2023 AIA|LA Residential Architecture Award Winners
Announced by the American Institute of Architects
Los Angeles

Projects ranged from affordable and supportive housing
to single-family and multi-family homes.

June 30, 2023 (Los Angeles, CA)—Twenty projects were recognized by the American Institute of Architects Los Angeles at its eighth annual Residential Architecture Awards ceremony last night. Two additional projects received the Climate Positive Award, sponsored by Southern California Edison. This inclusive awards program is open to firms of any size, with any number of years in practice. MASS Beverly graciously hosted the evening at its stunning West Hollywood showroom. 

+ 2023 Residential Architecture Award Winning Images

(For a complete list of winners plus jury notes, scroll down.)

AIA|LA members, as well as non-members, were eligible to submit residential projects located in the greater Los Angeles area, and/or anywhere in the world. Typologies included ADUs, Affordable Housing, and Temporary Shelter; Adaptive Reuse; and Multi-Family and Single-Family Homes. 

It was interesting to note that many winning projects incorporate criteria from other typologies, demonstrating common needs in today’s residential spaces, particularly multi-family housing. Illustrating this phenomenon, ‘Additions and ADU’ Merit winner Bonsai House (Venice, CA) designed by M Royce Architecture, incorporates sustainable elements such as solar electric panels and a high capacity 7,200 gallon stormwater collection tank. ‘Affordable Housing’ Citation winner, SP7/San Pedro House (Los Angeles, CA), designed by KFA Architecture, employs adaptive reuse through its substantial rehabilitation of 19 units in an existing building, creating a total of 100 permanent supportive housing units.

The integration of nature also features prominently among many of the award-winning projects. ‘Additions and ADU’ Merit winner Sunset Avenue Residence (Santa Monica, CA) designed by Griffin Enright Architects, is situated on a hillside and merges into the site, with a garden courtyard space that acts as an extension of the house.

Summit View Permanent Supportive Veterans Housing (Sylmar, CA), ‘Affordable Housing” Honor winner, designed by GGA+ and co-developed by LA Family Housing Corporation and Many Mansions, consists of four hillside wings interconnected by undulating landscaping and bridges, and sweeping vistas of the Hansen Dam recreation facility. The project’s incorporation of biophilic and trauma-informed design elements creates a place of calm and beauty for veterans experiencing long-term homelessness.

In the wake of the pandemic, and the shifting and evolving needs for office space that have come with it, ’Adaptive Reuse/Renovation/Historic Preservation’ Honor winner 8899 Beverly Boulevard (West Hollywood, CA), designed by Olson Kundig, exemplifies excellence in its conversion of a commercial building to a residential one. In addition, the project preserves its embodied energy through its reuse of the building’s existing concrete.

SCE has partnered with AIA|LA to recognize the achievement of exemplary residential projects that address climate-responsiveness, low-emissions, and resilient design considerations. Consistent with the principles of the AIA’s Framework for Design Excellence, the winning projects demonstrate how thoughtful architecture can reduce energy use, reduce a building’s carbon footprint, and eliminate dependence on fossil fuels, while optimizing performance, aesthetics, function, comfort, and enjoyment.

Selecting the ‘Climate Positive Award’ winners was Dave Intner, AIA, a licensed architect, LEED AP, and Certified Energy Manager with Southern California Edison’s Building Electrification and Codes & Standards team, who serves on the statewide AIA Committee on the Environment. 

The RAA jury included Rochelle Mills, President and CEO of Innovative Housing Opportunities (IHO), who is responsible for implementing the nonprofit’s vision and expanding its portfolio of high-quality affordable housing; Simon Ha, AIA, a partner at Steinberg Hart, with a deep expertise in urban mixed-use, residential, and civic projects; and Vince Bertoni, the Director of Planning for the City of Los Angeles. With over 30 years of professional planning experience, Vince leads the largest city planning department in the nation. 

Awards levels include Honor, Merit, and Citation, with Honor representing the highest-level award.

Winners and Jury Notes

Additions and Accessory Dwellings 

Honor
Plymouth ADU
Los Angeles, CA
Firm: Vertebrae
Photo: Art Gray

This is a primer on how to do the quintessential ADU. | Good integration into the neighborhood.  Simple solutions, like a tandem garage to give more frontage to the house and entry and not overpower the facade with a 2-car garage. | Simple, elegant and clean.

