Matthew Segal
2012 RADA Project of the Year The Charmer, San Diego Jonathan S… 2012 RADA Project of the Year The Charmer, San Diego Jonathan Segal, FAIA, San Diego The Charmer, a 19-unit rental housing development in San Diego, looks to historic California courtyard communities as a model.
Matthew Segal
Jonathan Segal, FAIA, and Matthew Segal used asphalt shingles as… Jonathan Segal, FAIA, and Matthew Segal used asphalt shingles as siding to create a soft, unexpected texture.
Matthew Segal
The project steps down a sloping site and contains 5,000 square … The project steps down a sloping site and contains 5,000 square feet of retail on its east side. Plaster fins deflect sounds from the nearby freeway.
Matthew Segal
Permeable paving in the parking courtyard assists with stormwate… Permeable paving in the parking courtyard assists with stormwater drainage.
Matthew Segal
In addition to the main courtyard, patios and balconies help res… In addition to the main courtyard, patios and balconies help residents spend as much time as they please enjoying San Diego's balmy climate.
Matthew Segal
Some of the units overlook the courtyard, providing a natural fo… Some of the units overlook the courtyard, providing a natural form of built-in security.
Matthew Segal
Stucco, glass, and metal join asphalt shingles as The Charmer's … Stucco, glass, and metal join asphalt shingles as The Charmer's main exterior materials.
Matthew Segal
Open-plan interiors make the most of each unit's square footage.
Matthew Segal
Another interior view.
Jonathan Segal FAIA
A model of The Charmer.
Jonathan Segal FAIA
The project's lower level floor plan.
Jonathan Segal FAIA
A floor plan of the main level.
Jonathan Segal FAIA
The third level of The Charmer.
Jonathan Segal FAIA
The Charmer’s top level.
Jonathan Segal FAIA
A diagram showing the development's massing.
Jonathan Segal FAIA
A section drawing of The Charmer.
Benjamin Benschneider
The 2011 Project of the Year-winning Seattle live/work loft proj… The 2011 Project of the Year-winning Seattle live/work loft project includes a seven-story building featuring ground-level retail space, second-floor parking, and five stacked residential units. For more information about this project, click here.
Benjamin Benschneider
The "art doors" on the rear of the building act as own… The "art doors" on the rear of the building act as owner-controlled portals for furniture and large pieces of art.
Benjamin Benschneider
Residents can customize the placement of windows on the project'… Residents can customize the placement of windows on the project's long, north side, just as they can build out the unfinished loft spaces to their specifications.
Courtesy Olson Kundig Architects
Units are sold as raw space; shown is a concept for how a typica… Units are sold as raw space; shown is a concept for how a typical layout might look.
Courtesy Olson Kundig Architects
By turning the hand wheel inside each unit, owners can open the … By turning the hand wheel inside each unit, owners can open the attached art doors.
Tim Bies
A construction shot of one of the hand wheels.
Benjamin Benschneider
Brightly colored doors create a sense of interest at the street … Brightly colored doors create a sense of interest at the street level.
Tim Bies
The mixed-use building's active front elevation fits in nicely w… The mixed-use building's active front elevation fits in nicely with the area's residential and commercial context.
Tim Bies
A davit crane perches atop the back of the building, connecting … A davit crane perches atop the back of the building, connecting to a vertical, 80.5-foot-tall hinge.
Michael Hanson
Art Stable's architect, Tom Kundig, FAIA, shown inside one of th… Art Stable's architect, Tom Kundig, FAIA, shown inside one of the units.
Tim Bies
Kundig and his team permitted the exterior mild steel to oxidize… Kundig and his team permitted the exterior mild steel to oxidize in the damp Seattle air. "If you let things develop naturally, it becomes more authentic," he says.
Courtesy Olson Kundig Architects
A section drawing of Art Stable.
Tim Griffith
The 2010 Project of the Year-winning teahouses sit high up on a … The 2010 Project of the Year-winning teahouses sit high up on a hillside and are buffered by foliage. For more information about this project, click here.
Tim Griffith
Butt-jointed corners allow the buildings' edges to recede.
Tim Griffith
The project creates and contains a rarefied atmosphere of calm a… The project creates and contains a rarefied atmosphere of calm and well-being.
