The annual Seattle Times/AIA Home of the Year event on Friday evening March 12 culminated a celebration by the Times and AIA Seattle of the 50th anniversary of a uniquely popular program, originated and nourished by this special partnership.

A capacity crowd filled UW's Roethke Auditorium, including many followers and participants in the Open House/Home of the Month program over its remarkable history. Following her keynote address Sarah Susanka AIA, author of The Not So Big House and more recently Home by Design (Taunton Press, 2004), joined a panel of jurors in reviewing the 11 projects featured as Open Houses during 2003.

Sarah Susanka AIA at the podium

The jury then announced their selection of a Madrona Residence by Vandeventer & Carlander, and Barclay Court, by Adams Mohler Ghillino Architects, as Homes of the Year. In the words of one panelist, these two projects demonstrate "evidence of good communication between architect and client ... what this program is all about." The jury saw the Barclay Court project as "very introverted," and the Madrona residence as "very extroverted" and found both projects "well detailed and displaying highly thought-out living and structural patterns all the way through."

Rick Ghillino, Rick Mohler, James Castanes AIA, and Jane Hastings FAIA in a congratulatory moment

The jury panel: James Castanes AIA, who has had several homes he designed featured in the program (including the 1987 Home of the Year); L. Jane Hastings FAIA (AIA Seattle 1995 Medallist), who has participated in the program recently as well as in the early years, working with AIA Seattle committees and Seattle Times journalists as the program has taken shape; and John Nuler, bringing the perspective of a participating owner as well as an Open House visitor (honors for design of the Nuler-Cudahy residence, by David Coleman AIA, include 2002 Seattle Times/AIA Home of the Year).

Bill Vandeventer AIA shares post-event chat with Sarah Susanka AIA and Jim Castanes AIA.

The Madrona residence originally appeared as the March 2003 Open House; Barclay Court, a remodel, appeared as the August 2003 Open House. The Seattle Times Pacific Northwest Magazine of March 14 headlines the Home of the Year, and also a review of the year's featured homes.

The Seattle Times Senior Vice President and Executive Editor Michael R. Fancher joined AIA Seattle President Kristen M. Scott AIA and Times Open House Committee CoChair Laura Kraft AIA in welcoming several hundred attendees to the event. Following remarks and presentations, Sarah Susanka signed copies of Home by Design at an event cohosted by University Book Store and Swenson Say Fagét.

Among other items of the celebration of "Seattle Times/AIA Open House 1954-2004, A Half-Century of Home Design"
* 'Dream Homes: A window into how we've changed,' by Elizabeth Rhodes in the Times 2/29/04
* '50 years of open houses,' by Peter Sackett in the Times 2/29/04
* OHo 2024: a vision of the future of residential design, at AIA Seattle Gallery March 2004
* Elizabeth Rhodes heralds Seattle Times/AIA Home of the Year keynoter Sarah Susanka AIA and her new book, Home by Design, among other elements of the 50th anniversary observation.

Special thanks from AIA Seattle and the Open House Committee to:
* Swenson Say Fagét
* Taunton Press
* University Book Store