Arizona is in crisis. Arizona has the fourth worst affordable housing shortage in the country, according to a recent National Low Income Housing Coalition’s (NLIHC) Gap report, and among the cities, Phoenix was ranked as having the fourth most severe shortage in the country with 21 available and affordable units for every 100 households.
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, City of Phoenix rents have soared, burdening the finances of many low- and middle-income households, and home prices are up significantly, putting homebuying out of reach for more people. The number of people experiencing homelessness in Maricopa County is up, and the number of eviction filings in 2023 was on track to be the highest since the Great Recession era.
In September of 2023, to improve affordable housing options, Phoenix’s City Council approved the legalization to build attached or detached accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, to all single-family residential homes. Yet, there is still work to be done.
The AIA (American Institute of Architects) Phoenix Metro and the City of Phoenix are teaming up together to hold a design competition for schematic ADU designs in accordance with the City of Phoenix Ordinance G-7160 with the intent of helping to develop the City of Phoenix's ADU “Pre-Approved” Standard Plans Library.
A selection committee will evaluate each design submission. The winning designs will be awarded a cash prize. Additionally, funding will be provided by the City of Phoenix, to help selected winners complete their Standard Plan submittal package for the City of Phoenix. In addition to receiving a cash award, the winners of the competition will be credited with the schematic design of the ADU's. The winning designs will be displayed in an online gallery with images, descriptions, and information about the designer. Additionally, the City of Phoenix may also choose to promote the winning entries through their marketing of the ADU program to the public.
Competition Brief:
Click here for full competition brief.
Registration
Click here for on-line registration form. Upon registration, entrants will be assigned an identification number to include on the submission pdf. The assigned identification number should be included in all correspondence and should be the first two characters in the title of the electronic submission and the subject line of the submission email. Click here for printable registration form.
Only one member of a team must be identified when registering a new competition team. All members of a competition team must be identified upon submission of the competition entry.
Entry Fee
Entry fees are used to support the competition monetary awards and other competition expenses. Click here to pay on-line for registration fee. Checks made payable to AIA Phoenix Metro may be mailed to 30 North Third Avenue, Suite 200, Phoenix, AZ 85003, and must be postmarked by October 2, 2024. NOTE: We are experiencing issues with the on-line payment platform. Please complete registration by October 13 to receive your entry number. You will receive notification once the link is working.
• $100 for professional entries with at least one registered AIA member
• $150 for professional entries with no registered AIA members
• $25 for student entries
Schedule
As the competition organizer, AIA Phoenix Metro reserves the right to adjust the competition schedule as necessary. Any changes to the competition schedule will be communicated to entrants via the entrant’s contact email.
August 26 - Registration Opens, Start of Q&A Period. All questions must be sent to diana@aia-arizona.org
October 8 - Virtual Q&A Session (Open to all registrants) / Close of Q&A Period
October 9 - Responses to Q&A posted
October 13 - Registration Closed (Note: We have extended registration.)
October 14 - Submission Deadline: All entries due by 11:59 PM. All submissions must be sent to Diana@aia-arizona.org
December 3 - Awards Ceremony, Phoenix City Hall at 11:00 AM. (Details forthcoming)
Spring 2025 - Winning entries may be invited to present to various stakeholders after the conclusion of the competition