Tim Griffith
Earthbound concrete towers let the transparent boxes perch delic… Earthbound concrete towers let the transparent boxes perch delicately above the site.
Tim Griffith
A skylit full bath connects two of the teahouses.
Tim Griffith
The re-used, unfinished floorboards create a rough counterpart t… The re-used, unfinished floorboards create a rough counterpart to the new cedar ceiling. Read more about this project here.
Lawrence Anderson / Esto
A strategically fragmented street façade opens into a cou… A strategically fragmented street façade opens into a courtyard containing 2009 Project of the Year winner Habitat 825's circulation space. For more information on this project, click here.
Lawrence Anderson / Esto
Lawrence Anderson / Esto
Lawrence Anderson / Esto
Outdoor rooms for each unit take advantage of the mild Southern … Outdoor rooms for each unit take advantage of the mild Southern California climate.
Lawrence Anderson / Esto
Scooped-out balconies and terraces supply private outdoor rooms.
Lawrence Anderson / Esto
The columns supporting a second-story footbridge resemble the ba… The columns supporting a second-story footbridge resemble the bamboo that flourishes in the courtyard.
Lorcan O'Herlihy Architects
The lowered height of the building’s north side allows sunligh… The lowered height of the building’s north side allows sunlight to reach R.M. Schindler’s Kings Road House next door. Click here to read about this project.
Bill Timmerman
With a residential loft above and a two-level architecture studi… With a residential loft above and a two-level architecture studio below, the 2008 Project of the Year, Xeros Residence, wraps live and work functions in a 1,650-square-foot package. For more information on this project, click here.
Bill Timmerman
A lime-green, laminated glass balcony supplies a bold contrast t… A lime-green, laminated glass balcony supplies a bold contrast to the project's rusted steel building.
Bill Timmerman
Strategic shading, an industrial mesh screen, and a surrounding … Strategic shading, an industrial mesh screen, and a surrounding water element help passively cool the studio courtyard.
Bill Timmerman
Even in spots without the sun-shading mesh, the residence's glaz… Even in spots without the sun-shading mesh, the residence's glazing and overhangs work to frame mountain views but shun direct midday rays.
Bill Timmerman
The master lav is defined by a blue glass pop-out.
Bill Timmerman
A sumptuously curving stairway serves as the studio's grand flou… A sumptuously curving stairway serves as the studio's grand flourish. For more information on this project, click here.
Johnsen Schmaling Architects
The Camouflage House by Johnsen Schmaling Architects won the 200… The Camouflage House by Johnsen Schmaling Architects won the 2007 Project of the Year award. For more information on this project, click here.
Johnsen Schmaling Architects
The house recedes into the background, letting the forest domina… The house recedes into the background, letting the forest dominate the landscape.
Kevin J. Miyazaki Photo
Concrete retaining walls rise out of existing rock outcroppings,… Concrete retaining walls rise out of existing rock outcroppings, strengthening the building's connection to the site.
Johnsen Schmaling Architects
Alternating layers of glass, unfinished cedar, and glossy Prodem… Alternating layers of glass, unfinished cedar, and glossy Prodema give the fa??ade a dynamic quality.
Kevin J. Miyazaki Photo
Kevin J. Miyazaki Photo
Johnsen Schmaling Architects
A 4-foot post-and-beam structure suports the vivid exterior grid… A 4-foot post-and-beam structure suports the vivid exterior grid. The two-story side of the house looks out through the treetops and onto Green Lake.
Johnsen Schmaling Architects
For more information on this project, click here.
Torti Gallas and Partners
The Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza in Philadelphia by Torti Gallas… The Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza in Philadelphia by Torti Gallas and Partners of Silver Spring, Md, tied for Project of the Year in 2006.
Steve Hall/Hedrich Blessing Photography
The architects combined the buildings' main facade ingredients-b… The architects combined the buildings' main facade ingredients-brick, mortar, aluminum trim, and urethane detailing-in different patterns and color combinations to echo the variety of the existing streetscape. For more information on this project, click here.
