This event highlights the finalists of the 2025 John Stewardson Memorial Fellowship in Architecture and the Community Design Collaborative’s citywide initiative, Finding Philadelphia’s Missing Middle Housing, supported by AARP and AIA Philadelphia. The finalists’ designs will be on view during the DesignPhiladelphia Festival, October 1–12.

This year’s competition challenged Pennsylvania architecture students and recent alumni to reimagine Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) as compact, inclusive, and sustainable responses to Philadelphia’s housing crisis. Entries explored how ADUs can serve aging residents, multigenerational families, and low-income households while fitting seamlessly into existing neighborhoods.

The “Missing Middle” initiative addresses the city’s housing affordability gap through community-driven strategies for equity, affordability, and livability; particularly urgent in the wake of the pandemic and ongoing concerns about racial equity and housing insecurity. Supported by an AARP Housing Choice Design Competition Demonstration Grant, the project features public workshops, educational resources, and exhibitions to engage residents in shaping housing solutions that reflect their needs and aspirations.

Join us for an evening of learning and celebration as we showcase innovative student designs and honor the 2025 Stewardson Fellowship awardees.

(Learn all about the John Stewardson Memorial Fellowship in Architecture HERE.)