October 3, 2025

Drexel University architecture students and alumni have been recognized among the top innovators in the 2025 John Stewardson Memorial Fellowship in Architecture Design Competition, a statewide challenge that has inspired generations of young architects for more than a century. Organized in partnership with AIA Philadelphia and the Community Design Collaborative, this year’s competition was part of the citywide initiative Finding Philadelphia’s Missing Middle Housing. Participants were asked to reimagine how Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) could expand affordable housing, strengthen communities, and support sustainable development. Of the seven projects honored statewide—including five winners and two honorable mentions—three were led by Drexel students and recent alumni, showcasing the University’s outsized impact on the future of the profession.

Drexel’s Award-Winning Projects

“Planting a Seed” — Winner

Adeniyi Onanuga (Alum, 2025), Alexander Puerto (Alum, 2025), and Colin Cooper (Student)

This project proposed a mixed-use ADU concept that integrates shared green commons and climate-adaptive infrastructure. By addressing both social and ecological needs, it creates a model for aging-in-place and sustainable community building.

“Lean Loft” — Winner

Rachel Sasson (Alum, 2024) Designed for narrow urban backyards, this compact ADU uses modular construction and high-performance materials to create flexible, light-filled living spaces. Its approach demonstrates how thoughtful design can thrive within tight site constraints.

“We’re Halfway There” — Honorable Mention

David Liu (Alum, 2023), Julia Zephyr Martin (Alum, 2023), and Naomi Noack (Student)

This team proposed an adaptable housing model that balances affordability with community integration, highlighting new pathways for inclusive urban living. Together, these projects reflect Drexel’s commitment to architectural education that blends technical skill, creative innovation, and social responsibility.

[Image: "Planting A Seed - Winner]

About the Stewardson Competition

Founded in 1896 following the tragic death of architect John Stewardson, the competition has long celebrated young designers and their contributions to architectural discourse. Stewardson’s peers established the fellowship to support architectural study abroad, and the competition has since become one of Pennsylvania’s most respected forums for emerging architects. Eligibility this year extended to students nearing completion of a professional degree at accredited programs in Pennsylvania, as well as alumni who graduated since 2020. In a move to increase inclusivity, entry fees were waived, and both individual and team submissions were welcomed.

The 2025 challenge focused on Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)—secondary residential units on the same lot as a primary home. While ADUs are often small, they hold significant potential for increasing density, affordability, and flexibility in urban housing.

The competition required participants to reconcile multiple goals at once:

• Address Housing Affordability — Delivering practical, cost-effective housing solutions.
• Promote Equity — Ensuring access for aging residents, multigenerational families, and low- to moderate-income households.
• Advance Sustainability — Through climate-conscious materials and resilient design strategies.
• Strengthen Community — Designing solutions that blend seamlessly into existing neighborhoods.

Entries were evaluated on a weighted rubric: Inclusive & Accessible Living (30%), Creative & Aesthetic Excellence (30%), Sustainable & Resilient Design (25%), and Economic Feasibility & Cost Efficiency (15%).

[Image: "Lean Loft" - Winner]

Drexel’s Impact

“The Stewardson Competition is one of the most respected platforms for emerging architects in Pennsylvania. I’m excited to see Drexel students and alumni so strongly represented among this year’s winners,” said Ulrike Altenmüller-Lewis, Head of the Department of Architecture, Design & Urbanism. "Their projects highlight what makes our program unique: a commitment to design that is both imaginative and socially responsive. These awards affirm the incredible talent and dedication of our students and the impact they are ready to make in the profession and in communities.”

Andrew Phillips, Program Director for Architecture, echoed that pride: “As a past participant and awardee of this venerable competition, our students' success is especially meaningful. They demonstrate our program's commitment to tackling real-world challenges - affordability, equity, community, and sustainability - with serious rigor, creativity, and beauty. Our students practice what they speak. They advance the profession with reminders that it first serves others. Community and making are the heart of Drexel Architecture. I am beyond proud for our students and alumni awards Drexel’s strong showing underscores the University’s dedication to preparing graduates who are not only technically skilled but also socially engaged—ready to shape inclusive, sustainable cities.

[Image: "We're Halfway There - Honorable Mention"]

Looking Ahead

The winning projects are featured in the 2025 DesignPhiladelphia Festival as part of the exhibition Finding Philadelphia’s Missing Middle Housing. In addition, finalists presented their designs in a public panel discussion on October 6 at the Center for DesignPhiladelphia.

For Drexel’s students and alumni, these honors affirm their place among a new generation of architects redefining the profession’s role in society. By planting seeds of creativity, envisioning flexible spaces, and imagining pathways to equitable housing, they carry forward the Stewardson tradition of using architecture to build a better world.