Steve Hall/Hedrich Blessing Photography
Steve Hall/Hedrich Blessing Photography
Torti Gallas and Partners
Steve Hall/Hedrich Blessing Photography
In addition to replacing the old towers with smaller-scale housi… In addition to replacing the old towers with smaller-scale housing, Torti Gallas helped repair the urban fabric by filling in empty lots and rehabilitating existing buildings.
Steve Hall/Hedrich Blessing Photography
For more information on this project, click here.
Studio 804
(Tied for 2006 Project of the Year) By cantilevering Modular 1 o… (Tied for 2006 Project of the Year) By cantilevering Modular 1 over a slope and siding it with carefully spaced strips of FSC-certified massaranduba, architect Dan Rockhill and his students gave the house a light presence on the land. For more information on this project, click here.
Studio 804
Studio 804
A translucent plastic wall along the home's south side brings va… A translucent plastic wall along the home's south side brings valuable light inside without compromising the owners' privacy.
Studio 804
Modular 2's linear, straightforward floor plan bypasses an old e… Modular 2's linear, straightforward floor plan bypasses an old elm tree on the site, thus preserving a neighborhood landmark.
Studio 804
Sustainable materials like FSC-certified cypress siding, recycle… Sustainable materials like FSC-certified cypress siding, recycled flooring, and reused channel glass add a green dimension to the project.
Studio 804
For more information on this project, click here.
Steinkamp/Ballog Photography
Perkins+Will's Ralph Johnson, FAIA, used glazed garage wal… Perkins+Will's Ralph Johnson, FAIA, used glazed garage walls to integrate parking into the overall design of the 2005 Project of the Year, Contemporaine. For more information on this project, click here.
Steinkamp/Ballog Photography
Cantilevered balconies and floor-to-ceiling windows give each un… Cantilevered balconies and floor-to-ceiling windows give each unit glorious views.
Steinkamp/Ballog Photography
Varied building volumes echo the diverse character of the surrou… Varied building volumes echo the diverse character of the surrounding neighborhood.
Steinkamp/Ballog Photography
Inside, rough exposed concrete pillars complement refined hardwo… Inside, rough exposed concrete pillars complement refined hardwood floors.
Steinkamp/Ballog Photography
Contemporaine's strong roofline, defined by a concrete canopy an… Contemporaine's strong roofline, defined by a concrete canopy and projecting penthouse unit, establishes the building as a piece of skyline sculpture.
Perkins
A typical floor plan in Contemporaine. For more information on t… A typical floor plan in Contemporaine. For more information on this project, click here.
Hester Hardaway Photographers
An unassuming entry wall leads to this Lake Austin Residence by … An unassuming entry wall leads to this Lake Austin Residence by Lake/Flato Architects, the 2004 Project of the Year. For more information on this project, click here.
Hester Hardaway Photographers
Manmade water courts next to the existing canal allow house and … Manmade water courts next to the existing canal allow house and site to interlock. The evacuated landfill reappears in the form of a grassy, stone-edged peninsula.
Hester Hardaway Photographers
Though the house is just across Lake Austin from the city's down… Though the house is just across Lake Austin from the city's downtown, the architects managed to preserve its rural feel. Another stone wall at the rear of the site makes a private outdoor room of the pool area and shields a neighboring property from view.
Hester Hardaway Photographers
The transparent "boathouse" supplies the home's primar… The transparent "boathouse" supplies the home's primary entry point.
Hester Hardaway Photographers
A simple boardwalk connects a sequence of small buildings with t… A simple boardwalk connects a sequence of small buildings with the screened-in boathouse. "We're excited about the notion of a village along a canal," says principal in charge Ted Flato.
Lake/Flato Architects
The project's site plan. For more information on this project, … The project's site plan. For more information on this project, click here.
Paul Warchol Photography
From the glass pavilion's roofline to the bath/mudroom's white c… From the glass pavilion's roofline to the bath/mudroom's white clapboard cladding, Bob Gurney's design for this Blue Ridge farmhouse addition—the 2003 Project of the Year—pays tribute to the old house. For more information on this project, click here.
Paul Warchol Photography
The glass pavilion's transparency prevents it from upstaging the… The glass pavilion's transparency prevents it from upstaging the original farmhouse.
Paul Warchol Photography
Using stone obtained from the site, Gurney created a simple, for… Using stone obtained from the site, Gurney created a simple, formal entry path linking the addition with the driveway.
