Working to address the challenges of designing affordable, single-family housing in a contextual manner.

Overview

Designers and architects are invited to submit ideas for a single-family house to be located within a local historic district. Working within established parameters for new construction in historic districts, competitors will be asked to design a home that meets the needs of a community but that is also aesthetically compatible within a historic context. 

• Background
• The Challenge
• Design Parameters
• Client​
• Submission Requirements
• Eligibility​​

• Judging Criteria
• Prize
• Schedule
• Public Meetings
• ​How to Submit
• ​Further Considerations, Notes, & Questions
  

 

Background

Old Shandon and Lower Waverly neighborhoods developed in the 1890s as one of the first suburbs of Columbia. Established as a local historic district in 2001, the Old Shandon/ Lower Waverly Protection Area is characterized by a diversity of historic house styles from Late-Victorians to Colonial Revival, all of which were fashionable during the area’s period of greatest development (1895-1940). 

While the historic nature of the area is still evident today, widespread demolition and lack of investment have left large portions of the Old Shandon/ Lower Waverly district fractured. Most evident in the eastern section of Lower Waverly, several blocks in the area have more vacant lots than they do houses. 

Additionally, Census data for much of the Lower Waverly area shows a median household income of just over $17,400 (40% of the City’s overall median income) and the median value of owner-occupied housing units at approximately $81,100 (about 50% of the City’s overall median owner-occupied housing value). Data also shows that only 23% of the homes in the Lower Waverly area are owner occupied. 

The design challenge will target two adjacent, vacant lots on the 2300 block of Pendleton Street within the Lower Waverly area. The remaining historic houses along the 2300 block of Pendleton Street demonstrate the idea of diverse housing forming a cohesive streetscape. The major period of development in this area was between 1910 and 1945. In this time, the houses along the block were built with similar setbacks, rhythm of openings, and massing while also each displaying their own unique detailing. Records show that by 1940 most of the 24 lots facing Pendleton Street in the 2300 block were occupied by houses. Today, only 12 historic houses remain within these 24 lots. 

Due to widespread demolition in the Lower Waverly area, the historic streetscape has become fractured with wide stretches of vacant land. Since the historic district was created in 2001, there have been four demolitions on the 2300 block Pendleton of non-contributing and structurally compromised buildings. No new construction has taken place on this block since 2008.

 

The Challenge

Designers and architects are invited to submit ideas for a single-family house to be located within a local historic district. Working within established parameters for new construction in historic districts, competitors will be asked to design a home that meets the needs of a community but that is also aesthetically compatible within a historic context. 

 

Design Parameters

SITE
The design challenge has identified two adjacent vacant lots within Lower Waverly. The lots are located at 2330 Pendleton Street and 2338 Pendleton Street. Each lot measures 45’ x 152.4’ with RG-1 and –DP zoning. 

---

PROGRAM
There is no minimum or maximum square footage, taking into consideration the underlying zoning restrictions related to lot coverage/setbacks and limitations of the allowed maximum resell value (listed below). While the overall design should have a highly contextual emphasis, competitors are encouraged to explore creative / innovative approaches to programmatic arrangement and distribution. Space allocation should be appropriate to the design proposal and the needs of the client. Design should include full MEP design considerations, allowing spaces for all proposed mechanical, electrical and plumbing equipment.

Required Interior Spaces

• Bedrooms - minimum of 2 
• Bathrooms - minimum of 1 
• Kitchen 
• Living area  
• Storage space​

Required Exterior Considerations
Planning for off street parking should be addressed as an integral component of the overall design strategy. Parking/driveway area must meet criteria for review of driveways and vehicular parking areas within historic districts as described in Section 17-674 of the City Ordinance.

