Missing Middle Housing Design Competition Launches in Fargo

Like many cities, Fargo faces a growing population of aging adults burdened by their current homes, with few options for more suitable housing. Many of Fargo’s older adults live in homes that are too large, too demanding to maintain, or simply unsafe for aging. A series of sessions in Fargo in 2023 identified a need for age-friendly housing in the area, particularly for those who have financial limitations or are disadvantaged by past inequities.

In response, AARP North Dakota and RL Mace Universal Design Institute working closely with area design professionals, the NDSU Department of Architecture, and the City of Fargo launched the state’s first missing middle housing (MMH) design competition, New Housing on the Block, to create affordable, aging-friendly and attainable housing in Fargo. The competition also is supported by the North Dakota Department of Commerce.

Open to students and professionals in architecture, design and construction, as well as builders and developers, contestants will design a duplex, triplex, or cluster community. Two sites in Fargo have been chosen to serve as hypothetical locations for the proposed projects: Site A offers the opportunity for duplex or triplex; and site B offers the opportunity for a cluster development.

Contest registration can be found here. After registration, participants will receive additional information on the competition and its age-friendly design requirements. The competition closes on October 4.

A panel of judges from the architecture and construction fields will select the winners. A total of $5,000 in cash prizes will be awarded to the winning design entries and announced in November.

The design competition will produce several viable, buildable MMH plans with universal design elements that make them truly age-friendly. Homeowners can then hire the designer, who retains the copyright to and liability for the pre-approved plan, to prepare the site plan, obtain a building permit, and/or construct the housing.

Less costly than a standard, single-family home, missing middle homes range up to 1,500 square feet and offer affordability and ease of maintenance. If designed appropriately, with universal and age-friendly features. MMH also allows safe and independent living for many years, helping avoid moves to expensive care settings.

“This competition will showcase how missing middle housing is both an important and an achievable option in the Fargo area. Similar competitions in other communities have inspired the creation of dwellings that allow people to age in place. Research tells us that this is very important to North Dakotans. By addressing the housing gap with innovative and usable designs, we can empower older adults to live safely and independently for longer.” says Josh Askvig, State Director for AARP ND.

Our expert advisory team helped to design the competition and will judge the entries. You can find their photos and bios here.

To learn more about the competition go to www.betterlivingdesign.org/nhob-home.