Advancing Awareness, Transparency & Education for Greater Resilience in the Built Environment
For a Stronger and Safer
Built Environment

Mark Samuelian Awards in Urban Resilience - 2024

Celebrating his life, values & legacy in building a more resilient future

Awards Date & Recognitions

The 2ND annual AwardS Reception was held at the Miami Beach botanical gardens on NOVEMber 18, 2024

Awards Criteria

Applicant projects can include private and public structures and infrastructure completed, or under construction and available to visit. They must show benefits to residential buildings (other than dormitories, hotels and short-term rentals). For 2024 the awards scope has been expanded to include the entire state of Florida.

Criteria
  1. Enhances resilience of residential properties from wind, water & fire hazards above local codes
  2. Supports environmental benefits, such as energy, carbon, air quality, urban heat, etc
  3. Benefits a wide range of income levels 
  4. Allows duplication on other properties
  5. Promotes community benefits, like preservation, recreation, etc.

The 2025 application period will open next July

Application Timeline

The 2ND annual AwardS Reception was held at the miami Beach botanical gardens on NOVEMber 18, 2024

2024
July 1
Application submittals commence
Oct 15
Application submittal deadline
Nov 1
Notification to short-list applicants
Nov 18
Awards announcement and reception

Sponsors & Donors

Gold Sponsors

$5,000+

raf-sponsor-resilience_action_fund

Resilience Action Fund
2023/2024

Gold sponsor anonymous copy 2

Anonymous
2023/2024

Gold sponsor anonymous copy 2

Mark & Maureen Festa
2023

bouche-logo

Boucher Brothers
2023

Santorini Logo 1

Santorini By Georgios
2023

Seminole Logo

SEMINOLE TRIBE OF FLORIDA
2024

Silver Sponsors

$3,000 – $4,999

raf-sponsor-BRFL

Bercow Radell
Fernandez Larkin + Tapenes

2023/2024

Bronze Sponsors

$1,000 – $2,999

raf-sponsor-twist_south_beach

Twist South Beach
2023

raf-sponsor-yukon_miami_beach

Yukon Miami Beach
2023

sponsor-bronze

Law Offices of Rafael Andrade
2023

fiu-logo

The Wolfsonian
2023

Chamber Logo- classic color 950W

Miami Beach
Chamber of Commerce

2023

Donors

$100 – $999

WILLIAM & LILIANE VITALE
2023

Sponsor and donor inquiries to: [email protected]
Contributions can be tax deductible

Awards Committee

November 19, 2024                                                                                                   

The 2nd annual Mark Samuelian Awards in Urban Resilience were announced last night during a ceremony at the Botanical Gardens in Miami Beach.

The awards commemorate the life and legacy of the late Miami Beach Commissioner Mark Samuelian, who championed a residents-first approach to resilience for homes and communities that face natural and climate hazards. Resilience Action Fund (RAF) launched this program with a 10-year $50,000 pledge after the sudden loss of Mark in 2022 and was joined by other sponsors.

The seven-member awards committee is composed of resilience champions from Florida International University (FIU), the University of Miami, the University of Florida, MIT, the American Society of Testing & Materials (ASTM), and the Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM). The awards program focuses on residential projects completed in the state of Florida. Award criteria included resilience to hazards, environmental features, affordability, ease of duplication, and community benefits.

The awarded projects this year were:

  • 1st Prize: ‘Babcock Ranch,’ an ongoing residential development in Florida’s Charlotte and Lee Counties by Kitson & Partners that, as of September 2024, had built 3,726 units
  • 2nd Prize: ‘Lakewood Villages,’ a 96-unit rental apartment complex in Palm Springs, Florida, featuring the first US construction using RENCO’s mineral composite fiber reinforced blocks
  • 3rd Prize: ‘The Lotus,’ a 2-story single-family home in Naples, Florida, featuring the first US construction using Northstar Technology’s fiber-reinforced polymer assemblies

 

Babcock Ranch, which opened in 2022, provides single- and multifamily housing for various ages and incomes. It is mostly ungated and 30 miles inland. Resilient features include its 30-foot elevation, green and gray water management infrastructure, 160-mph wind and fire-resistant concrete block construction, reclaimed water irrigation, a 150MW solar park, buried power lines, schools, community, medical, and recreational facilities.

