Custom Builder

Custom Builder Design Challenge

-- 6/16/2009

NEW: Design Challenge Deadline Extended to September 21, 2009!

Have a question about the Design Challenge?

See our Frequently Asked Questions below.

Click to download the 2009 Design Challenge Registration Form

Custom builders, architects, design professionals and students are invited to showcase their skill and ingenuity with creative solutions to the annual Custom Builder Design Challenge.

I’m excited to announce that the Custom Builder Design Challenge is back! We’re putting our readers’ design skills to the test with an all-new program for a multigenerational household.

The clients are a baby-boomer couple with three children ranging in age from 5 to 18. Living with them are elderly grandparents whose mobility is limited. They want to build a custom home on a suburban lot measuring 90 feet by 150 feet. The Challenge: to design a residence of no more than 3,500 square feet and three stories, including basement.

All entries must be original designs, never before built. Judges will use floor plans, front and rear elevations, plats and, where appropriate, interior elevations and renderings to pick first-, second- and third-place winners. We’ll also recognize the best design submitted by a student.

There's no entry fee, so you can submit as many designs as you like.

We received some great entries last year and we’re hoping to raise the bar even higher. Show us the dream home you’d create for these fictional clients — enter the 2009 Custom Builder Design Challenge!

Thanks in advance for participating, and good luck.

Susan Bady
Senior Editor, Design
Custom Builder

THE CHALLENGE: Design a one-of-a-kind custom home on a suburban lot for a multigenerational household. Total square footage (finished and unfinished) cannot exceed 3,500 square feet on three levels: basement, main floor and second floor. The basement should be at least partly finished as living space and therefore have some type of egress. In this particular community, there is a height restriction of 30 feet.

Additional details and requirements for the 2009 Custom Builder Design Challenge are contained on the Entry Form: Custom Builder Design Challenge Entry Form (PDF: 116KB)

Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader Version 7 or later. Download now here. (The download is free.)

All entries must be original designs, never before built. Entry deadline has been extended to September 21, 2009.

Winning entries will be featured in the November 2009 issue of Custom Builder and on CustomBuilderOnline.com. They will also be displayed at Professional Builder's Show Village at the International Builders' Show in Las Vegas, January 19-22, 2010.

2009 Custom Builder Design Challenge: Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can you provide information about the surrounding topography or adjacent properties?

A: Both the site and the clients are fictional. Use your imagination to determine neighborhood context, or base it on communities in your local market.

Q: How is the building height measured?

A: From the finish grade to the roof ridge, the house should be no more than 30 feet high, excluding a cupola or chimney.

Q: In which direction does the house face?

A: Let your design dictate the orientation of the house, keeping in mind that sustainability/energy efficiency is an important component of the Challenge.

Q: In what region or climate zone is the home located?

A: Since this is a national competition, we do not specify geographic area or climate. We suggest that you design according to the requirements of your local market and weather conditions.

Q: Should the basement be below grade or walkout?

A: Since the lot is flat, the basement should be at least partly below grade. Make sure you provide a means of egress and a natural light source, as the basement will be used as living space.

Q: On what dimension of the lot is the street side?

A: The street can be either on the 90-foot or 150-foot side of the lot.

Q: Do you require a full set of working drawings in order to see which sustainable materials are specified?

A: Working drawings are not a requirement, but you should either submit a list of recommended materials or call out those materials on a rendering or elevation.

Q. If basements are not an option in my locale, due to either municipal constraints or site conditions, can the basement be eliminated from my design?

A. Yes, as long as living space totals 3,500 square feet and the design complies with the other requirements of the Challenge (building footprint, setbacks, easements, etc.). For example, in lieu of a basement you might design an upper- level game room or a second family room.

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