DBIA Honors Nation’s Best Design-Build Teams with 2025 Project/Team Awards

Kansas City International Airport Named 2025 Project of the Year, Sanibel Causeway Receives Chair's Award

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, November 10, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) announced the winners of the 2025 Design-Build Project/Team Awards in Las Vegas during the Design-Build Conference & Expo, celebrating teams whose work exemplifies Design-Build Done Right. From small community facilities to multi-billion-dollar infrastructure, this year’s honorees represent the nation’s most outstanding examples of design-build excellence, showcasing how collaborative innovation is reshaping the built environment.

Project of the Year
The 2025 Design-Build Project of the Year was awarded to the Kansas City International Airport New Single Terminal and Garage, delivered by design-builder Clark/Weitz/Clarkson with architect SOM and engineers SOM and Henderson Engineers.

Completed 60 days early and $45 million under budget, this $1.5 billion progressive design-build (PDB) project replaced three aging terminals with one modern facility. The new terminal demonstrates how technical mastery and human-centered design can work in harmony by featuring 19 permanent art installations from local artists, 80 percent local vendors, and $320 million in contracts awarded to minority- and women-owned firms.

This inclusive approach blends advanced systems integration with community-driven design, creating a facility that runs with precision, reflects Kansas City’s identity, and serves as a transformative gateway for travelers and residents alike.

Chair’s Award
The Chair’s Award, selected each year by the DBIA National Board Chair, was presented to the Hurricane Ian Sanibel Island Access project, honoring the team that restored Sanibel Island’s only connection to the mainland after Hurricane Ian’s 155-mph winds destroyed the causeway in September 2022.

Led by the Florida Department of Transportation and delivered by the Superior-de Moya Joint Venture, the team reconnected the island within weeks and completed a full rebuild in just over two years. The result reunited families and reopened critical infrastructure for Sanibel’s residents and those whose livelihoods depend on the island community.

This project was also featured in DBIA’s “Design-Build in Times of Crisis” series, which explores how teams deliver in emergencies without compromising quality, safety, or collaboration.

Specialty and “Best In” Recognitions
DBIA honored teams and Owners demonstrating exceptional leadership, process, and innovation through its specialty and “Best In” categories:

• Best in Design – Architecture: University of California San Diego Theatre District Living and Learning Neighborhood

• Best in Design – Engineering: Sterling Natural Resource Center

• Best in Process – Progressive Design-Build: Kansas City International Airport New Single Terminal and Garage

• Best in Process – Best Value: Ramona Community Resource Center

• Best in Leadership/Teaming: University of California San Diego Theatre District Living and Learning Neighborhood

• Best in VDC: The Orange County Health Care Agency at Marine Way

• Best in Small Projects: Ramona Community Resource Center

• Enlightened Owner: Orchard Beach Maintenance and Operations Building (NYC Department of Design & Construction)

• I.N.S.P.I.R.E.D. Owner: Clackamas County Circuit Courthouse (Clackamas County)

• Trailblazer in Inclusive Growth (Large Project): Kansas City International Airport New Single Terminal and Garage

• Trailblazer in Inclusive Growth (Small Project): Riviera Beach Fire Rescue Station 88 and Fire Administration Building

Excellence Across Sectors
DBIA also recognized Excellence Award winners in 10 market categories, chosen from among Merit Award Winners announced in August:

• Aviation: Kansas City International Airport New Single Terminal and Garage

• Civic/Assembly: Loma Verde Community and Aquatic Center

• Commercial/Office Buildings: May Lee State Office Complex

• Educational Facilities: University of California San Diego Theatre District Living and Learning Neighborhood

• Federal/State/County/Municipal: Clackamas County Circuit Courthouse

• Healthcare Facilities: Jewel & Jim Plumb Heart Center at Mercy Medical Center

• Industrial/Process/Research: Caltech Resnick Sustainability Center

• Rehabilitation/Renovation/Restoration: Smith and Perkins Renovation & Expansion

• Transportation: Hurricane Ian Sanibel Island Access

• Water/Wastewater: Sterling Natural Resource Center

DBIA’s Design-Build Project/Team Awards are juried annually by industry leaders who evaluate projects for cost, schedule, design, teaming, and Owner satisfaction. For a full list of 2025 winners and project profiles, visit DBIA's 2025 Project/Team Awards page.

Erin Looney
Design-Build Institute of America
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2025 Design-Build Project of the Year Kansas City International Airport New Single Terminal & Garage

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