Lakewood Villages, completed in 2023, offers two- and three-bedroom apartments for working-class families in four three-story buildings 4.5 miles inland. Its resilient features include a 21-foot elevation, 38% green and permeable land use, a 240-mph wind, water-impervious, fire-rated, and mold-resistant structure, lightweight construction, a playground, and walking access to stores and bus transport.

The Lotus, completed in 2024, is a high-end 4-bedroom rental house in an ungated neighborhood 1.3 miles inland. Resilient features include its 10.5-foot elevation, 240 mph wind resistant, water-impervious, fire-tested, mold-resistant structure, and lightweight rapid construction. 

Aris Papadopoulos, FIU Resilience Expert and RAF Chair, said: “Mark Samuelian’s legacy continues with these awards. In addition to urban infrastructure, Mark had a genuine interest in how people’s homes could survive. This year’s winners are great examples of resilient development strategies and solutions that can be applied to Florida, the US and the World.”

The Mark Samuelian Awards in Urban Resilience recognize individuals and organizations that have demonstrated practical success in implementing hazard-resilient measures, technologies, and strategies in residential projects. 

All Awardees pic
Aris with Babcock Ranch
Allan and Ceasar presenting aaward to Lakewood Villages
Aris with Lotus team

October 27, 2023                                                                                                   

The first annual Mark Samuelian Awards in Urban Resilience were announced last night during a ceremony at FIU-The Wolfsonian museum in Miami Beach.

The Mark Samuelian Awards in Urban Resilience commemorate the life and legacy of the late Miami Beach Commissioner Mark Samuelian, who championed a residents-first approach to resilience for homes and communities that face natural and climate hazards. Resilience Action Fund (RAF) launched this program with a $50,000 pledge after the sudden loss of Mark in 2022 and was later joined by other sponsors.

The five-member awards committee is composed of resilience champions from Florida International University, University of Miami, University of Florida and MIT. The program scope focused on residential projects completed in the seven southern counties of Florida. Award criteria included resilience to hazards, environmental features, affordability, ease of duplication and community benefits.

Two projects this year received 1st prize awards of $5,000 each:

  • ‘Seminole Park’, a 75-home development in Hollywood, Florida by the Seminole Tribe of Florida
  • ‘House In A Garden’, a single-story home in Coconut Grove, Florida by Atelier Mey architects.

Seminole Park, completed in 2021, provides affordable and walkable housing near community amenities. Resilient features include 9.7ft elevation, wind and fire-resistant concrete block construction, buried power lines and oak trees replanted away from buildings.

House In A Garden, completed in 2022 and owned/occupied by its architect developers, is a prototype house in an urban working-class neighborhood. Resilient features include 12.2ft elevation, wind and fire-enhanced cross-laminated timber (CLT) construction, aluminum exterior protection and rapid assembly methods.

Aris Papadopoulos, Founding Chair of RAF said: “Mark Samuelian’s legacy continues through this awards recognition of resilient houses. This year’s winners show what’s possible when we prioritize people and safety as we build new homes in the age of climate change. The projects serve as great examples of resilient building practices for Florida, the US, and worldwide.”

The Mark Samuelian Awards in Urban Resilience is an annual recognition of individuals and organizations who demonstrate practical success in implementing hazard resilient measures and strategies in residential projects. The awards committee will look to expand its geographic scope in future years.

 

Donate to the Award

Make check to Resilience Action Fund, with note ‘Samuelian Award’.

Mail to: Resilience Action Fund, 441 NE 52nd Street, Miami, FL 33137.

Donations under $1000 can also be made by PayPal paypal.me/ResilienceActionFund