The AIA Committee on Design invited architects, students, and allied design professionals to submit sketches to the international 2009 COD Ideas Competition: Listening to the Past, Looking to the Future: A House for Today. In this unique sketch competition, submitters are challenged to explore the legacy of Modernism.

The task was to design a home following the same original program as the Rachel Raymond House designed by her sister Eleanor Raymond, FAIA. The Raymond House was recently demolished to make way for a new structure. Although the Raymond House received a couple of small additions/ alterations over the years of its existence, the focus of this competition was on the original house. The Raymond House was approximately 2,500 s.f. and had two bedrooms, two bathrooms and associated functions such as an entry vestibule, living room, kitchen/ dining, closets, laundry room, and a small office. It should also be noted that the house had a small garage with bicycle storage.

Entrants were asked to use this program as a guide to create a contemporary interpretation of this house using sustainable strategies and following the Living Building Challenge. The proposed solutions were not to exceed 2,500 s.f., and entrants were highly encouraged to be creative with the use of space. Due to the fact that the original site has been significantly altered due to the removal of the house, entrants were free to propose the orientation, landscape, and site conditions, but were to be cognizant of its geographical location just outside of Boston, Mass.

This year’s jury included : Jane Weinzapfel, FAIA (chair), Leers Weinzapfel; Robert Campbell, FAIA, Architecture Critic for the Boston Globe; and Marcus Springer, RIBA, LEED AP, Sasaki. Special thanks go to Christopher Kelley, AIA LEED AP for his hard work coordinating this program and jury.

The jury selected 4 projects to receive recognition.

See the AIA National Convention presentation of recipients and notable projects.

First Place
Reverence
Albert M. McDonald, Associate AIA

Jury Comments:
This was the most thoughtful and sophisticated text considering the history of the site and the original Raymond House. This submission had the best integrated sustainable strategies in terms of the Living Building Challenge and was very thoughtfully done with the site in mind. This project created a sense of place and a place that could be enjoyed for both communal and individual experiences. This was a very clear presentation both graphically and with its narrative. The interior and exterior views gave a complete picture of the proposal.

Honorable Mention
House 5
Arturo Levenfeld, AIA and Saxon Sigerson

Jury Comments:
The Jury appreciated that this submission looked at the bigger context of the current sub-urban manifestation and re-interpreted that notion round this house. We recognized that it deviated from the terms of the competition, but we found it to be an interesting approach and wished the interstitial spaces had been developed further. It was positive to challenge the greater sub-urban density model - sharing party walls and garage spaces. Overall it is a very interesting departure, while fulfilling the sustainable requirements of the competition.

Honorable Mention
Raymond [Revisited]
Peter M. Nicholas, AIA and Jacob Wahler
Nicholas Clark Architects, Ltd.

Jury Comments:
Even though there was no physical recollection of the original Raymond House on the site, this entrant chose to invent a narrative that there might have been ruins of the original foundation walls. This is very much in the Modernist tradition in that it had a false narrative. The Jury felt this project was beautifully rendered. The project had a modesty which seemed appropriate for the size of the program. This submission was not overwhelmed by the sustainability aspects and had nice integration of the landscape with the architecture and was well supported with sustainable strategies.

Honorable Mention
Free Plan(T)
Oded Rozenkier and Shachar Lulav of SO Architecture

Jury Comments:
This project is very poetic on the subject of living in nature. The strongest theme in this submission is the inversion of the original concept of the Raymond House idea of connecting architecture with nature. Architects can dream and this is a fantasy, but it is such a delightful fantasy and we all enjoyed it. It is great to have the ability to change and react to the seasonal conditions.

See more information on the 2009 program and past COD IDEAS programs .or return to the COD home page.