Duvall Decker honored with 2026 AIA Architecture Firm Award

Jackson, Mississippi-based firm, Duvall Decker, has been named the 2026 AIA Architecture Firm Award winner.

The annual award is the highest honor the AIA bestows on an architecture practice, recognizing firms that have consistently produced notable architecture for at least a decade. Duval Decker follows LPA Design Studios, which was honored with the award last year.

Founded in 1998 by Anne Marie Duvall Decker and Roy Decker, the firm stands out through its commitment to architecture as a vehicle for social change, community advocacy, and design excellence. As noted by the AIA, Duvall Decker has created a model for how architects can serve communities, especially those with limited resources.

In a nominating letter, Billie Tsien of former Architecture Firm Award winner, Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects, wrote, “The focus of Duvall Decker is one of design as an act of service. There is no better exemplar.”

Carol Ross Barney of Ross Barney Architects, adds, “Few firms so fully integrate advocacy into every aspect of their practice. Duvall Decker has established a nationally recognized practice defined by design excellence and profound community advocacy...their architecture stands as a physical expression of civic responsibility.”

This ethos of civic and community engagement is present in the firm’s work. Its portfolio includes The Bennie G. Thompson Academic & Civil Rights Research Center at Tougaloo College, which serves to simultaneously function as a vital academic space, hub for the school’s art collection, and site for civil rights research. The firm also worked with Jackson Public Schools, playing a vital role in elevating public education through careful renovations.

Duvall Decker offers a range of services as part of its work to support the growth of more livable, vibrant communities. The practice provides work in real estate, project management, and building maintenance, with hands-on service ranging from fixing leaky pipes to helping secure historic tax credits.

“The 2026 AIA Architecture Firm Award is a fitting tribute to a firm that consistently uses its expertise to foster public good,” the AIA announcement notes. “Duvall Decker serves as an inspiring example for the profession, proving that the most profound architecture is born from a deep sense of care, respect, and empathy.”

Duvall Decker is joined by Shigeru Ban, who was named the 2026 AIA Gold Medal winner last week.