SOUTHFIELD, Mich.—Scott Shall, professor of architecture in Lawrence Technological University’s College of Architecture and Design, and Breck Crandell, who earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in architecture at LTU in 2013 and 2015 respectively, have received the 2025 AIA (American Institute of Architects) Detroit Chapter award for architectural design.
The 2025 AIA Detroit Architectural Honor Award / Single-Family Residential was awarded to houm, as design architect, and Three Squared Inc., as architect of record, for the Cochrane Residence. Shall and Crandell are the founders, and lead designers, of houm—a design technology firm that uses a proprietary software platform, digital fabrication, AI and other tools to design eco-friendly, cost-effective, and high-performance housing.
In its determination, the selection committee said, “Cochrane Home stands as a prototype for a smarter, more efficient future of housing—one that is better designed, sustainable, and more attainable. Nestled on a narrow 30-foot-wide infill lot in Detroit’s North Corktown neighborhood, the project transforms a challenging site into a vibrant, adaptable, and resilient urban home. Developed through a computational, iterative design process, the project maximizes performance, affordability, and community integration, setting a new benchmark for urban infill housing.
At 1,600 square feet, the main residence includes three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a soaring 24-foot-tall cathedral ceiling that fills the living area with light and openness. A bridge connects the main home to a 430-square-foot accessory dwelling unit (ADU) above a single-car garage, offering a flexible secondary space for guests, work, or rental income. Every aspect of the design—from its footprint and solar orientation to its service cores and material palette—was informed by performance modeling to achieve the greatest social, environmental, and economic outcomes with the least resource input.
AIA Detroit cited the Cochrane Residence for its economy, energy performance, and durable, low-impact materials that reduce environmental impact while maintaining long-term value and integrity, and the home’s flexibility to accommodate the changing needs of different generations of residents.
“In a time of widespread housing insecurity, rising costs, and climate pressure, the Cochrane Home demonstrates a new path forward. Through rigorous design, fabrication, and sustainability practices, it delivers a high-performing, human-centered home at a cost that reflects real-world constraints. This project proves that better housing—more equitable, efficient, and beautiful—is not a distant goal, but an attainable reality now,” concluded AIA Detroit.
Shall is the co-founding principal and lead designer for the architectural practice houm (ourhoum.com). Prior to joining LTU, Shall was an assistant professor of architecture in the Tyler School of Art at Temple University and the School of Art and Design at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Shall is also the founding director of the International Design Clinic (IDC, www.internationaldesignclinic.org), a registered non-profit that realizes crowd-sourced architecture and virally propagated creative action with communities in need around the world.
LTU architectural alumnus Breck Crandell is co-founder of houm, director of design at Three Squared Inc., and adjunct faculty at LTU. Crandell has led the design of more than 40 completed projects nationwide, with many more under construction, ranging from single-family residences to large multifamily and mixed-use developments. His work centers on advancing modular and prefabricated construction systems, digital fabrication, and computational design to create innovative, attainable, and sustainable housing solutions.
The Cochrane Residence, houm’s first built prototype and Crandell’s personal residence, exemplifies this vision and is currently under consideration for further recognition by national and international design organizations.
“We are incredibly honored to earn this award,” Shall said. “To have houm’s very first prototype recognized in this manner is thrilling, and reassuring. We are excited to continue the work of houm, so that other families currently locked out of the housing market might have the chance to obtain a well-designed and sustainable home at a price point they can afford.”
Concurring, Crandell added, “The adage that ‘we can’t build them like we used to’ is absolutely true. We no longer have financial access to the same materials or skilled artisans of the past. With the Cochrane Residence, this is the closest we’ve come to creating something we believe future generations will respect. If a house is well designed, it should keep working, breathing, and feeling good for whoever calls it home, long into the future.”
Lawrence Technological University is one of only 13 independent, technological, comprehensive doctoral universities in the United States. Located in Southfield, Mich., LTU was founded in 1932, and offers more than 100 programs through its Colleges of Architecture and Design, Arts and Sciences, Business and Information Technology, Engineering, and Health Sciences, as well as Specs@LTU, which offers communication training programs of the former Specs Howard School, and LTU’s growing Center for Professional Development. PayScale lists Lawrence Tech among the nation’s top 11 percent of universities for alumni salaries. Forbes and The Wall Street Journal rank LTU among the nation’s top 10 percent. U.S. News and World Report lists it in the top tier of best in the Midwest colleges. Students benefit from small class sizes and a real-world, hands-on, “theory and practice” education with an emphasis on leadership. Activities on Lawrence Tech’s 107-acre campus include more than 60 student organizations and NAIA varsity sports.
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