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DENVER SINGLE-STAIR HOUSING CHALLENGE

Submission: 23rd January 2025 Registration: 12th December 2024 Language: English Prizes: 20,000 $ Type: Open

Point access block (PAB) housing, also known as single stair housing, is a common and efficient residential design used in urban environments across most of the world. This design, characterized by a single staircase that serves all units, supports high-density living, promotes walkable neighborhoods, and enhances urban sustainability. However, despite its benefits, this housing typology is largely absent in North America due to stringent building codes that mandate dual staircases for buildings above two or three stories. These outdated regulations have contributed to the housing crisis by limiting the diversity and affordability of housing options.

Buildner and SAR+ Architects are proud to launch the Denver Single-Stair Housing Challenge, the 18th competition in Buildner’s Affordable Housing Challenge series. This competition aims to address the housing crisis in Colorado by inviting innovative design solutions for mid-rise, single-stair housing.

The Denver Single-Stair Housing Challenge calls on architects, designers, and urban planners from around the world to reimagine the potential of PAB housing in the U.S. Participants are tasked with designing mid-rise buildings, up to six stories high, on underutilized lots in Denver. These designs should not only comply with the existing zoning and urban planning goals of Denver but also propose innovative solutions to overcome the regulatory barriers that currently hinder the implementation of single-stair housing.

The Competition Site

There is no mandatory site selected for this competition. Participants can find and choose any underutilized, vacant site in Denver, Colorado, that is 6,000 square feet or less. The chosen site must be an open lot without any existing structures.

Alternatively, participants can use the site we have selected for them. This designated site is located at 1338 Emerson St and currently exists as a surface parking lot. It is situated in the heart of the Capitol Hill neighborhood, benefiting from its proximity to key public transit routes along Colfax and 12th Avenues. This location aligns with Blueprint Denver’s vision of complete neighborhoods and integrated transportation networks.

 

With this competition, we aim to explore and highlight the limitations of outdated building codes and strive for change. By showcasing innovative designs, the competition seeks to influence policy changes that will allow for more diverse, affordable, and sustainable housing solutions in Colorado and beyond.

Download the full competition brief for more information!

Competition is open to all. No professional qualification is required. Design proposals can be developed individually or by teams (4 team members maximum). Correspondence with organizers must be conducted in English; All information submitted by participants must be in English.

Prizes

Prize fund 20,000 $
1ST PLACE 10,000 $
2ND PLACE 5,000 $
3RD PLACE 3,000 $
Buildner Student Award 1,000 $
Buildner Sustainability Award 1,000 $

6 Honorable mentions & certificates

Buildner will acknowledge the outstanding performance of all winners and honourable mentions with Certificates of Achievement.

Date: September 16, 2024