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Welcome to the Custom Residential Architects Network

The Custom Residential Architects Network (CRAN®) Knowledge Community develops knowledge and information to benefit architects who are engaged in, or who are interested in  learning more about, custom residential practice. CRAN® presents information and facilitates the exchange of knowledge and expertise to promote the professional development of its  members via discussion forums, national symposia and conventions, publications, and local activities.         



CONGRATULATIONS TO JANE L. FREDERICK, FAIA

CRAN is excited and proud to congratulate fellow CRANNIE Jane L. Frederick, FAIA on being chosen as the 2020 president-elect of AIA. Frederick is the co-founder of Beaufort S.C.–based Frederick + Frederick Architects, which specializes in custom residential design. Her award-winning, six-person firm earned the AIA South Carolina Firm Award in 2017.

She was president of AIA South Carolina in 2010 and served as an at-large director on AIA National’s Board of Directors, director of the South Atlantic Region from 2016-2018.

And let’s not forget, she and her firm are regular CRAN symposium attendees.


2019 CRAN® Symposium | Scottsdale 


Save the date

The 2019 symposium will be in Scottsdale, AZ from September 11-15, 2019 at Hotel Valley Ho. More details will be posted at a closer date to the event.





Winners announced!
Custom Residential Architects Network (AIA CRAN®), in partnership with the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA), have selected the recipients of the 2017 HERE+NOW: A House for the 21 st Century Residential Student Design Competition . The competition recognizes seven exceptional studio projects that seamlessly integrate innovative, regenerative strategies within their broader design concepts. The program challenged students to submit projects that provide architecture students, with a platform to explore residential architecture and residential architectural practice.

The selected projects will be on view at the 106th ACSA Annual Meeting in March 2018 and the American Institute of Architects 2018 Conference on Architecture in June 2018.
Learn more about the competition and this year's winners.

First Place
Upper Squamish Research and Residence
Student: Jesse Bird
Faculty Sponsor: Sheryl Boyle
Carleton University  		 Second Place
The Dogtrot Duo Prairie View
Students: Shannen Martin, Sean Benson, Jabbar Cobbs,
Kimberly Montgomery, & Emanuel Soito
Faculty Sponsor: Michelle Pottorf
A&M University  

Third Place
Common Ground: Collective Living in Seattle, WA
Student: Ariel Scholten
Faculty Sponsors: Elizabeth Golden & Richard Mohler
University of Washington		  
   
Honorable Mention
The Battery House
Students: Homa Ansari, Anmol Kollegal, & Timothy Massa
Faculty Sponsor: Zui Ng
University of Houston		  Honorable Mention
A Housing Solution for Poverty in the Neglected Mississippi Delta
Student: Zachary Henry
Faculty Sponsor: Emily M. McGlohn
Mississippi State University

Honorable Mention
Sliding Canvas House: Transitional Home
Student: Samantha Geibel
Faculty Sponsor: Taiji Miyasaka
Washington State University


Honorable Mention
Revitalizing the Rural
Student: Jacob Eble
Faculty Sponsor: Mark Stephen Taylor
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign



 

 

Upcoming Events


Check out our new Residential Design-Build Agreement

A145™–2015, Standard Form of Agreement Between Owner and Design-Builder for a One or Two Family Residential Project

This agreement is a streamlined, homeowner-friendly document meeting the needs of residential design-builders. Design-build is the fastest growing project delivery method in the United States, and residential projects make up an increasingly significant portion of this business. By assuming responsibility for both the design and construction elements of a residential project, firms see the possibility for increased revenue opportunities.

AIA Publications

ARCHITECT, Residential Design, Eco Home and Eco-Structure magazines are provided as electronic copies to all members in each issue of AIArchitect. All AIA members automatically receive a print copy of ARCHITECT. Members will also have the option for printed copies of the other three publications. Request your print subscription of residential architect magazine.

A special feature of the ARCHITECT and residential architect is AIA exclusive content pages. AIA/CRAN® actively works with AIA staff to include residential features, local chapter events and news, listing of upcoming events, and member driven issues for the residential architect's AIA pages. Check out AIA on Residential Architect.com.

CRAN® also produces a quarterly newsletter, The CRAN® Chronicle: catch up on all the previous issues here.

Resources


AIA Home Design Trends Survey

Each quarter, the AIA Home Design Trends Survey highlights a different area of home trends and includes the same business conditions questions for tracking purposes.  Learn more about the survey.

A Toolkit to Get You Organized Locally!

CRAN® offers local chapters wanting to start a residential committee the tools to help establish a committee and a network of successful local groups from which to draw ideas and inspiration. Download the toolkit.


"So You Want To Do Houses?"

Residential design is not for every architect, says one who has learned from experience. A casual survey of why people become architects will inevitably lead to an early interest in or passion for the design of houses. It is therefore surprising to many people that not all architects design houses. Single-family residential design is something most architects feel they have the skills and knowledge to do effectively, but the reality is few of us makes an ongoing practice of it and even fewer can earn a meaningful living doing it. I know, I try to do it every day and it is tough. Read the complete article by Michael Malone, AIA published by the Texas Society of Architects/AIA.