Merit
Sunset Avenue Residence
Santa Monica, CA
Griffin Enright Architects
Photo: Margaret Griffin, FAIA

This project demonstrated a masterful understanding of the site by turning its limitations into very special moments. | The connection from the main house and ADU through the various open spaces in the court, terrace, and roof/bridge seems well thought through. | Very nice indoor/outdoor transitions navigating the elevation challenges. | Admire the complexity of this job.

Merit
Bonsai House
Venice, CA
M Royce Architecture
Photo: Edmund Sumner

Seamless integration of ADU and home addition. Love the textures and relentless commitment to design continuity. | The play between the two living rooms visually connects the main house and the ADU but the separation by the bed of gravel makes it seem like two islands. | Storm water collection system is intriguing. It’s like having a private underground aquifer.  

Citation
Longwood
Los Angeles
Firm: Patrick TIGHE Architecture
Photo: Dex Hu

Stunning pool house and pavilion addition. | This project integrates the guest house, patio, and the pool into a single design. | Very unique one-of-a-kind design.

Affordable Housing
Honor
Summit View Permanent Supportive Veterans Housing
Sylmar, CA
Firm: GGA+
Photo: Rick Berryman

This project showed a mastery of the site, materials, and context—and is permanent supportive housing too! | The project demonstrates the important integration of biophilic and trauma-informed design, which is intriguing. | Materials and textures are refreshing.

Citation
Pacific Landing
Santa Monica, CA
Firm: Patrick TIGHE Architecture
Photo: Pavel Bendov

Affordable housing has a laundry list of social, environmental, and programmatic requirements from competing public and private entities. This project accomplished them all, plus artistic flair. | The sustainability features are really impressive.

Citation
SP7 / San Pedro House
Los Angeles, CA
Firm: KFA Architecture
Photo: Jonathan Ramirez

The wall exposing the glazing was exciting. | Pedestrian relationship is addressed well. | This will provide homes and services to 99 formerly unhoused individuals, including veterans! | Gardens and other amenities will truly make this feel like home.

Adaptive Reuse/Renovation/Historic Preservation 

Honor
8899 Beverly Boulevard
West Hollywood, CA
Firm: Olson Kundig
Photo: Joe Fletcher

Yes in every way! It celebrates the new and honors the past. | Office-to-residential conversion is going to be a necessity as a result of the pandemic that accelerated our adoption of technology to work from anywhere and to solve the housing supply and affordability crisis. This is a great example of how a class C office building can be converted to housing in an area where it is very difficult to build new multi-family housing at this scale.    

Merit
Curtis Avenue House
Manhattan Beach, CA
Firm: ras-a studio
Photo: Here and Now Agency

Its quietness is its superpower. Knowing when to stop is its gift. | Very creative approach for an addition resulting in a one-of-a-kind house that is respectful to the neighborhood context.  

Citation

Crestridge Residence
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
Firm: Colega Architects
Photo: Manolo Langis

Brava! Turns ho hum into hubba hubba. | Great design and execution. Love the use of the wood screen to provide privacy for the room and bathroom facing the driveway. | Creative approach, respectful to the context of the neighborhood. Created A-frame to the existing house with two floating rooms.

Multi-Unit Residential – SMALL

Honor
Purdue
Los Angeles, CA
Firm: Bittoni Architects
Photo: Michael Clifford

A simple and elegant design solution. | I like the simplicity of the two buildings with a quirky fun design. Doesn’t seem like a high-budget building but the composition and material selections have created a successful design. | Looks amazing from the street. Reads as a single-family residence in front.

Merit:
Periscope
Los Angeles, CA
Firm: Project M Plus
Photo: Meiwen See

A formidable solution to LA’s housing crisis without sacrificing the desire for detached living. | There is something really intriguing about the arrangement and varying scale/orientation of individual buildings. Six siblings with each having individuality but all working together as a family. | They jumped through many hoops to get this project completed. 

