Affordable housing and community projects win in the 2019 AIA/HUD Secretary's Awards

Four housing design and community projects, as diverse in program as they are in geographic location, have been announced as category winners of the 2019 AIA/HUD Secretary's Awards. 

The annual initiative is a partnership between the AIA's Housing Knowledge Community with the Office of the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and recognizes outstanding design in the field of affordable and accessible housing.

These are this year's category winners:

Category One — Excellence in Affordable Housing Design Award: Williams Terrace, Charleston, South Carolina by 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. Working closely with the city’s housing authority, the team’s dynamic design meets the challenges of the site, which is situated in a high-velocity flood zone. The project echoes the iconic Charleston single house, with piazzas that function much like porches. These wide, open-air corridors provide external circulation and surround an airy central courtyard. Lined with ample seating, the corridors encourage interaction and extend the residents’ living space. Louvered shutters allow residents to adjust the amount of shade to their liking while creating an ever-changing facade." — read more

Category Two — Creating Community Connection Award: Anchor Place, Long Beach, California by 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. The project reinforces a hierarchy of building and circulation, bolstering the legibility and connectivity of its campus context. With four wings, the design creates three courtyards that directly connect to community-focused amenities on the ground floor. A relocated bus stop connects residents to the city and world beyond, while the landscape helps lead those seeking on-site services directly to them." — read more

Category Three — Community-Informed Design Award: 8869 Avis, Detroit, Michigan by 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. The project was fostered through a robust relationship between Inside Southwest Detroit, the design team, and a diverse group of stakeholders. From the outset, the process engaged neighbors of all ages, including kids, grandparents, graffiti artists, and skateboarders, resulting in a community space that responds to resident needs and local culture. A series of community workshops and celebrations boosted the stakeholders’ agency and provided a number of venues for them to guide the overall design." — read more

Category Four — Excellence in Housing Accessibility — Alan J. Rothman Award: IFF Access Housing, Chicago, Illinois by 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. In these two gentrifying neighborhoods, many of the rentals offered at the same price point were neglected and considered teardowns, though their lots were ideal for infill housing. Renovating the poorly maintained buildings presented the team with significant challenges, but rehabilitation was the most sustainable choice, reinforced by zoning restrictions and a need to preserve the existing urban fabric." — read more