Recognizing Excellence in North Carolina Modernist Residential Design

Sponsored in 2026 by

The George Matsumoto Prize is North Carolina's highest honor exclusively for Modernist residential architecture. NCModernist created the Matsumoto Prize in 2012 honor of George Matsumoto, one of the founding faculty members of North Carolina State University's College of Design. Matsumoto created some of North Carolina's most well-known and well-loved Modernist houses.  The Matsumoto Prize encourages architects, designers, and prospective clients to continue the Modernist movement in houses so important to North Carolina's design heritage. The Prize meaningfully and powerfully engages the public with the architecture they love and showcases exceptional Modernist architects and designers in North Carolina.  This is the 14th year of the Prize.

2026 jurors include: Raymond Neutra, Susan Saarinen, Celia Bertoia, Carla Atwood Hartman, Erin Ellwood, Miles Jaffe,  Finn Kappe, and the most prolific architecture author in the world, Philip Jodidio.

2026 George Matsumoto Prize Rules, Terms, and Conditions

NEW CATEGORY THIS  YEAR:  Renovations!

1. The Prize is open to anyone with primary design responsibility for a Modernist house project in North Carolina; the designer/architect can be from anywhere.  There are two Prize categories:

  • Completely built, from-the-ground-up, single-family Modernist houses of at least 800 heated sf with a CO on or after January 1, 2021.  No ADU's.

  • Modernist renovations of single-family houses, at least 800 heated sf with a CO on or after January 1, 2021.  No ADU's or separate additions.  Attached additions only if the main house was also substantially renovated. 

2. Any house that won a past Matsumoto Prize Jury or People's Choice award is ineligible. Past submissions that did not win either Jury or People's Choice awards may be resubmitted.  Owners and builders may submit as well as architects.  There are no educational or licensure requirements for submission. The design stands for itself.  You may submit more than one house per category but you cannot submit the same house for both categories.  If you have a disagreement with another person or firm concerning credit for a house design, get it worked out or consider submitting jointly.

3. Awards:

  • Jury Awards:  First, second, and third for each category. None of the Jury or their firms or employees or contractors may submit. There will only be one Jury Prize awarded per category per firm/designer/architect.

  • There are three People's Choice awards for each category selected by the public through online voting, limited to one vote per e-mail address. Addresses that are or appear to be machine-generated or fraudulent will not be counted. However, if people want to vote more than once, say from a home email and a work email, that's fine. NCModernist's decisions on vote eligibility are final. Vote counts will not be released; only the recipients of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place.

4. Contacting any of the named Jury is strictly prohibited; however, submitters are actively encouraged to publicize their participation in the Matsumoto Prize through email and social media, including asking friends, family, clients, prospects, and the public to vote.

5. NCModernist reserves the exclusive right to accept, edit, or reject any information, image, video, or other submission component for accuracy, appropriateness, style, size, or length; or for compliance with these rules, terms and conditions.  If a submission is rejected, payment will be refunded.

6.  By paying the entry fee, you agree to all the terms and conditions on this page; you have secured permission from the homeowners to submit their house; and you agree that descriptions, information, images, and video may appear at NCModernist's website, social media, and any promotional materials regarding the Matsumoto Prize.

2026 Matsumoto Prize Submission Requirements

Submission deadline 5pm EST, April 29, 2026. The 2026 George Matsumoto Prize Awards will be held at Leland Little in Hillsborough NC on Wedneday, July 23, 6pm.

Here are the submission steps.  

1.  Donate $129 per house at www.usmodernist.org/donate as the submission fee.  The project certificate of occupancy must be on or after 1/1/21.

2.  Gather images.  First, the money shot - the best exterior photo of the house to be your primary image for public voting and on social media.  This photo must be perfectly square in JPG format. 1500-2000 pixels wide if possible. Do not put text on the photo.  Next, up to 11 additional images in JPG format, landscape if possible, including a site plan and a floor plan. Each image should be 1500-2000 pixels wide if possible.  Be sure any text is large enough to be readable on at least an iPad.   

3.  Film a video of to 2 minutes about the house, the client, the process to meet their needs, and anything else you want to communicate.  Submit video to your firm’s Vimeo or YouTube channel. Submissions without a video will not be considered.  Don't freak out about this.  Simple is better; filming with a cell phone or tablet is fine. People just want to hear your design journey with the house and the client.  

4.  You are ready to submit.  Go here and follow the instructions.  The program will export an HTML file.   Email that to George@usmodernist.org.