High School Design Competition Focuses on Missing Middle Housing
January 7, 2026, marked the kickoff of the 76th Annual AIA Toledo High School Design Competition. This long-standing program, led by AIA Toledo, connects students with teachers and local design professionals who serve as mentors and advisors throughout the process.
Participants are tasked with creating comprehensive design submissions that include overall floor plans, enlarged floor plans, a site plan and roof plan, building elevations and sections, three-dimensional renderings, and a detailed project description. These materials will be evaluated by a panel of judges, with an emphasis on creativity, technical skill, and problem-solving abilities.
This year’s project challenges students to design a two-family residential duplex on a 9,000-square-foot vacant lot in South Toledo for the governmental nonprofit Lucas County Land Bank. The Land Bank works throughout Lucas County to strategically return vacant, abandoned, and tax-delinquent properties to productive use, supporting neighborhood revitalization and long-term community stability.
Lucas County Land Bank Senior Vice President Stephanie Shackelford joined students for the competition kickoff to introduce the project and the client’s goals. “We are excited to be your client and to have you focus on designing a duplex on this vacant lot,” Shackelford shared. “One of the biggest issues you will hear throughout the city of Toledo is the need for more housing.” She emphasized the importance of Missing Middle Housing, multi-family housing options that increase density within predominantly single-family neighborhoods while expanding affordable rental and homeownership opportunities.
Students are given a set of parameters and encouraged to use their creativity in developing their designs. Each duplex unit is intended for a family of four and must include a garage and outdoor green space for shared or private use. Designs may not exceed 1,400 gross square feet of living area per unit to support affordability for the end user. Students are also encouraged to consider accessibility, sustainability, and site orientation, including daylighting and privacy, as part of their design approach.
Student award categories include: AIA Toledo Architectural Design Award, AIA Toledo Emerging Professional Material Innovation Award, GEM Sustainable Architecture Award, EDGE, Unilock, & The Collaborative Landscape Architecture Award, Gasser Bush Associates Lighting Design Award, Toledo Design Collective Urban Design Award, and BGSU’s Digital Media Award. In addition, Lawrence Technological University (LTU) and The University of Detroit Mercy (UDM) offer tuition scholarship awards to senior, junior, and sophomore / freshman level award winners who attend their university.
View 2026 Project Sheet, Kick off Video and other info HERE
ABOUT HSDC
Originally started in 1950 with 23 entries from three high schools, the competition has grown to as many as 206 entries from as many as 25 area high schools. Projects have been as varied as a parking lot office (1950), a Toledo Automotive Museum (1999), a fast-food restaurant (1977), and a community center (2023).
AIA Toledo's HSDC is a nationally recognized award-winning program, which is the longest running program of its kind in the history of the AIA. AIA Toledo members and advisors are extremely proud of the students’ accomplishments each year.
Contact us to learn how your school or student can participate.