It's the season of architectural awards, and again this year, the American Institute of Architecture awarded awards to very special projects - those that put the most emphasis on the ordinary Earthlings who really live in these completed projects or houses.
The next ten houses, which he scrutinized American Institute of Architecture and awarded them, they are home to many clients - a fly-fishing enthusiast, a daredevil skier, a low-income retiree, an autistic adult, and an avid cyclist. Most of their houses are exceptional energy efficient, and some of them are even processed older abandoned buildings, but all of them undoubtedly are worth seeing. If for no other reason, to remind us, that architecture is also, respectively especially for people.
28th Street Apartments, Los Angeles
This historic, 80-year-old former Los Angeles YMCA building was the basis for Koning Eisenberg Architects' development design. Namely, it contains 49 apartments for abandoned and mentally disabled children and those without a roof over their heads.
Informal House, South Pasadena, California
architects Koning Eizenberg also designed the Informal House, a simple, cheap and efficient house that boasts massive sliding doors. It is very airy, as the air from the outside comes into the rooms through huge underground pipes.
Kicking Horse Residence, British Columbia
The sloping roof of the beautiful ski lodge in Kicking Horse is designed to allow snow to slide from critical stress points, and the architects, Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, sourced the wood for the construction from the surrounding forests.
Passive Park, Seattle
The plan for a passive single-family house that conserves energy through insulation is the work of NK Architects. Passive houses are also a novelty among American architects.
Sol Duc Cabin, Seattle
A fly-fishing enthusiast, he commissioned Olson Kundig Architects to build "a compact, maintainable, seemingly indestructible house for him and his wife to live in while fly-fishing." A small and pompous cabin was created, the steel shutters of which are easily locked while the couple is hunting for flies.
Topo House, Wisconsin
Designed by Johnsen Schmaling Architects, this country house in Wisconsin has built a highly efficient and robust home for avid cyclists who want to be close to bike paths – an area they predict can be hit by tornadoes and severe storms.
1221 Broadway, San Antonio
The abandoned building in San Antonio was long known as the largest homeless shelter, which they also managed. After selling it at auction, the owners turned to architects Lake|Flato to create something extraordinary, and they certainly did. They renovated the interior and transformed the aging house into a very energy efficient house.
Cherokee Studios, Los Angeles
The anodized aluminum facade of the Los Angeles apartment building was designed by Brooks + Scarpa, who made the building 40 percent more efficient than other similar buildings in Los Angeles.
Merritt Crossing Senior Apartments, Oakland, CA
The nonprofit senior housing was designed by Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects. The interior of the apartment is heated with water heated by the sun and photovoltaic panels, and the building uses only half the energy that buildings of this type usually use.
Sweetwater Spectrum Community, Sonoma, CA
Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects designed a residential home for autistic adults in Sonoma. The apartments are carefully designed and specially adapted for autistic people, who feel safe and happy in them.
See more photos of the best houses in the gallery
