Big Little House

To improve the design of single-family, low-cost houses, The Magazine of BUILDING got together four months ago with the National Association of Home Builders and six other sponsors. They put up $43,000 in prizes for the best house designs in the $8,000 to $11,000 class (including lot), plus an additional $24,000 for the best use of glass and plywood, and the most efficient kitchen. After sifting through 2,730 house plans, a five-man jury this week announced the winners.

First prize of $7,500 (and a $750 regional award) went to 27-year-old Bruce Walker, Navy veteran and Harvard architecture student. Second, third and fourth prizes went to Ralph Rapson, Massachusetts Institute of Technology architecture professor ($5,750), Minneapolis' Wallace S. Steele ($3,250), and North Carolinian George Matsumoto ($1,750).

Walker's three-bedroom, one-story house could be built for $9-11,000. Features: two children's bedrooms which can be turned into a large playroom by pushing aside a folding partition; a fireplace back to back with the heating unit, so that both economically use the same chimney; a living room in the back of the house away from street noises.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.