Traditional dining room with matching china hutch and place settings

Evolution of the dining room table

For generations, the dining room table has served as the heart of the American household—a space where families gathered to share meals, stories, and traditions. It was more than a piece of furniture. It was a symbol of connection, a place where values were instilled and relationships, nurtured. But in recent decades, this familiar cornerstone…

AFFORDABLE HOUSING | A cyclic conversation without resolution  

  With rapid population growth developers, designers, contractors, and finance are at work to provide adequate housing supply. Housing is required to facilitate the recruitment and retention of the influx of the workforce. Yes, housing is in high demand. Yes, we need to accommodate the influx. But – are we planning for the long-term impact…

AIASD Award Winner: Urban Nest

Post and images submitted by Robert Arlt Architect. PROJECT OVERVIEW The Urban Nest project is an “Urban Refill” home for a family with two young sons just south of downtown Sioux Falls in a well-established, walkable neighborhood. The site resides outside of designated historic review areas but sits in the middle of a row of…

Blueprint for Better: Mayoral Panel at AIASD ’20

Back by popular demand, the second annual mayoral panel at this year’s AIA South Dakota Convention included four leaders representing communities across the state. While their cities vary greatly in geography, economy, diversity and population, the mayors found common ground in the challenges they are all facing in planning for a better future. Moderated by…

Zoned Out

Last Sunday, the state of Oregon followed Minneapolis’ lead on zoning for single-family housing.  Sioux Falls, and much of South Dakota, is facing serious housing challenges.  This state-wide effort would allow duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, and attached townhomes in any Oregon community above 25,000 people that is currently zoned as single-family (and to a lesser degree…