Multi-Unit Residential – MEDIUM

Honor
The Harland
West Hollywood, CA
Firm: OFFICEUNTITLED

I appreciate how the design adjusts its scale in response to its various neighbors. | Sides received different treatments because of the context of the neighborhood. The complex site has different frontages. | Tall, major frontage to step down the residential; honored the neighborhood that it’s in.

Single-Family Residential – SMALL

Citation
Oak Avenue House
Manhattan Beach, CA
Firm: ras-a studio
Photo: Here and Now Agency

The view from the sidewalk is a stunner. | Like the integration into the neighborhood. Simple. Like the tandem garage to give more frontage to house and entry, not overpowering facade with two-car garage, simple, clean design.

Single-Family Residential – MEDIUM

Merit
Bayview
Hermosa Beach, CA
Firm: Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney Architects
Photo: Matthew Millman

I love the elegance of the forms, voids, and shadows. | Great street presence, like the scale of the facade. | Clean, very hard site to work with, many restrictions, gave up interior space for exterior space (zoning). Like how they allowed for outdoor space, The elegant language of a beach house is not always in the front of the house. The great thing about beach houses is passageways–like how they have side entrances.

Citation
JARZM House
Los Angeles, CA
Firm: John Friedman Alice Kimm Architects
Photo: Benny Chan

Unapologetically in its own class. | Wanted to know more. Interesting concepts! | Its openness and transparency makes it feel far more spacious than its actual size. | The transparency throughout the space connects inside with outside.

Single-Family Residential – LARGE

Honor
SC Residence
Manhattan Beach, CA
Firm: Laney LA
Photo: Roger Davies

The texture of the concrete and warm wood tones is a fresh departure from the typical Manhattan Beach “beach house.” | Like the textured scalloped elements. Client pushed to do something that’s more than wood texture on the walls.  Balances light in the right way. Came together as a unique piece of architecture. Stand out is the white box/wood tone. It’s hard to stand out in this category but this design definitely elevates above the competition. | Big fan of the horizontal top.

Merit
Vertical Courtyard House
Santa Monica, CA
Firm: Montalba Architects
Photo: Kevin Scott

Great use of louvers. The Vertical Courtyard is a special moment and illuminates the entire interior. | Unique, innovative thinking about acquiring more square footage. Created a full, three-story house instead of a full basement. | Clearly told a compelling story. Presentation was very clear from the name to the images. Great all-around presentation!

Merit
The Beach House
Manhattan Beach, CA
Firm: Rockefeller Kempel Architects
Photo: Eric Staudenmaier

Soothing and understated. Shoutout to the in-floor heating! | Clean design. Brought above others because of sustainability, radiant floor heating, and solar.  Went above and beyond using geothermal. | Nice forms through street, gabeling, side entry court, nice composition. Thought things through; geometry was well done. Proportions are great!

Temporary Shelter 

Citation
Safe Landing
Los Angeles, CA
Firm: KFA Architecture
Photo: Jonathan Ramirez

The thoughtfulness and restrained design elements put the well-being of its residents first. No ego-tecture here! The design provides a calming respite for lives that may otherwise be filled with turmoil. | Uplifting without being overwhelming. Done very well. Site and programming deserves recognition. Use of colors is comforting and soothing. | Appreciate what they are trying to accomplish with sleeping areas that give flexibility within space. Appreciate the site plan and layout. They did not overdo color schemes, which were uplifting. Created structures that may seem temporary but rethought them in spaces for people to live.

Climate Positive Award Sponsored by SCE

Honor
Pacific Landing
Santa Monica, CA
Firm: Patrick TIGHE Architecture
Photo: Pavel Bendov

From Dave Intner, AIA: This LEED-Platinum certified, all-electric housing project, demonstrates that excellence in aesthetics, building performance, and occupant well-being can be deftly integrated into a transcendent design solution, and that the highest quality architecture can be made accessible to disadvantaged populations.

Citation
The Alvarado
Los Angeles, CA
Firm: KADRE Architects
Photo: Nerin Kadribegovic, FAIA

From Dave Intner, AIA: This project’s all-electric, solar-powered design, employed adaptive reuse and central heat pump systems to eliminate fossil fuel use on site and achieve significant reductions in both operational and embodied carbon. The combustion-free design provides a much healthier indoor environment for the project residents.

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