Low Cost + Low Impact = Good Design

The Chron picked this up a few days ago, but we feel it's worth a second mention. The Rice Design Alliance in conjunction with the Houston Chapter of the AIA announced two Houston architects, Murphy Mears Architects, (Kirby Mears, Walter Murphy, Kyle Humphries, Jamie Miller, and Gina Lyons) and Stephanie Eugster as finalists in the recent 99K House Competition. The finalists were selected out of 182 entrants proposing a sustainable, affordable house that addresses the needs of a low-income family in the Gulf Coast region.

Each winning proposal detailed creative ways to significantly reduce the construction cost of living. Murphy Mear's reduced much of the cost with an advance aerated concrete masonry block. Eugster proposed an colorful pre-fab shotgun solution. The finalists will each receive a $5,000 award and the competition will move forward to Stage II.

You can judge for yourself and see more winning sustainable designs at
The99kHouse.

Or go directly to the winning designs of Murphy Mears and Stephanie Eugster.