The first biennial Sioux Falls, South Dakota Affordable Housing competition was open to the greater Sioux Falls area. It was presented by Architecture for Humanity—Sioux Falls and was sponsored by the City of Sioux Falls Community Development Office and Affordable Housing Solutions. The challenge was to design an affordable, functional, contextual, and LEED attainable house for a local family. Homes needed to be $100,000 or less (including materials and construction costs), no greater than 950 square feet, and had to be able to demonstrate the ability to achieve LEED for Homes platinum certification.
Architecture Incorporated of Sioux Falls, SD submitted the winning home design called the “Shift House”. It has now been completed in the Whittier neighborhood of Sioux Falls. The “Shift House” was designed to shift the perception of what affordable housing can be. It can be innovative, sustainable, and well-designed. The emphasis is to show the benefits of sustainable design, and both short term and long term affordability, for qualified homeowners using replicable and innovative affordable housing ideas. The design team’s consideration to the context of the neighborhood and efficient, flexible interior layout provides a home that blends well with the surrounding community.
Construction has incorporated a passive solar design with highly energy efficient components such as “Energy Star” rated windows and doors, on demand water heaters, and other construction components that meet or exceed the Department of Energy 2009 energy efficiency code requirements.
The house was sold before it ever entered the market.