Paul Warchol Photography
Paul Warchol Photography
Original window frames and shutters in the remodeled kitchen hel… Original window frames and shutters in the remodeled kitchen help ease the transition between old and new sections of the house.
Paul Warchol Photography
Heart-pine floors serve the same purpose in the stairs and hallw… Heart-pine floors serve the same purpose in the stairs and hallway leading to the addition.
Paul Warchol Photography
Massive steel beams and double-glazed glass protect against the … Massive steel beams and double-glazed glass protect against the wind that whips around the living room walls. In nicer weather, French doors and operable windows permit the owners to transform the space into an almost-outdoor room. For more information on this project, click here.
James West/J West Productions
A large inverted roof is angled to provide shade for the 2002 Pr… A large inverted roof is angled to provide shade for the 2002 Project of the Year's many decks and porches during summer and admit sunlight in winter. For more information on this project, click here.
James West/J West Productions
The roof is also an essential component of the house's rain-coll… The roof is also an essential component of the house's rain-collection system.
James West/J West Productions
Architect Frank Harmon, FAIA, worked with client Jim Taylor to d… Architect Frank Harmon, FAIA, worked with client Jim Taylor to devise a collection of sliding doors, flaps, and shutters that enable the owners to seal off the house from storm winds and rain.
James West/J West Productions
James West/J West Productions
Each level contains private places to read, write, or just look … Each level contains private places to read, write, or just look at the ocean.
James West/J West Productions
James West/J West Productions
For more information on this project, click here.
Lara Swimmer
A bright, developer-chosen color palette helps differentiate the… A bright, developer-chosen color palette helps differentiate the cottages in Poulsbo Place, the 2001 Project of the Year, from one another effectively and inexpensively. For more information on this project click here.
Lara Swimmer
Architects William Kreager, FAIA, and Dick Bruskrud tied the com… Architects William Kreager, FAIA, and Dick Bruskrud tied the community together visually with crisp white trim and picket fences.
Lara Swimmer
Lara Swimmer
To maintain a 14-unit-per-acre density and still give buyers acc… To maintain a 14-unit-per-acre density and still give buyers access to outdoor space, Mithun designed the homes around common courtyards. When residents want to spend time outside, they have the choice of using either the shared courtyard or their own back porches. For more information on this project click here.
Julia Heine, McInturff Architects
Mark McInturff, FAIA, and Stephen Lawlor, AIA, of McInturff Arch… Mark McInturff, FAIA, and Stephen Lawlor, AIA, of McInturff Architects used thin metal deck railings and corner windows to lighten the 2000 Project of the Year's visual impact on the land. For more information on this project, click here.
Julia Heine, McInturff Architects
An exterior wall of corrugated metal reverses to a blank white c… An exterior wall of corrugated metal reverses to a blank white canvas for a custom-designed light sculpture (next picture).
Julia Heine, McInturff Architects
The custom light sculpture.
Julia Heine, McInturff Architects
The industrial material appears again inside, against a backgrou… The industrial material appears again inside, against a background of asphalt shingles.
McInturff Architects
For more information on this project, click here.
The 2013 Residential Architectt Design Awards had more than 600 entries, which were recently evaluated by our 4-person jury. This year’s jury of prestigious, award-winning architects who specialize in residential design, consisted of E.B. Min of Min/Day, Todd Hansen of Albertsson Hansen, Robert M. Cain, and Brian Messana of Messana O’Rorke.
Each year hundreds of Residential Architect’s readers submit their best work to the RA Design Awards competition to be judged by their peers. At the end reviewing entries in 15 categories and selecting those that stand above all of the other gorgeous projects, the jury of architects elevates one of the Grand award winners as the solitary Project of the Year (POY).
These best-of-the-best houses or housing projects vary in style, location, and program yet they all share sensitivity to their sites, programs that often demonstrate responsibility to occupants or environment, and enduring details that propelled them into this elite category. Our design award juries often engage in lengthy discussions about the merits of certain projects over others or philosophical debates on housing in general, but selecting the POY typically is one of their shortest debates. These projects seem to have something special that immediately catches the attention of all types of architects on our juries. POY winners from the past twelve years are gathered in this slideshow.
