The most exceptional new homes in North America, according to architects
Dubbed the Ghost Wash House, this residence sits along the hillside of Camelback Mountain in Paradise Valley, Arizona.
Along the windows, the house features a bar that shields its residents from the intense setting sun. The home spans 8,500 square feet and contains three bedrooms.
"The Ghost Wash House is not a house in the desert, but a house of the desert," the jury wrote.
In Austin, Texas, the South 5th Residence offers residents a very large living-room window.
The building is partially made from a rare type of oak.
The home is "very innovative, as are the structural approaches to dealing with a difficult site," the jury wrote, referring to Austin's zoning requirements for building around existing trees.
Overlooking the Hudson River in Manhattan, 150 Charles is a condo complex with a layered facade.
Some of the condos' living rooms open up to expansive patios.
"The use of green space throughout is exceptional," the jury wrote.
The design of the Underhill house in Matinecock, New York was inspired by the history of its location — an early Quaker settlement.
The home has a back courtyard that faces a garden.
The house has "a warm, welcoming modern design with a great use of wood and iron in its ceilings," the jury wrote.
Stationed along a remote lake shore outside of Toronto, this two-story residence serves as a vacation home. Its architects call it the Bear Stand.
The 3,300-square-foot retreat sits on a site that spans nearly 100 acres. Its wooden interiors take inspiration from the surrounding woods.
"The project shows a deep commitment to understanding the site," the jury wrote.
In Palm Springs, California, the Linea Residence G has a huge pool.
The home had a very low construction cost—one fourth the price per square foot as its high-priced neighboring residences. The architect has completed 200 similar homes in the Palm Springs region.
Linea Residence G won because it was relatively affordable to build but didn't sacrifice its modern design. "This house is remarkably beautiful and ... accentuates the nearby landscape," the jury wrote.
This home at 3106 St. Thomas in New Orleans is the first unit of a proposed housing project called Starter Home. It would provide affordable homes in some of the city's historic neighborhoods.
The design makes use of its unusual location in a narrow alley beside a warehouse and two-family home.
The jury considered the project innovative because of the way the home makes use of a tiny lot at an affordable price.
The Navy Green project, a 450,000-square-foot apartment complex in Brooklyn, New York, transformed a former naval site into a housing development that covers nearly an entire city block.
The complex includes four affordable, multi-family residential buildings, two rows of market-rate townhouses, retail space, and a central green space.
"The public green space is a fantastic amenity for all users," the jury wrote.
In Los Angeles, Mariposa1038 sits in Koreatown, one of the city's densest neighborhoods. The building's facade features an eye-catching window design.
All units have backyards or balconies and can be cooled by cross-ventilation. A rooftop deck provides skyline views.
The jury found Mariposa1038 "to be an exceptionally creative and appealing project." The judges said: "Conceptually it's quite simple, nonetheless it's wholly unique and beautiful."
In New Haven, Connecticut, Yale University recently built a dormitory complex in a 1920s Gothic style.
The complex holds Yale's Benjamin Franklin College and Pauli Murray College. It features dorms with 904 student beds, a 300-seat dining hall, a common room, a library, a lounge for faculty and special events, and shared academic and recreation spaces on the lower levels.
"It's stunning both in terms of its massive scale and and its careful attention to the tiniest architectural detail," the jury wrote.
The Crest Apartments in Van Nuys, California provide housing for 64 homeless families, including 23 veterans.
The 45,000-square-foot project includes studio apartments, community spaces for residents, social-services offices, a communal kitchen, a laundry room, a residents’ lounge, and a community garden.
"This project does an excellent job of embracing and addressing every aspect of its location," the jury wrote, adding that the building "embraces sustainability, low energy usage, and a healthy indoor living environment."
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