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| 24 Sep 2025 | |
| Chapter News |
Philadelphia, PA — September 19, 2025 — The John Stewardson Memorial Fellowship in Architecture has announced the winners of the 2025 Stewardson Design Competition—an anchor component of Finding Philadelphia’s Missing Middle Housing, a citywide initiative led by the Community Design Collaborative with support from AARP and AIA Philadelphia. Finalists in the competition will be presenting their designs and participating in a panel discussion on Monday, October 6, 2025 at 5:30pm at the Center for DesignPhiladelphia, located at 1218 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107.
The 2025 competition challenged Pennsylvania architecture students and recent alumni to reimagine the Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) as a compact, inclusive, and sustainable response to the city’s housing crisis. Participants were asked to push the limits of regulatory frameworks and design ADUs that could serve aging residents, multigenerational families, and low-income households—while blending seamlessly into existing neighborhoods.
This design challenge is part of a broader public initiative addressing Philadelphia’s long-standing housing affordability gap. In the wake of the pandemic and amid heightened attention to racial equity and housing insecurity, the Missing Middle project promotes community-driven strategies to advance equity, affordability, and livability in urban neighborhoods. Supported by an AARP Housing Choice Design Competition Demonstration Grant, the initiative also features public workshops, educational resources, and exhibitions aimed at engaging residents in shaping housing solutions that reflect their needs, histories, and aspirations.
This year marked a return to the original spirit of the Stewardson Fellowship—established by Frank Furness and Frank Miles Day in memory of John Stewardson—to foster architectural study and collaboration. The 2025 edition emphasized equity and accessibility by waiving entry fees, welcoming alumni, and supporting both individual and team submissions.
Entries were evaluated on a weighted rubric:
“Planting A Seed”
Adeniyi Onanuga, Alexander Puerto (Drexel Alumni), Colin Cooper (Drexel Student)
This proposal envisions ADUs as hubs of agricultural and social stewardship, pairing a mixed-use rowhouse with an ADU and shared green commons. Using low-impact materials and climate-adaptive infrastructure, it combines food production, aging-in-place strategies, and flexible commercial use. The framework transforms underutilized lots into regenerative systems that support both community and ecological resilience.
“Pitch and Porch”
Varsha Iyer (UT Austin Alumni), Yalan Zhang (University of Michigan Alumni), Janani Suriyanarayanan (Syracuse University Alumni)
A “village of roofs and roots,” this design weaves five townhomes and five ADUs around shared courtyards, gardens, and gathering spaces. Solar power, rainwater harvesting, and thoughtful transitions create a sustainable, multigenerational community that balances accessibility, privacy, and connection.
“Lean Loft”
Rachel Sasson (Drexel Alumni)
Reimagining Philadelphia’s tightest backyard lots, this compact ADU transforms a 16-foot-wide site into a spacious, light-filled home. A sculptural threshold opens to a double-height living space where modular construction and high-performance materials maximize adaptability and comfort. As a replicable model for missing-middle density, it challenges zoning constraints to unlock housing opportunities citywide.
(View Project Online)
“The House at Third and Narrow”
María Jose Fuentes and Eric Anderson (UPenn Alumni)
Inspired by Philadelphia’s historic Trinity houses, this compact ADU reinterprets vertical living across three stacked levels integrated into an existing rowhome. With features like a double-height living room, turret-inspired bay, and shared exterior elevator, it combines accessibility with modern detailing and sustainability in a small footprint.
“Residential Cooperative Mixed-Use”
Drake Schaefer and Wyatt Korb (Jefferson Alumni)
This proposal reimagines Philadelphia’s grid as fertile ground for flexible housing solutions. Introducing a new “RCX” zoning classification, it allows diverse, interwoven housing types within existing blocks. The approach models scalable strategies for density, affordability, and community connection without altering the city’s historic fabric.
Honorable Mentions
The competition was reviewed by a distinguished jury with expertise in residential design, housing equity, zoning reform, and public interest design:
Press Contact
Tya Winn, Executive Director
Community Design Collaborative
📧 [email protected]
📞 215-587-9290
