FAMU architecture professor Craig Huffman, and his design firm Huffman Associates/Studio for Architecture, has been awarded a 2025 Unbuilt Merit Award by the American Institute of Architects’ Tallahassee chapter for his innovative co-housing project designed to provide affordable housing for students.
The award, presented by AIA Tallahassee’s annual design awards program, recognizes architectural excellence, leadership, and a commitment to community-centered design. It also highlights FAMU’s growing influence in nurturing design talent and engaging with real-world urban challenges.
Huffman’s winning project, now under construction near Gaines Street, is scheduled to open in August. The development will feature micro-suites offering private bedrooms, bathrooms, and kitchenettes for 18 to 20 residents, alongside shared communal spaces meant to foster both independence and community living.
“This award connects with the educational mission of the university and the project types that affect everyone in the community,” said Huffman, who teaches senior and graduate design studios as well as advanced courses in architectural theory and technology.
The design emerged from a collaborative process that incorporated direct input from students, reflecting Huffman’s belief in architecture that serves people first. In an era of rising housing costs and student debt, the project offers a model for thoughtful, high-density, and affordable student living.
Huffman’s work stands at the intersection of pedagogy and practice, illustrating how university-based expertise can directly address pressing urban issues. As affordable housing remains a critical challenge in cities and college towns nationwide, projects like this one offer not only shelter but also a vision for more inclusive design.
For FAMU, the award reinforces the university's role in shaping the next generation of architects and designers—practitioners who are equipped not only to build, but to build with purpose.