We are thrilled to have received an Honorable Mention in AIA Maine's 207 Home Competition, sponsored by AARP. Our proposal was titled "Rooted Together: Growing Homes for Maine’s Family Trees." Check out our competition board below:

Aging-in-place housing is critical in Maine, where a rapidly growing older population wants to stay rooted in familiar neighborhoods but faces a shortage of smaller, accessible options that fit existing community character. Rooted Together responds by pairing a universally designed, prefabricated core—containing all mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems—with a concrete-free floor system and simple, stick-built enclosures, making it easier and more affordable to add new dwelling units to existing homes in ways that respect each neighborhood’s scale and style.

Delivered by truck and attached to an existing façade, the core allows utilities to connect directly from house to unit, while the surrounding stick-built rooms can be tailored to local character—whether as an attached apartment, a compact courtyard quadplex, or another small-scale configuration that quietly expands “missing middle” housing in growth zones. This approach shows how Maine can grow aging-ready housing while preserving what people value most about their communities: familiar streetscapes, human-scaled homes, and strong, multigenerational connections.​

Deep thanks to the 207 Home Competition organizers and jurors, namely AIA Maine and Maine AARP, as well as the University of Maine Augusta School of Architecture. We would also like to thank our collaborators and friends, most notably Katrina Belle from Maine Passive House and Monica Ann Dambach at Waypoint Brokers Collective whose insights into innovative construction techniques and real estate treads provided valuable feedback helped shape this work. Lastly and most importantly, thanks to everyone in Maine pushing for thoughtful, community-centered housing solutions.