2009 Best in American Living Awards Reveal What's Ahead for Residential Design

Judges Identify Six Major Trends that Will Influence the Architecture and Marketability of New Homes

February 25, 2010
HousingZone

The winners of the 2009 Best in American Living Awards (BALA) speak volumes about the future of residential design. Here's a look at six major design trends that BALA judges identified as they reviewed all of the entries:

A wide variety of architectural styles, but less regionalism. Victorian, Craftsman, contemporary and a host of other styles were represented in the 2009 BALAs. However, the style wasn’t always what you would expect for the region (for instance, an Italian villa in Pittsburgh). The judges also noted that there were more examples of authentic architecture and fewer eclectic designs.

Exquisitely detailed custom homes that bring the outdoors in. From a 1,136-square-foot guest house to a 12,000-square-foot estate, the BALA-winning custom homes exhibit superb craftsmanship and an innovative use of materials. They also break down the barriers between indoor and outdoor living space. The Neathermead residence, a custom home in Asheville, N.C., chosen as Home of the Year, embodies these trends with a design that is clean-lined and modern, yet warm and inviting inside. Local artisans used locally available materials such as cypress, walnut and wormy chestnut to give the interior its honey-colored tones. Core living spaces are organized around a large, glass-enclosed, indoor-outdoor pavilion for dining, relaxing and entertaining.

Creative, contemporary solutions for rental projects. Rental developments pack a lot of design punch, often aimed at a key demographic group: Generation Y, also known as the Millenials. Examples include the Eitel Building City Apartments in Minneapolis with its chic interior finishes and the Arthouse at Keller Center in Keller, Texas, a mixed-use project with a contemporary flavor. But aesthetics haven’t been ignored in affordable rental communities. Canopy in Gainesville, Fla., sites attractive three-story buildings among mature oak trees, while the Preserve in New Orleans takes its design cues from the neighborhood’s mix of industrial architecture and historic New Orleans homes.

Green technology that is more effectively integrated with quality architectural design. As one judge commented, “I would buy this house even if it wasn’t green.” Aesthetics have taken their place alongside sustainability. The awards for Best Green-Built Home went to an Atlanta high-rise; a rustic single-family home in New Hampshire; and a dazzling contemporary home in the Nevada desert. All of them stand on their own as impressive works of architecture.

Infill projects that target specific market niches. Infill housing has been one of the bright spots in the battered real-estate market of the last few years. Working in tandem with local municipalities and planning officials, builders and designers have come up with marketable solutions for all kinds of sites, both urban and suburban. Celsius 44, in the Riverfront Warehouse District of Petaluma, Calif., has been a hit with young professionals, offering loft-style condos and townhomes and proximity to the city center. In contrast, Traymore in Rose Valley, Pa., entices empty nesters with Arts and Crafts style carriage homes that pay homage to Rose Valley’s history and preserve the site’s natural beauty.

Simplicity of form inside and out. The BALA judges observed that historic, geometric shapes and forms were prevalent in many of the award-winning projects — no doubt because they appeal to a broader spectrum of buyers. Plan 1, a shingle-style home at The Classics at Miramonte in Mountain View, Calif., captures the flavor of California neighborhoods of the 1920s and 1930s. Interiors, too, have fewer add-ons such as trim and wall treatments, placing more emphasis on natural light and views.

A total of 67 winners in 37 categories were selected in the 2009 BALA competition. In addition to Home of the Year, the top awards included Room of the Year for the Asian-inspired poolhouse of a custom home in Petersburg, N.Y. Awards for community design went to Village Green Homes in Virginia Beach, Va., Saluda River Club in Lexington, S.C., and Lane Woods in Menlo Park, Calif.

The judges for the 2009 Best in American Living Awards were Sarah Peck, Progressive Housing Ventures, Malvern, Pa.; Victor Mirontschuk, EDI Architecture, New York, N.Y.; Kathy Browning, Design Consultants, Virginia Beach, Va.; Michael Poris, AIA, McIntosh Poris Associates, Birmingham, Mich.; and Loren Smets, vice president of architecture, Pardee Homes, Las Vegas.

About the Best in American Living Awards

Sponsored by Professional Builder magazine and the National Association of Home Builders, BALA showcases homes that demonstrate design excellence, are successful in the marketplace and exemplify the “Best in American Living.” The competition is now in its 26th year. Entries are judged by a panel of experts including home builders, architects and interior designers, and must demonstrate market success as well as first-rate design. To qualify for a 2009 award, homes must have been completed or communities opened between January 1, 2008 and July 15, 2009.

About Professional Builder

Professional Builder (www.probuilder.com) is published by Reed Business Information (www.reedbusiness.com/us), a leading business-to-business information provider with more than 80 market-leading publications and Web sites, as well as custom publishing, directories, research and direct-marketing lists. Reed Business Information is part of Reed Elsevier (NYSE: RUK and ENL), a world leading provider of professional information and workflow solutions in the Science, Medical, Legal, Risk Management and Business sectors.

About the National Association of Home Builders

The National Association of Home Builders is a Washington, D.C.-based trade association representing more than 200,000 members. NAHB is affiliated with more than 800 state and local home-builder associations around the country. For additional information, visit www.nahb.org.

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