Press Release
Mu01 Single Family House by Arshia Mahmoodi Wins the A' Design Award in Architecture, Building and Structure Design
Arshia Mahmoodi honored for architecture, building and structure design by the international grand jury of the 2023 - 2024 A' Design Award & Competition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMO, Italy, April 24, 2024 /DesignNewswire/ A' Design Award & Competition has announced that Mu01 Single Family House by Arshia Mahmoodi, designed for Arshia Architects, has been granted the A' Design Award in the Architecture, Building and Structure Design category. The award was conferred within the 2023 - 2024 A' Design Award & Competition and was reached through blind peer review by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members, who evaluated anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.
About the A' Design Award
The Iron A' Design Award is awarded to good designs that meet the rigorous professional and industrial standards set by the A' Design Awards. This recognition is reserved for works that demonstrate a solid understanding of design principles and show creativity within their execution. Recipients of the Iron A' Design Award are acknowledged for their practical innovations and contributions to their respective fields, providing solutions that improve quality of life and foster positive change. These designs are a testament to the skill and dedication of their creators, showcasing their ability to address real-world challenges through thoughtful design.
About Mu01 Single Family House
MU01 is a single family house designed for an upslope site near Mulholland Drive in Los Angeles. The house covers 160 square meters, with a subterranean structure of 158 square meters, on a plot of 722 square meters. A bisected form follows the contours of the ridge and keeps the building low in profile. Access is provided through a tunnel, which removes the need for a disruptive vehicular driveway and protects the natural topography. Rainwater is collected for native planting, while geothermal systems and photovoltaic panels supply energy.
Award Record
This recognition makes Arshia Mahmoodi a winner of 2 A' Design Awards. The awards were granted between the 2022 - 2023 and the 2023 - 2024 editions of the A' Design Award & Competition.
About the A' Architecture, Building and Structure Design Award
The A' Architecture Design Award is an international architectural design competition recognizing good architectural designs by best architects worldwide. It is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to architectural design studios, building contractors, structural engineering firms and architecture and design consultants from all countries. Typical entries include skyscrapers, museums, residential buildings, commercial complexes, educational institutions and religious structures. The awarded architectural projects are published at https://dezigners.org/design-category/architecture
About A' Design Award & Competition
Organized annually since 2008, A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The philanthropic mission of the A' Design Award is to advance society through good design, by recognizing and promoting superior products, projects and services that benefit society, and by creating a global awareness and appreciation for good design practices and principles. Nominations are peer reviewed and evaluated anonymously by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members against predetermined criteria such as functionality, ergonomics, engineering, presentation, innovation, usability, sustainability and technology, with score normalization applied to remove biases. Awards are conferred at Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron levels. Eligible laureates receive the A' Design Prize, which includes the award trophy, the certificate of design excellence, the hardcover yearbook, a lifetime license to use the A' Design Award winner logo, exhibition of awarded works, an invitation to the gala night and award ceremony in Italy, inclusion in the World Design Rankings and Designer Rankings, and public relations and publicity services. Registration, uploading a work and receiving a preliminary score are free of charge, and Professional and Digital Edition laureates are not contractually obliged to pay further fees to claim the A' Design Prize. More information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com
Press Resources
- Winner Page: https://dezigners.org/161533
- A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/161533
- Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!161533
- Laureate Profile: https://dezigners.org/d/264284
Media Contact
Giulia Ferrari, Press Office
Designers.Org
Via Leone Leoni 32, 22100 Como, Italy
press@designers.org
+39 031 4491953
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Fact Sheet
The Work
- Project
- Mu01 Single Family House
- Function
- Single Family House
- Category
- Architecture, Building and Structure Design
- Discipline
- Spatial Design
- Industry
- Architecture
- Colors
- Dark Olive Green, Dark Slate Gray, Dim Gray, Gray and Cornflower Blue
- Images
- 4
- Client
- Arshia Architects
The Recognition
- Laureate
- Arshia Mahmoodi
- Country
- United States of America
- Recognition
- A' Design Award
- Edition
- 2023 - 2024
- Design ID
- #161533
Credits
- Image Credits
- Rendering Arshia Architects, Exterior view, 2023; Rendering Arshia Architects, Living room, 2023
Design Details
- Unique Properties
- Proposed is a 160 m² single-family home with 158 m² subterranean structure on a 722 m² upslope near Mulholland Drive, LA. Emphasizing preserving natural topography, the design integrates a bisected form and tunnel access, blending with the ridge's landscape. This approach maintains aesthetics, eliminating a disruptive driveway, safeguarding the land's beauty.
- Inspiration
- Natural Harmony: Picture the dwelling nestled into the upslope, its bisected form gently following the contours of the land. A tunnel, almost hidden, offers passage to the low-profile building atop the ridge. The design seamlessly merges with nature, preserving the land's beauty and serenity. Sustainable Sanctuary: Imagine a home that not only harmonizes with nature but actively contributes to its preservation. Rainwater collected from the building nourishes native plants, creating a lush, biodiverse landscape. Geothermal heating and solar panels provide energy efficiency while minimizing environmental impact.
- Research
- Our focus is on environmentally sustainable housing design. Architects and engineers employ GIS, architectural green software, and other tools for site analysis, landscape integration, and sustainable practices. Through iterative modifications, the resulting design becomes a model for aesthetically pleasing, eco-friendly dwellings that seamlessly blend with the landscape in the modern world.
- Challenge
- Integrating the dwelling with the ridge's topography while preserving its natural beauty posed challenges. Innovative solutions like a unique tunnel access met strict engineering codes for earthquake safety. Our construction methodology preserved the hillside, ensuring minimal intrusion. Despite hurdles, meticulous planning achieved a harmonious blend of architecture and nature, setting new standards for sustainable housing.
- Realization and Technology
- Incorporate advanced construction for the tunnel access and precise placement to protect the escarpment's topography. Use eco-friendly materials like local wood and recycled steel. Integrate geothermal systems for energy efficiency, and promote natural airflow with narrow massing. Install photovoltaic panels for self-sustaining power and implement rainwater harvesting for native landscaping, supporting biodiversity.
- Operation and Interaction
- The house is accessed through a unique tunnel, preserving the landscape. Its design fits naturally into the ridge, with a low-profile structure. This prioritizes public views and allows wildlife to move freely. Rainwater is collected for native plants, and eco-friendly systems like geothermal heating are used, ensuring sustainability.
- Project Duration and Location
- The proposed project consists of a small single family dwelling, on an upslope escarpment protruding from Mulholland Drive towards the Los Angeles basin isolated by a power transmission corridor. The design process started in OCT, 2022 and is currently under review by the design review board and the estimated date of completion is 12/01/2024.
- Specifications
- Building size is approximately 28.98M X 17.40M X 4.57M (15M including garage subterranean structure)
- Keywords
- Sustainable dwelling, Natural integration, Ridge preservation, Tunnel access, Eco-friendly design, Geothermal heating, Rainwater harvesting, Native landscaping, Environmental standards
