Washington, D.C. -- The American Institute of Architects’ (AIA) Housing Knowledge Community in conjunction with the Office of the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) are recognizing four housing designs with the 2019 AIA/HUD Secretary's Awards.
Each year, the AIA and HUD partner to celebrate projects that demonstrate affordable, accessible and well-designed housing, proving that good design is not exclusive. Projects were awarded by the seven-member jury in the following categories:
Category One: Excellence in Affordable Housing Design Award
Williams Terrace, Charleston, South Carolina | David Baker Architects
The first dedicated housing for Charleston, South Carolina’s, low-income seniors, Williams Terrace finally replaces housing that was lost to a hurricane in 1989. A collaboration between two firms that combined vernacular knowledge and expertise, the project delivers contemporary new housing that respects and honors the city’s historic fabric.
Category Two: Creating Community Connection Award
Anchor Place, Long Beach, California | The Architects Collective
On a former Navy housing site in Long Beach, California, this project aims to break the cycle of homelessness through supportive housing and services for previously homeless veterans and their families. Anchor Place comprises four main components: a new building, renovation of an existing social hall, site-wide landscape, and street-level improvements.
Category Three: Community-Informed Design Award
8869 Avis, Detroit | Detroit Collaborative Design Center
An anchor for The Alley Project, an initiative that promotes youth and community development through cultural and place-based initiatives in Detroit, 8869 Avis has transformed a neighborhood alley and surrounding lots into a graffiti gallery that deepens connections between neighbors and community assets. This renovation of an existing 2,400-square-foot building into a community center and the headquarters for Inside Southwest Detroit reflects the vision of the community it serves through its planning, execution, and everyday use
Category Four: Excellence in Housing Accessibility - Alan J. Rothman Award
IFF Access Housing, Chicago | Landon Bone Baker Architects
Capitalizing on vacant homes and infill lots scattered across a 2.5-mile footprint, IFF Access Housing delivers 25 affordable rental homes for people with disabilities while also helping to stabilize Chicago’s Humboldt Park and Logan Square communities. The project is set apart by its human focus and scale, which allow residents to thrive in charming homes that blend into the community rather than concentrating them on a single site.
For more information, visit www.aia.org.
