This competition is part of a strategic partnership between Buildner and ArchDaily that aims to explore "The Contemporary Home".

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Introduction

COMPETITION ORGANISERS
Denver 
Single-Stair 
Housing Challenge
Official partners

Point access block (PAB) housing, also known as single stair housing, is a common and efficient residential design used in urban environments across most of the world. This design, characterized by a single staircase that serves all units, supports high-density living, promotes walkable neighborhoods, and enhances urban sustainability. However, despite its benefits, this housing typology is largely absent in North America due to stringent building codes that mandate dual staircases for buildings above two or three stories. These outdated regulations have contributed to the housing crisis by limiting the diversity and affordability of housing options.

 

Single-stair housing is characterized by a single staircase that serves all units in the building. This design allows for smaller, narrower buildings that can fit on modest lots, making them a practical option for urban areas. These buildings are prevalent in many desirable neighborhoods globally, offering a space-efficient and cost-effective solution to urban housing needs by maximizing land use and fostering walkable communities. Single-stair housing is also working well in the U.S., as exemplified by successful implementations in Seattle (image bottom left).

Buildner and SAR+ Architects are proud to launch the Denver Single-Stair Housing Challenge, the 18th competition in Buildner's Affordable Housing Challenge series. This competition aims to address the housing crisis in Colorado by inviting innovative design solutions for mid-rise, single-stair housing.

The Denver Single-Stair Housing Challenge calls on architects, designers, and urban planners from around the world to reimagine the potential of PAB housing in the U.S. Participants are tasked with designing mid-rise buildings, up to six stories high, on underutilized lots in Denver. These designs should not only comply with the existing zoning and urban planning goals of Denver but also propose innovative solutions to overcome the regulatory barriers that currently hinder the implementation of single-stair housing.

The Competition Site

There is no mandatory site selected for this competition. Participants can find and choose any underutilized, vacant site in Denver, Colorado, that is 6,000 square feet or less. The chosen site must be an open lot without any existing structures.

Alternatively, participants can use the site we have selected for them. This designated site is located at 1338 Emerson St and currently exists as a surface parking lot. It is situated in the heart of the Capitol Hill neighborhood, benefiting from its proximity to key public transit routes along Colfax and 12th Avenues. This location aligns with Blueprint Denver's vision of complete neighborhoods and integrated transportation networks.

The optional Denver Single-Stair Housing Challenge project site is at 1338 Emerson St in Denver, Colorado. Nestled in the heart of the Capitol Hill neighborhood, the site benefits from its proximity to key public transit routes along Colfax and 12th Avenues, aligning with Blueprint Denver’s vision of complete neighborhoods and transportation networks. Situated along bike-friendly Emerson Street, the site is ideally positioned to support sustainable and active urban living. This prime location offers participants the opportunity to design a residential building that integrates seamlessly into a vibrant, well-connected neighborhood. 

Site photographs, video, CAD plan are available for download.

With this competition, we aim to explore and highlight the limitations of outdated building codes and strive for change. By showcasing innovative designs, the competition seeks to influence policy changes that will allow for more diverse, affordable, and sustainable housing solutions in Colorado and beyond.

Download the full competition brief for more information!

Competition is open to all. No professional qualification is required. Design proposals can be developed individually or by teams (4 team members maximum). Correspondence with organizers must be conducted in English; All information submitted by participants must be in English.

Brief

The full competition brief can be downloaded as often as required; no additional information will be provided after registration.

(!) FULL COMPETITION BRIEF

  • SITE CAD
  • SITE PHOTO & VIDEO
Download brief

Prizes

Prize fund

20,000 $

1ST PLACE

10,000 $

2ND PLACE

5,000 $

3RD PLACE

3,000 $

Buildner Student Award

1,000 $

(more details)

Buildner Sustainability Award

1,000 $

(more details)

6 Honorable mentions & certificates

Buildner will acknowledge the outstanding performance of all winners and honourable mentions with Certificates of Achievement.

Publicity campaign

Buildner's publicity campaign offers extensive exposure to the architectural community, ensuring that the results of the competition are seen by a vast audience:

Buildner's two million

The results are published on buildner.com, a leading website in the architecture industry, attracting over one million unique visitors annually. Additionally, the campaign extends to Buildner's social networks, which boast over 800,000 followers combined, and through newsletter campaigns reaching over 200,000 subscribers.

