Design Competition Details

Tiny Home Design Competition 2025 Designing for Dignity: A Single-Story Home for Independent Living

 

Submission Deadline: October 10, 2025 at noon

 

Drop-off Locations listed on the "How to submit your design" page.

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Challenge Overview Design a 550 sq ft tiny home for a single adult aged 55 or older. The design must prioritize comfort, accessibility, and independent living—all on a single floor with no lofts or stairs.

 

Required Features:

• 550 sq ft maximum (excluding optional porch) • Single-floor layout (no lofts or elevated spaces) • Fully ADA-compliant (including doorways, turning radius, and fixtures). For information on this please see our resource page.

• 1 bedroom

• 1 bathroom (with toilet, sink, and walk-in shower)

• 1 laundry area (washer & dryer combo or separate units)

• 1 full kitchen (with refrigerator, stove, and sink-dishwasher not required)

• Optional front or back porch

 

Judging Criteria (100 Points Total)

Category                Max Points                         Description

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Accessibility

& ADA Compliance     25              Entrances, bathroom, and layout promote safe mobility and                                                                       independent use for individuals with limited mobility.

Clear explanation       15               Judges should be able to undersand design element choices 

                                                       from the explanation in the design rationale

Innovation & Comfort 15               Creative solutions that enhance aging-in-place such as                                                                               lighting, ventilation or built in features.

Aesthetic Appeal        10                Visual harmony, inviting atmosphere, and thoughtful exterior/interior design.

Energy Efficiency       10                Sustainable features like insulation, appliances or passive solar                                                               design. 

Community

Connection                 25               Consulted a person over 55 years old in the design of the tiny house,                                                     signed Community Connection Attestation on an interview sheet completed.                                             

Submission Requirements • Printed Design Packet including:

* Registration Form with signed photo release and release of design signature (see registration page)

o Scaled floor plan (with dimensions labeled) (see graph paper page)

o Design rationale (max 300 words)(see rationale template with space for key design features)

o Community Connection Attestation (see interview of community member page)

PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR LAST NAME IS ON EACH PAGE OF YOUR SUBMISSION SO 

 THAT WE CAN ENSURE YOU GET CREDIT FOR EVERYTHING!! THANK YOU!!!!

• Disclosure of AI Usage: Please indicate if AI tools or platforms were used in any part of the design process (e.g., layout drafting, rendering, energy modeling, or written content). If used, briefly describe how AI supported your work. This won’t impact your score—it just helps us understand how creativity and technology intersect.