This year’s winners are as follows:

Beginner – Individual

• 1st Place: Olivia Power, Sequoyah High School
• 2nd Place: Wyatt Rock, Sequoyah High School
• 3rd Place: Rylee Trusner, Sequoyah High School
• Honorable Mention: Pia Ramirez-Weninger, Decatur High School
• Honorable Mention: Nola Lepp, Marietta High School
• Honorable Mention: David Paliotta, Sequoyah High School
• Honorable Mention: Sierra Freeman, Decatur High School

Advanced – Individual

• 1st Place: Mikka Wolff, Decatur High School
• 2nd Place: Kaden Johnson, Union Grove High School
• 3rd Place: Gavin Webster, Union Grove High School
• Honorable Mention: Katherine Gentner, Wheeler High School
• Honorable Mention: Joseph Galviz, Maxwell High School Of Technology

Advanced – Group

• 1st Place: Noah Crowder, Vivian King, Zachary Marino, and Edwin Cheung, Wheeler High School
• 2nd Place: Mikayla Parks and Megan Reed, Etowah High School
• 3rd Place: Joshua Franklin and Benjamin Choi, Mountain View High School
• Honorable Mention: Addison Kowall, Katie Swanson, and Ansley Perdue, Wheeler High School
• Honorable Mention: Louis Messonnier, Owen Joiner, Johnny Treadwell, and Aiden Martinelli, Decatur High School

AIA Atlanta congratulates all students for their successful participation in the program. In addition to presenting sponsor YKK AP, AIA Atlanta thanks event sponsors Martin/Martin Consulting Engineers and the Kennesaw State University.

About AIA Atlanta
AIA Atlanta, the Atlanta Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, is a professional organization representing 1,800 architects and designers in Metro Atlanta. AIA advocates for the value of architects and provides architects with the resources to do their best work, including continuing education, political advocacy, networking, and leadership development.

About YKK AP America Inc.
YKK AP America Inc. is a technology-oriented manufacturer of commercial façade systems and residential doors and windows. With every finished good, we push the boundaries in next-generation manufacturing and create value for architectural applications. Driven by a desire to provide exceptional service in our markets, YKK AP America builds upon our foundation of advanced engineering, vertically integrated manufacturing, and customer focus on delivering the highest level of quality at a competitive price.