The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has announced the winners of the 2016 Housing Awards. As was the case with last year's selection, a variety of homes were given the nod, including a group of rural cabins, beautiful luxury homes, and affordable housing for homeless veterans.
The 10 winning projects are split into One/Two Family Custom Housing, Multifamily Living, and Special Housing categories. Below, we cover three standout examples.
Newberg Residence – Cutler Anderson Architects
We feature a lot of luxury homes at Gizmag but few take their place as well as Newberg Residence. Based in Newberg, Oregon, it takes the form of a bridge over a large pond. The project was carefully landscaped to ensure a strong connection with the surrounding farmland and visitors must make their approach to the home on foot through a forest.
Entry to the home is gained via the rear as the front leads right onto the pond and allows the owners to take a dive almost from their living room. Designed as a simple steel and wood structure, Newberg Residence comprises a kitchen, living/dining room and master bedroom. An indoor mudroom links the home with the garage and a small nearby guest house is connected via an outdoor covered walkway.
Whitetail Woods Regional Park Camper – HGA
Situated on a sprawling 456 acre (184.5 ha) plot in Farmington, Minnesota, HGA's Whitetail Woods Regional Park and Camper Cabins riff on the idea of a treehouse and provide a rural retreat to the public for a small fee.
The 227 sq ft (21 sq m) cabins sit on concrete pillars and boast generous glazing, which frames the beautiful forest. The red cedar glulam chassis, cedar and pine framing, and red cedar cladding ensure the cabins take their place among the trees perfectly. Inside, bunks and fold-away seating and sleeping areas mean the cabins can easily sleep six. As they are already shaded from the sun by the forest, the cabins require only passive natural ventilation to maintain a comfortable temperature.
Hog Pen Creek Retreat – Lake|Flato Architects
The Hog Pen Creek Residence was designed for a Bay Area couple looking to retire to Texas. Commissioned to create a strong connection with the outside, Lake|Flato Architects added features like a long boardwalk, outdoor living room (which serves as a point of entry into the home), and a two-story porch space.
The house is cooled by the prevailing breeze and many operable windows were carefully placed to take advantage of this. The L-shaped home was also built carefully so as to ensure no existing trees would be damaged, but when a tree was uprooted during a storm, it was salvaged, milled, and now decorates the dining table, desks, vanity tops, and shelving.
Head to the gallery to see the other winning projects for the American Institute of Architects 2016 Housing Awards.
Source: AIA