For Immediate Release
Washington, D.C., March 9, 2007 — The American Institute of Architects (AIA) announced today the 19 recipients of the 2007 Housing Committee Awards. The AIA’s Housing Awards Program, now in its seventh year, was established to recognize the best in housing design and promote the importance of good housing as a necessity of life, a sanctuary for the human spirit, and a valuable national resource.

The 2007 jury consisted of Jury Chair, Katherine Austin, AIA; Don Carter, FAIA; Jane F. Kolleeny of Architectural Record; Lisa Stacholy, AIA; and LaVerne Williams, AIA. The award recipients were selected from a record 236 submissions. The recipients will be recognized May 3 at the AIA 2007 National Convention and Design Exposition in San Antonio.

The jury recognized projects in four award categories: One/Two Family Custom Housing, One/Two Family Production Housing, Special Housing, and Multifamily Housing.

The DESIGNhabitat 2 House in Greensboro, Alabama received the Special Housing award. It recognizes outstanding design of housing that meets the unique needs of other specialized housing types such as single room occupancy residences (SROs), independent living for the disabled, residential rehabilitation programs, domestic violence shelters, and other special housing.

The DESIGNhabitat 2 Studio in the School of Architecture at Auburn University is headed by David W. Hinson, AIA. This home is the first designed for Habitat for Humanity to integrate high design quality goals, climate-appropriate design features and energy performance with the modular construction process and offers valuable lessons and perspectives for future initiates to integrate modular construction and affordable housing development.

“Well thought out spatial organization and environmental factors included for really efficient energy consumption. Organization of the house is simple and really responds to its environment…wonderful…sophisticated simplicity,” the jury said.

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