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About the 2025 Sir Walter Raleigh Awards
The City of Raleigh Design Review Commission hosted its 43rd annual Sir Walter Raleigh Awards for Community Appearance on September 17, 2025. Join us in celebrating the award winners!
Commercial
This category recognizes new retail and office developments, adaptive reuse projects, and may also include industrial, warehouse, or corporate spaces that enhance the visual character of the city.
- 1000 Social at The Exchange
- The Bend
Community Impact
This category honors individuals or teams who have developed and carried out projects, big or small, that enhance life in Raleigh through thoughtful design.
- Conlon Family Skatepark
- SAFEChild Children’s Advocacy Center
Educational
Awards in this category are for education-related facilities at any level of instruction, including preschool, elementary, middle, high school, college, or continuing education.
- Global Courtyard
Iconic Installation
Unique for 2025, this award celebrates a bold, memorable installation that enhances community identity, creativity, and has a lasting visual impact.
- Sunflower Power Poles
Landscape Design
This award category celebrates projects that take a thoughtful, integrated approach to conserving resources and honoring the natural character of their site. It highlights efforts that preserve Raleigh’s trees and landscape and creatively transform everyday site elements into valuable public amenities.
- The Marbles Playway
Master Plan
Awards in this category recognize long-term planning to enhance the character, environment, and visual appeal of Raleigh through thoughtful, innovative, and sustainable designs.
- River Cane Wetland Park
- Rocky Branch Enhancement Feasibility Study
Public Spaces
Awards in this category are given for projects which enhance the appearance and livability of public areas of the city, including parks, streets, neighborhoods, and churches.
- Baileywick Park Multi-purpose Pavilion
Rehabilitation and Historic Preservation
Awards in this category are given for the preservation or rehabilitation of existing buildings, especially Raleigh's historic resources.
- Dorothea Dix Stone Houses
Residential
Awards for this category are given for new residential development, conversion to residential use, or improvement made to existing residential areas. The entry may be for either multifamily developments or single-family developments of multiple buildings.
- Jones Street Residences
- Milner Commons
