Two housing projects win in the 2015 AIA/HUD Secretary Awards

And so continues the path of working towards high-quality, affordable public-housing design with the 2015 AIA/HUD Secretary Awards program. Organized by the AIA and the Office of the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the annual awards program recognizes exemplary projects equipped with the latest innovations and development in the housing design industry.

The program consists of four categories: Excellence in Affordable Housing Design; Creating Community Connection Award; Community-Informed Design Award; and Housing Accessibility - the Alan J. Rothman Award. For this year, only two projects won in two categories.

Check out the winning projects right below.

CATEGORY ONE: Excellence in Affordable Housing Design Award - Recognizes architecture that demonstrates overall design excellence in response to both the needs and constraints of affordable housing.

WINNER: Step Up; Santa Monica, California
by Brooks + Scarpa

Project info: "Step Up provides 46 units of affordable housing, plus support services and rehabilitation for the homeless and mentally disabled population. Passive design strategies were key to the planning and design of Step Up, resulting in a building that is 50% more efficient than a conventionally designed structure. These strategies included locating and orienting the building to control solar cooling loads and shaping and orienting the building for exposure to prevailing winds and for promoting natural ventilation. South-facing windows are shaded, and all windows are designed to maximize daylighting and natural ventilation.

The building is loaded with energy-saving, sustainable devices and materials. Carpet, insulation, and concrete were all specified with recycled content. Compact fluorescent lighting is used throughout the building, and all windows are double-pane with a low emissivity coating. Apartments are equipped with water-saving low-flow toilets and a high-efficiency hydronic system for heat. Custom water-jet anodized aluminum panels on the main façade create a dramatic screen that sparkles in the sun and glows at night. The panels also act as sun protection and privacy screens. The material reappears as a strategic arrangement of screens on east- and south-facing walls, lending a subtle rhythm to the exterior circulation walkways and stairs. Asymmetrical horizontal openings on south-facing walls filter direct sunlight, provide unexpected visual depth, and create a sense of security for occupants."

CATEGORY TWO: Creating Community Connection Award - Recognizes projects that incorporate housing within other community amenities for the purpose of  revitalization or planned growth. 

WINNER: Co-op Plaza Redevelopment; Brattleboro, Vermont
by Gossens Bachman Architects

Project info: "The Co-op Plaza has revitalized a key area of the city’s downtown and, through a public-private partnership between the co-op grocery store and a local nonprofit, provided 24 affordable apartments. The first two floors of the four-story building house the grocery store, its administrative offices, a bakery, and commercial space for local vendors. An accessible green roof juts from the first floor. Other community amenities include new parking areas, pedestrian walkways, outside seating, a café, and market areas. The stakeholders’ collaborative design process was critical in making the project a model for responsible building practices and smart growth.

The site, contaminated by a dry-cleaning facility, was cleaned up, and the building was moved away from the nearby brook to protect the water from pollution and the building from flooding. Storm water runoff is treated and filtered by the green roof, permeable surfaces in the parking lot, and a 20-foot buffer strip in the new public park created along the water. Construction materials included locally harvested and milled flooring and slate siding manufactured in Vermont. Natural light floods the spaces, and the apartments have continuous fresh air ventilation with heat recovery. The co-op uses a solar photovoltaic system to generate electricity. Taken together, these features have cut energy costs per square foot by about 50%."

The AIA/HUD Secretary Awards jury included:

• Stephen Schreiber, FAIA, (Chair) University of Massachusetts, Amherst
• Claire Desjardins, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
• Jon Dick, AIA, Archaeo Architects
• Kathy Dixon, AIA, K. Dixon Architecture
• Clair Enlow, Freelance Writer
• Jody Mcguire, AIA, SALA Architects
• Madlyn Wohlman-Rodriguez. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.