Nic Lehoux

The AIA has announced the winners of its 2016 Housing Awards. The Housing Awards program, now in its 16th year, promotes the idea of well designed housing as a necessity through recognition of outstanding work that integrates into context. Divided into three categories—One/Two Family Custom Housing, Multifamily Living, and Specialized Housing—these winning projects represent the best in residential design. The Specialized Housing category rewards housing that meets highly specific needs within the multifamily typology. No winners were selected in the contest's fourth category, One/Two Family Production Housing.

The jury for the 2016 AIA Housing Awards was led by Jamie Blosser, AIA, a senior consultant with Atkin Olshin Schade Architects, and included Ariella Cohen, editor-in-chief of Next City; Kevin Harris, FAIA, founder of Kevin Harris Architect; David Lee, FAIA, president and managing partner of Stull and Lee; and Suman Sorg, FAIA, founder of Sorg Architects (now part of DLR Group).

To see more about each winning project, click on the links below or visit ARCHITECT's Project Gallery.

One/Two Family Custom Housing

Casey Dunn

Hog Pen Creek Residence, Austin, Texas
Lake|Flato Architects
Jury comment: This feels very place-based and perfect for its setting in Texas. An artful composition of nicely detailed masses in a fully cohesive design strategy, with water and nature being primary influences.

Nic Lehoux

Independence Pass Residence, Aspen, Colorado
Bohlin Cywinski Jackson
Jury comment: A simply spectacular house totally attuned to its Aspen setting with beautiful use of stone and lines to frame views of conservation land.

Nic Lehoux

Island Residence, Honolulu
Bohlin Cywinski Jackson
Jury comment: An exciting take on a vernacular, providing a real warmth and openness, with excellent place-based design marrying Modernism with hand crafted details.

Jeremy Bitterman

Newberg Residence, Newberg, Ore.
Cutler Anderson Architects
Jury comment: Elegant design combined with thoughtful siting as a bridge over a pond demonstrates the joy of living with nature without requiring a grand vista or dramatic landscape.

Timothy Hursley

Oak Ridge House, Jackson, Miss.
Duvall Decker Architects
Jury comment: Multiple functions of built-ins are a nice feature, as is choice of materials (slate and pecan) in this understated, well designed home.

Multifamily Living

Bruce Damonte

1180 Fourth Street, San Francisco
Mithun|Solomon with Kennerly Architecture & Planning
Jury comment: San Francisco sorely needs affordable housing and this is a perfect location with respect to transit and accessibility, but to live here you have to won the housing lottery!

749 Cloverdale's layered façade conceals balconies that serve as exterior circulation for the complex.
Lawrence Anderson 749 Cloverdale's layered façade conceals balconies that serve as exterior circulation for the complex.

Cloverdale749, Los Angeles
Lorcan O'Herlihy Architects
Jury comment: Very well thought out, detailed, and elegant resolution from a simple, rather banal shipping container reference.

Specialized Housing

Commonwealth Honors College Community, by William Rawn Associates
© Robert Benson Commonwealth Honors College Community, by William Rawn Associates

Commonwealth Honors College, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Mass.
William Rawn Associates, Architects
Jury comment: The Commonwealth Honors College is a rich mixture of campus buildings resembling an Italian hill town.

Entrance Courtyard at VA West Los Angeles, Los Angeles, Calif., by Leo A Daly
Lawrence Anderson Entrance Courtyard at VA West Los Angeles, Los Angeles, Calif., by Leo A Daly

Homeless Veterans Transitional Housing, VA Campus, Los Angeles
Leo A Daly
Jury comment: The spaces, landscaping, and rooms afford a believable sense of importance of and gratitude towards the residents. The renovation is respectful of the original building, and respectful of the occupants on the inside.

Whitetail Woods Regional Park Camper Cabins, Farmington, Minn., by HGA
Pete von de Linde Whitetail Woods Regional Park Camper Cabins, Farmington, Minn., by HGA

Whitetail Woods Regional Park Camper Cabins, Farmington, Minn.
HGA Architects and Engineers
Jury comment: The light footprint is lovely and the low impact on the environment is wonderful. Colors, materials, and textures reinforce the undisturbed natural habitat.

See all of the winners of the 2016 AIA Housing Awards in ARCHITECT's Project Gallery.