CLICK HERE TO REGISTER TO ATTEND THE GBCC REAL ESTATE UPDATE PRESENTATION OF THE KUHN & ICON AWARDS

Celebrate 100 years of The Greater Bethesda Chamber of Commerce:  Help choose our area’s most ICONIC building! 

As we mark our Centennial Celebration of doing business and creating a sense of place for our community, we want to honor the buildings that make our community special. 

Your vote will help choose the buildings that exhibit unique architecture, provide a sense of nostalgia or reflect our Greater Bethesda Chevy Chase area. *Voting closed 5/20/26 

Nominees:
Bank of Bethesda
Bethesda Meeting House
Bethesda Metro Center
Bethesda Theater
Black market in Garret Park Train Station
Eagle Bank Building
GEICO Campus
Glen Echo Park
Hank Dietle’s Tavern
Naval Medical Art Deco Building
NIH Building
Saks Fifth Avenue Building
Strathmore
Suburban Hospital
Tastee Diner
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Washington   D.C. Temple (in Kensington)
The Darcy & The Flats

In honor of The Greater Bethesda Chamber of Commerce’s 100th Anniversary, the Real Estate Committee will present the Oliver Owen Kuhn Architectural Excellence Award during our 2026 Real Estate Update Event. This award recognizes outstanding architectural projects that demonstrate excellence in design, purpose, and contribution to the community.

Nomination Eligibility
Projects met the following criteria:
Completion Date:
Projects were completed between January 2014 and June 2025 within the geographical footprint of the Greater Bethesda Chamber of Commerce.
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Project Category:
Submissions fell into one of two categories:

• Commercial
• Residential

Additional considerations included:

• Project size was not a determining factor.
• Major renovations that significantly altered the original configuration were eligible for consideration.
• For mixed-use condominium or multi-family buildings, the Fannie Mae guideline was applied: buildings with less than 35% commercial use were eligible for the Residential category.

Judging Criteria
Submissions were evaluated based on:

• Excellence in design
• How effectively the building fulfills its intended purpose
• Contribution to the surrounding urban environment

Selection Process
Nominations for this award were submitted by members of The Greater Bethesda Chamber of Commerce.
Finalists, winners, and runners-up were thoughtfully selected by a jury formed by the American Institute of Architects – Maryland.

Award Presentation
The Oliver Owen Kuhn Architectural Excellence Award will be presented at the GBCC Real Estate Update on June 3, along with the people's choice Icon Award. This annual program will also feature a Greater Bethesda market update and provide an opportunity to connect with fellow real estate and home services professionals serving the Greater Bethesda community.

We encourage you to REGISTER to join us for this special presentation and networking event.

Nominees:​
2 Bethesda Metro
2 Wisconsin Circle
5425 Wisconsin Avenue
Addition to and Renovation of a Bethesda Residence
Bethesda Community Store
​Bethesda House for a Chicago Couple
Ellis Bethesda
Gallery Bethesda I & II
Hampden House
Lionsgate at Woodmont Corner
Maizon
Somerset Elementary School
The Barrett and The Claude at Chevy Chase Lake
The Camille
The Cecil
The Cheval
The Darcy + The Flats
The Edge
The Edgemoor
The Sophia
Upstairs at Bethesda Row
Walgreens
Westbrook Elementary School​