Interview and movie

Winners will have the opportunity to submit a movie and an interview, boosting their recognizability and helping to build their name in the industry.

Extensive media network

Buildner leverages an extensive network of media industry leaders to publish the competition results. This broadens the audience further, ensuring that participants' work is showcased across multiple platforms known for their influence and reach in the architecture and design sectors.

Publicity

ArchDaily feature

As part of the collaboration between Buildner and ArchDaily, the competition winners will be showcased on ArchDaily, a leading architecture news platform.

This feature will greatly boost the winners' visibility to millions of architecture professionals and enthusiasts worldwide, increasing their chances for new opportunities, attracting new clients, and establishing their reputation in the industry.

Read more about Buildner and ArchDaily partnership
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Jury members shall under no circumstances be contacted by competition participants or their representatives. Participants who attempt to contact jury members, shall be disqualified.

All jury members are involved in the evaluation based on their availability at that time. All communication regarding the competition should only be carried out with Buildner staff. For any questions please contact us on [email protected]  

Cole Chandler

City and County of Denver

USA

Michael Eliason

Larch Lab

USA

Lauren Folkerts

HMH Architecture + Interiors

USA

Jon Gambrill

Gensler

USA

Kate Hilbert

Real Estate Development, Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver

USA

Matt Hutchins

CAST Architecture

USA

Sean Jursnick

SAR+ Architects

USA

Peter LiFari

Maiker Housing Partners

USA

Terra Mazzeo

Stantec

USA

Sarah Parady

Denver City Council

USA

Todd Wenkoski

Livable Cities Studio

USA

Key dates

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Registration fees

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ADVANCED

19 Sep - 06 Nov

120 €

full award package

80 €

no monetary award

110 €

full award package

80 €

no monetary award

LAST MINUTE

07 Nov - 12 Dec

140 €

full award package

100 €

no monetary award

120 €

full award package

90 €

no monetary award

ADVANCED

19 Sep - 06 Nov

120 €

full award package

80 €

no monetary award

110 €

full award package

80 €

no monetary award

LAST MINUTE

07 Nov - 12 Dec

140 €

full award package

100 €

no monetary award

120 €

full award package

90 €

no monetary award

+4.5% VAT

 

STUDENT REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS


Contact us to receive special student rates for group registrations (discount applies for 3+ registrations from one university/school) and to receive further information and support for getting your students involved in architecture competitions. Send us request from your university email address along with basic information about yourself and your university/school. Please note that only recognized university staff can apply for the reduced student rate.

To register, simply click on "Register Now," fill out all necessary fields, select your preferred payment method, and submit your details. You will be redirected to PayPal or a card payment gateway to settle the competition fee. Upon confirmation of your payment, we will send you an email containing your Unique Identification Code (UIC). You must then log in to your Buildner account using your architecture.info credentials and validate your UIC to complete the process. Learn more here - https://architecturecompetitions.com/how-to-enter-a-competition
You can add/remove/edit team member information as often as you want in the upload panel, up until the submission deadline. Learn more here - https://architecturecompetitions.com/how-to-add-team-members-after-april-2023
Yes. If the jury panel selects a Student award's submission for the top 3, it will automatically be awarded both prizes.
Yes. If the jury panel selects a Sustainability award's submission for the top 3, it will automatically be awarded both prizes.
No. Competition entries are evaluated anonymously. The participant registration type is only revealed upon the announcement of the results.
Please contact us – [email protected] and we will address the problem directly.
The short answer is yes, you may submit a previously published design concept as long as you are the author. Before re-submitting your project, please carefully read the following clarification points listed here - architecturecompetitions.com/resubmit-your-design
As AI-generated images may be based on pre-existing work or generated using proprietary algorithms, it is best to check the specific terms and conditions of the AI tool used to generate the image to determine its ownership status. It may also be necessary to seek legal advice to fully understand the ownership rights and any restrictions that may apply. In general, it is not recommended to consider AI-generated images as your sole work or intellectual property unless you have obtained explicit permission to do so.
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