Getting There: A Road Map for Clients

Use this booklet (shared by AIA CRAN® member, Bud Dietrich, AIA) as template to create your own media to help educate clients on the design and construction process.



Business of Architecture

One hears a lot about social media these days, but is it right for you? What benefits, if any, can an architect gain from social media? Enoch Sears, AIA, provides some thoughts and case studies on this topic in the primer Social Media for Architects which we have made available to members of the AIA CRAN®. It can be downloaded here. Enoch curates the blog BusinessofArchitecture.com where he writes about social media and web design for architects.

CRAN® Events at A'19 Las Vegas

2019 Las Vegas
Join Custom Residential Architect Network in Las Vegas! Register early and save.

ME202 -  CRAN® Forum: Residential Practice, Up Close and Personal
6/6/2019 | 1:30-3:00pm | $10 | Las Vegas Convention Center | 3150 Paradise Road  Learn more

EV205 -  Link Up at the AIA Community Connections Social
6/6/2019 | 6:30-8:30pm | $40 Learn more

TH104 -  CRAN®: The Virtual Office for the Small Practice/Custom Residential Architect
6/6/2019 | 8:00-9:00am | 1.00 LU/HSW/RIBA | Westgate Las Vegas | 3000 Paradise Road  Learn more

EL103b -  Aligning Expectations: Risk Management With Custom Residential Clients
6/6/2019 | 10:30-11:30am | 1.0 LUs/RIBA | AIA Contract Documents Learning Lounge | Booth 5739LL | 3150 Paradise Road  Learn more


See more events >

Explore the conference schedule with 500+ sessions by clicking here.

Latest Discussions

  • Profile Picture

    LGBTQIA+ Member Group Post-Pilot Launch August 8!

    By: Michael Hamilton
    Posted in: LGBTQIA+ Affinity Group

    Hello LGBTQIA+ Pilot Members. I want to share two important dates with you. On Thursday, August 8, this group will transition to being searchable and joinable by those with active AIA accounts. The ...

  • Profile Picture

    Please share your feedback. LGBTQIA+ Affinity Group Survey

    By: Michael Hamilton
    Posted in: LGBTQIA+ Affinity Group

    Hello group members! I hope you're all doing well and getting ready for a great spring. We are a little over two months into the pilot phase of this group and I hope you'll take some time to provide me ...







How to talk about architecture with clients and the public
While there is great respect for architects, there’s little understanding of what we do, or how our work affects others.

The Architect’s Voice, also known as the AIA Message Book, assists you in explaining your work to clients and members of the public. Using proof points, statistics, and anecdotes grouped in topic areas that you can customize, this message design process outlined in the guide will help with your communications and messaging efforts.

Download the Message Book

 


Latest Resources

  • Digital Urban Research

    By: Shuva Chowdhury

  • RE: Contract Documents

    By: Nea M. Poole AIA

CRAN® TV


Click to watch the video.

 

The Client's Role for a Successful Residential Project




How to Choose an Architect for Your Project




What Should Your House Look Like?




Who Needs an Architect?




An Architect's Education


AIA Award Programs

AIA Housing Awards
AIA/HUD Secretary Awards
>> 2015 Recipients: Housing and HUD
>> 2014 Recipients: Housing and HUD
>> 2013 Recipients: Housing and HUD
>> 2012 Recipients: Housing and HUD
>> 2011 Recipients: Housing and HUD
>> 2010 Recipients: Housing and HUD

AIA CRAN® Videos


AIA CRAN® Invitation to Emerging Professionals
Luis Jauregui, AIA and James Walbridge, AIA on Residential Design+Build
James Walbridge, AIA and Stuart Narofsky, AIA on BIM for residential architects

Learn from CRAN® online at AIAU

Earn LUs from CRAN® Symposium Anytime!

How has our notion of home changed over time? Three courses explore traditions of home, including design principles for new modern and new traditional homes.

Traditions of Home
1 HSW LU / RIBA

Take a brief tour of the history and customs of elemental Western traditions of the home with architect, professor, and writer Witold Rybczynski. You'll explore practicality vs. custom, fashion vs. comfort, and how certain elements have maintained a persistent presence well into modern 21st century life.

Witold Rybczynski is an architect, professor, and writer who has written about architecture and urbanism for The New York Times, The Atlantic, and The New Yorker and has been an architecture critic for Saturday Night, Wigwag, and Slate.

View course >

The New Modern House
1.5 HSW LUs / RIBA

Explore modern stylistic idioms and how traditional forms and building materials can be used in innovative ways to meet a modern context.

View course >

The New Traditional House
1.5 HSW LUs / RIBA

Discover how traditional homes can incorporate modern materials and construction methods.

View course >

Bundle and save!

Take advantage of AIAU's bundle discount and save 15% when you buy four or more courses.
AIA members, that's 15% off the special member price of $25/course. Non-members save 15% off the non-member price of $40/course.