(October 3, 2024. Sacramento, CA) Thirteen select residential projects illustrating the capacity of architecture to elevate lives in a unique range of living space types while adhering to tactics that address climate change have been named American Institute of Architects California (AIA CA) Residential Design Awards recipients.
This year’s recipients demonstrated the wide range at which architects resolve societal, environmental, and design challenges. Amongst the recipients are: a “Low Carbon Farmworker Housing Prototype,”; a small studio addition that encourages nesting for doves; and a renovation of a home originally designed by the celebrated Richard Neutra.
Projects were awarded at three levels. From highest: Honor, Merit, Citation. As a component of design excellence, each embedded significant sustainability and building performance standards.
This year’s Residential Design Awards featured a single Honor level recipient: Pacific Landing Affordable Housing, Patrick Tighe Architecture. The Net Zero, LEED Platinum, 100% affordable housing project is designed for people living with disabilities and those on limited incomes.
“As a professional organization, AIA California advocates for new means to increase housing in the midst of California’s housing crisis; individually, architects demonstrate intelligent solutions through design excellence with which it can be realized,” said AIA California President Winston Thorne, AIA.
See a complete list of recipients below. For images of winners, comments from the jury on each project, and more, click here.
HONOR
Pacific Landing Affordable Housing (Santa Monica, California)
Architect: Patrick TIGHE Architecture
Jury Notes: This affordable housing project is designed with brilliant massing on the exterior and interesting courtyard interstitial space between the two main blocks. It’s a really well done project that has a feeling of restraint but its expression is fun and exuberant. That takes a lot of care and skill.
MERIT
House of Gables (Los Angeles, California)
Architect: Yu2e
Jury Notes: A modestly sized house with a clean, appealing design on an infill lot with exceptional attention on environmental performance. This project elevates its typology and shows a replicable all-electric home, net zero home.
lightBAR (Sacramento, California)
Architect: Regroup
Jury Notes: A rigorous, cost effective but compelling approach to form for a small infill multi-unit complex.
Low Carbon Farmworker Housing Prototype at Blue Dot Farm (Nicasio, California)
Architect: Arkin Tilt Architects
Jury Notes: A comprehensive and beautiful approach to a prototype that addresses a significant need in California: compact livable shared dwellings for farm workers. The jury appreciated the understanding of the vernacular of farm worker housing and how the prototype brought it into the 21st century with thoughtful sustainability features.
Meadow House (Carmel-By-The-Sea, Santa Lucia Preserve, California)
Architect: Mark English Architects
Jury Notes: A very well-done single-family residence. The jury was impressed by how it works with the topography–the sensitivity to the site is really fantastic–the warmth in the materiality, and the connection of the house to nature.
MLK1101 Supportive Housing (Los Angeles, California)
Architect: Lorcan O’Herlihy Architects [LOHA]Jury Notes: The jury admires the dynamic, artfully composed use of cost-effective materials in this supportive housing project, the thoughtful approach to environmental strategies and the successful arrangement of shared spaces to foster connection within a tight infill site. All elevate this complex beyond the ordinary.
Mourning Dovecote (Sonoma, California)
Architect: S^A | Schwartz and Architecture
Jury Notes: This innovative design incorporates nesting boxes for mourning doves into a small addition, uniting environmental response, poetic formgiving, and spatial drama.
Yale Mixed-Use (Santa Monica, California)
Architect: Patrick TIGHE Architecture
Jury Notes: A restrained multi-family project, with a clear material pallet that resisted the temptation to get too clever. The jury admired the straight forward approach to form and materials of this floating metal box with beautiful detailed windows.
CITATION
Lock Island Compound (Richmond, Virginia)
Architect: 3North
Jury Notes: The jury appreciated the thoughtful restoration of the Neutra house and the very precise, surgical interventions that pay homage to the original design, but don’t try to copy the original. Rather it tried to understand the original design and extend it through interventions.
Shelter Island House (Shelter Island, New York)
Architect: KoningEizenberg Architecture
Jury Notes: The jury appreciated the rigorous structural model – post and beam approach – that really carries through sets up light-filled interior spaces; really well done overall. Its focus on sustainability, its restraint and modestness are appreciated.
The Axolotl (Los Angeles, California)
Architect: Yu2e
Jury Notes: A multi-family residential project that is commendable for its clever densification of an infill lot into seven appealing apartments with one access stair; a thoughtful solution to the housing crisis.
The St. Clare at Capitol Park (Sacramento, California)
Architect: Page & Turnbull
Jury Notes: This re-use of a handsome existing building into high-density, well-located affordable housing is realized with a detailed and well-informed approach to environmental performance. It is a really wonderful upgrade.
Trestle Residence (California)
Architect: Aidlin Darling Design
Jury Notes: A beautiful, wonderfully detailed, single family residential project, with a very nice connection to the site, that generates spacial quality from an otherwise flat plan while integrating passive sustainable features.
The jury that reviewed and selected the 2024 AIA California Residential Design Awards recipients is comprised of:
About the American Institute of Architects California (AIA CA)
AIA California is dedicated to serving its members, and uniting all architecture professionals in the design of a more just, equitable, and resilient future through advocacy, education, and political action. The organization represents the interests of more than 11,000 architects and allied professionals in California. Founded in 1944, the AIA CA is the largest component of the national AIA organization. For more information, visit www.aiacalifornia.org
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