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Competition Rules + Registration

Learn more about the details of the design competition

Thanks for your interest in the City's Design Competition for Age-friendly Cottage Development! Please see below for details about the competition components, deliverables, and events.

Register

Submit an Entry [pending]

Age-friendly Housing: Cottage Development

Site Selection

Participants will design a cottage development on a subject property of their choice zoned R-1 in Albuquerque city limits. Sites may be undeveloped or vacant, or a redesign or redevelopment of existing development can be proposed. 

  • Albuquerque Zoning Map

Zoning Requirements

The project design must comply with zoning requirements in the City’s Integrated Development Ordinance (IDO).

  • Cottage Development Use-Specific Standards
    • Project size must be between 10,000 s.f. and 3 acres.
    • See the calculation in the IDO to determine the maximum square footage for the project that can be split into dwelling units. 
      • Each dwelling unit must be between 650 s.f. and 1,200 s.f.
      • Dwelling units may be attached to one other dwelling unit (i.e., duplex).
  • Off-street Parking Standards
    • ADA requirements must be met.
    • On properties in a Center or Corridor [i.e., Urban Center, Activity Center, Main Street area, Premium Transit area, or Major Transit area], no off-street parking is required beyond ADA requirements. See the Zoning Map, Button 2 for Center/Corridor boundaries.
    • In other locations, 4 spaces are required for every 5 dwelling units AND

2 additional spaces are required for visitors (per project). 

Universal Design

At least 2 dwelling units must incorporate universal design elements to support aging in place. Universal design helps to accommodate people throughout their lives and abilities.

Financial Feasibility

The competition will provide a pro forma template that will demonstrate the financial viability of the project or quantify the subsidy needed to construct/finance the project. The pro forma must be completed and submitted. Projects do not need to be financially viable to win.

  • Pro Forma [Pending]

Deliverables

Entry Submittals

Entries will be submitted electronically and must include all of the following items to be eligible for judging.

  1. Up to 2 PDF posters sized Arch D (24" × 36") that include, at a minimum, all of the following:
    1. Site plan for the cottage development demonstrating compliance with the zoning requirements.
    2. Floor plans and elevations for each type of dwelling unit.
    3. A narrative description of the project, the site, and why the site was chosen.
    4. A visual illustration (e.g., context map or rendering) showing how the project fits into the surrounding neighborhood.
    5. A map or diagram illustrating how the project provides transportation access to nearby services and/or amenities to support mobility for its residents.
    6. A narrative description of how the design fits into the neighborhood context and promotes access / mobility for residents.
  2. A narrative summary and list of universal design elements incorporated into the design of at least two dwelling units to create age-friendly housing and support aging in place.
  3. A completed pro forma.

Deadline and Submittal Portal

Awards Event Pin-ups

To be eligible for awards, all participants must attend the awards event and pin up their entries, including prints of items #1-3 in the entry submittal above, at the participants’ expense.

Awards Event

Timeline

Key Milestones

See descriptions of each milestone below. 

Competition Kickoff [Optional]

The competition will begin with a summit that provides background on the key drivers for this competition:

  • Demographic Changes in Our Region and Their Impact on Housing Needs
  • Age-friendly Housing Needs
  • Zoning Changes to Meet Housing Needs

Event Details:

  • WHERE: Fusion, 708 1st St NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102
  • WHEN: Tuesday, September 1, 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM

While attendance is not required, those who attend will have the best understanding of the purpose of this competition. 

Lunch will be provided.

Competition Brief

The details of the competition will be explained during a virtual session, with time for questions and answers for those considering entering the competition. 

Event Details:

  • WHERE: Zoom Webinar [Registration Link]
  • WHEN: Tuesday, September 22, 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM

While attendance is not required, those who attend will have the best understanding of the requirements of this competition. The webinar will be recorded and posted on the project webpage.

A second in-person competition brief is being planned for UNM students but open to all during the same week. Details are pending. Refreshments will be provided.

Deadline to Register

Participants must register to be part of the competition by Friday, October 2 by 5:00 PM.

  • Online Entry Form [pending]

By registering, participants are agreeing to share their entries with the competition partners, and winning entries may be used, with attribution, by the City of Albuquerque for illustration purposes and for AARP for promotional purposes. 

Student entry bonus: The first 20 students to enter, and later submit a competition entry, will receive a free 1-year membership to ULI NM. 

Optional Charrette and Feedback Pin-up

UNM will host a working space for all competition participants, with experts on site to offer guidance on Thursday-Friday, October 22-23 from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM in Room P104. Refreshments will be provided. 

All participants are encouraged to participate in a pin-up on Friday, October 23 from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Experts will walk around and give feedback. 

Attendance is not mandatory, but participants may benefit from feedback from experts.

Deadline to Submit a Competition Entry

Participants must submit an entry to the portal below by Friday, November 13 at 5:00 PM.

  • Submittal Portal [pending]

Awards Event [Mandatory]

To be eligible for awards, participants must attend the awards event and pin up their printed entries. Winners will be announced after an open house, and winning participants will have an opportunity to present their entries. Refreshments will be provided.

  • WHEN: Friday, November 20, 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM
  • WHERE: UNM SAAP Room P104

Community Dialogue Event

ULI NM will host an online forum in early 2027 for winners to share their entries with a broader audience, and a panel of experts will discuss what we learned from the competition and potential next steps to encourage age-friendly housing in Albuquerque. Details to come.