---

DESIGN / MATERIALS

• The overall design and material usage should reference historic context along the street. All entries should address the requirements of height, size and scale, massing, directional expression, setback, sense of entry, rhythm of openings, roof shape, and materials textures and details as described in the Old Shandon/ Lower Waverly Design Guidelines for new construction. Any proposed outbuildings should also meet the requirements for outbuildings as described in the guidelines. 
• Consideration should be given to flexibility of design to allow for variation in details if desired by client/homeowner. Design flexibility may be expressed in window configuration and placement, porch details, roof form, door design, etc.
• It should be assumed that all design submissions would also require approval from the Design/Development Review Commission, the quasi-judicial board tasked with upholding City historic district design guidelines to ensure existing historic character remains protected against incompatible infill or changes.  
• Vinyl, PVC, and other plastic building materials will not be allowed on the main or on any proposed accessory structures. ​

---

​​BUILDING CODE & ZONING
All designs must meet current building code and zoning requirements (setbacks, lot coverage, etc.).

---

​​PRICE
Sale price of the finished house should not exceed $120,000.

 

Client

Application should consider the type of homeowner being designing for. It should be assumed that client is low or moderate income. Low income includes households that earn 50-80% of the Area Median Income (AMI) and moderate income includes households earning 80-120% AMI. The specific client type is at the discretion of the applicant (a small family, young professional, an older client with needs for aging in place, etc.) and can differ for each lot. Application requirements (listed below) will require design competitors to describe the potential client that each house design was meant to accommodate. 

Submission Requirements

NARRATIVE
400 words (max) response to each of the following questions:

• How do the proposed designs respond to the historic context of the neighborhood/block while still ensuring affordable and livable spaces? 
• What type of homeowner do you see living in these houses? How do the proposed designs support the needs of the clients?
• How do the designs balance modernity while still being sensitive to the context of this district?
• Do the designs include any sustainability considerations? If so, does it impact the affordability of the build?
• In what ways do the designs allow for flexibility for different clients? 
• What would you anticipate the list price of each property being?

ARCHITECTURAL DRAWINGS
Include dimensions where applicable.

• Overall Site Plan; 1/16” = 1’-0” (include context of neighboring houses and driveway location) 
• Streetscape context elevation drawing; ¼” = 1’-0” (to include the design both proposed houses and neighboring houses as seen from Pendleton St.)
• All Proposed Floor Plans of each design; ¼” = 1’-0” 
• All Building Elevations of each design; ¼” = 1’-0” 
• (1) Building Section for each design; ¼” = 1’-0” 
• (1) High resolution rendering of each design

COST BREAKDOWN

MATERIALS LIST

Assemble your competition entry as a single pdf document no larger than 10MB. Entries will be viewed electronically as well as printed out on 8.5” x 11” paper for each jury member.

Eligibility

Entries will be accepted for individual as well as teams. Projects previously submitted for awards or competitions are ineligible. It is strongly recommended that each team include a licensed architect.

Judging Criteria

Submittals will be judged BY A PANEL?? based upon the following criteria:

• Compliance with all submission requirements
• Adherence to the design parameters
• Responsiveness to neighborhood and site context 
• Variety in proposed designs
• Believable constructability within identified budget parameters
• Suitability of design for intended use
• Consideration of potential homeowner’s needs
• Aesthetic merit

Prize

$5,000-$10,000
With contract to sell plans to interested parties

Schedule

LET'S MAKE THIS A GRAPHIC IN INDESIGN - ALONG A LINE -  AND EXPORT AS A PNG - I COULD USE SHANE'S TIMELINE GRAPHIC FROM THE POPULATION CHAPTER AS A BASE - BUT MAKE IT A TRANSPARENT PNG :)
April 5: Competition Announcement
April 12: Competition Open & Website Live
May 3-7: Public meetings & deadline for questions
May 28: Answers to all questions posted online
June 17: Submission Deadline
July 5-9: Competition Jury
July 16: Competition Winners Announced

Public Meetings

Two virtual public meetings will be held with City and AIA representatives. Designers are encouraged to attend at least one of these meetings. The meetings will be held virtually on May 3, 2021, 6-8pm and May 5, 2021, 6-8pm. Virtual meeting information will be released online prior to the meetings.
​
Applicants should incorporate into their design submission relevant feedback from these meetings. 

How to Submit

1. Fill out the Online Registration Form to obtain a unique Registrant ID# for your competition entry.
2. Save your competition entry as a single pdf document no larger than 10MB.The file should be saved as a pdf file named “registrantID#_entry”.
3. Email your file to preservation@columbiasc.gov with subject line “Design Competition Entry_(registrant ID#)”.