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Architecture Building Culture, which has an office in Portland, recently received from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) one of its 11 Small Project Awards for 2017.

Awards were given out in three categories: projects with construction costs under $150,000, projects with construction costs under $1.5 million and projects under 5,000 square feet. The theme for this year’s competition was reflection.

Architecture Building Culture’s Laura’s Place expansion project had construction costs under $1.5 million. Laura’s Place provides transitional housing for pregnant women or mothers who have graduated from Central City Concern‘s Letty Owings Center, an in-patient treatment facility for drug and alcohol addiction. The facility on average serves 16 women and 16 children each year.

Laura’s Place was expanded from four units to six via strategic placement of the new building as well as amenity bonuses, including expanded outdoor space, solar hot water for all units, and safety and security improvements. Locating the addition on the north side of the building improved accessibility and allowed creation of a courtyard directly adjacent to a new common room.

Each new unit is 330 square feet, and has a kitchen, a living and sleeping area and a bathroom.

Nickerson Engineering was the structural engineer for the project and O’Neill Construction Group provided general contracting services.