Architecture needs fewer awards and more receipts. Awards are great. They validate work. They bring recognition. But they also create a weird incentive structure. We start designing for awards instead of designing for people. We start optimizing for jury appeal instead of user experience. Meanwhile, the projects that actually matter—the ones that work, that people love, that solve real problems—often don't win awards. They're too practical. Too simple. Too obvious. I'd rather see a receipt. Show me the energy bills. Show me the maintenance logs. Show me the user feedback. Show me the contractor's notes. Show me proof that it works, not proof that it's photogenic. The best validation isn't a trophy. It's a building that's still standing, still working, still loved, ten years later. That's the award that matters.