No. All are invited to submit designs suitable for aging-in-place that meet the criteria described here.

The competition does not include financial support for submitters. Winning entries will receive a cash prize and publicity via the competition announcement.

All submissions must be made digitally. See the Competition Guidebook and contact hannahp@udinstitute.org if you have further questions.

Submissions will be judged anonymously. Please include your project’s name, your name and contact information on the cover page of the PDF drawing set. Include ONLY the project name on all other pages of your submission. The cover page will not be seen by the jury during the judging process.

There are many residential design competitions each year. In spite of the enormous growth in the number of older adults and the lack of appropriate housing, none of them focus on homes with universal and age-friendly features. Competitions such as this are intended to begin to change public and professional awareness of the need for more universal homes, and to showcase good examples.

We selected the competition criteria to include essential universal design features that make a significant impact in the lives of residents. This relatively short list of age-friendly features should make the design process simpler and incorporate design elements the jury can meaningfully evaluate. The competition criteria are a subset of a longer and more comprehensive home feature list. Feel free to include additional age-friendly items, features, elements, or products that might enhance the home’s usability.

Yes, as long as the design elements are consistent with local building codes. The intent of this competition is to serve as a catalyst for key conversations regarding current codes and potential changes that might better serve the needs of the community.

The smaller, middle-income housing (MMH) in this competition is regarded as more affordable than traditional homes. With smaller units, MMH can provide housing at price points attainable to many middle-income households. MMH is not considered deeply affordable -- a housing category that targets households below 80% of area median income. The MMH in this competition should be financially feasible for middle-income residents earning between 80–120% of area median income.

We are asking for universally designed (UD) submissions which are inherently age-friendly. Age-friendly features such as step-free entrances, wider doorways, and bathrooms with maneuvering room all make living easier for people who use walkers or wheelchairs. All UD housing is more easily customizable and adaptable than traditional homes. For instance, bathrooms include grab bars, shower benches, and open kneespace. View the Resources section of the website for more guidance.

To be successful, a UD home needs to have generally accommodating features integrated that are both higher function than traditional housing and appealing to a mainstream audience. Traditionally rendered accessible home features might include add-on ramps, grab bars, lowered counters, and open knee space. While these are great features for some, they generally are not useful to most residents. A UD needs to look like other homes in a community, inside and out.

The competition will not specifically reward submissions using LEED. We are looking for projects that incorporate green building features, like stormwater management, passive heating and cooling, and sustainable materials. Consider short- and long-term environmental impact when developing your design.

These are smaller than traditional single-family detached dwellings and are not intended for large households.

We will accept either, but one garaged parking spot is required per dwelling.

The unit size minimum refers to interior space measured from the inside faces of the design’s exterior walls. If the home is two stories it is the total square footage of both floors. Unconditioned porches, patios, and decks are not included in the square foot calculation.

Yes.

Outreach was intentionally designed to reach a diverse audience. Additional points will automatically be added to entries submitted by women and minority-owned businesses.

Yes, we welcome you to submit designs of existing homes as long as the design can be replicated and located on the given site(s).