Norwalk Launches Design Contest For Pre-Approved Accessory Dwelling Unit Plans

NORWALK, CT — The city of Norwalk announced Friday it is inviting architects and designers to submit plans for accessory dwelling units (ADUs) as part of a new contest that will create a library of pre-approved designs for local property owners.

According to a news release provided by the city, the contest is the latest step in a broader city effort to make it easier and less expensive to build ADUs in Norwalk.

Winning designs will be available to homeowners as pre-approved plans, reducing the time and cost typically required to obtain a permit for a detached ADU, according to the city.

Part of a Larger Housing Strategy

According to the city, the contest follows Norwalk's 2025 Affordable Housing Action Plan, which laid out a range of strategies to address housing shortages, including policy changes, new construction and the creative reuse of underused parcels.

"Expanding ADU development was identified as one path forward, since ADUs let single-family homeowners add a secondary unit — either attached to their main home or as a separate structure — without needing a new parcel of land," the release reads.

According to the city, Norwalk already permits both attached and detached ADUs and has worked to streamline its zoning rules to encourage more of them.

Offering a set of pre-approved plans is intended to go a step further, giving homeowners a lower-cost, faster path to construction while giving local architects and designers a new way to reach customers, according to the city.

How the Contest Works

According to the city, architects and designers can submit ADU floor plans and elevations for public review. To keep the process unbiased, entries are posted without any identifying information about who designed them.

The public will then score each submission on a 1-to-100 scale, with entries requiring a score of at least 70 to be accepted as pre-approved plans, according to the city.

Voting will run for 60 days, after which the city will tabulate results and notify all entrants. Designers whose plans pass will receive further instructions on next steps, including preparing construction drawings for the Norwalk Building Department, according to the city.

The city also noted submissions are scored against five criteria:

• Overall Building Aesthetic
• Uniqueness of Design
• Allocation of Space
• Senior Living/ADA Accessibility
• Sustainability Measures Included

Designs must also fit within the architectural character of Norwalk's single-family zoning districts, a city that spans distinct neighborhoods including Village Creek, Silvermine, West Norwalk, East Norwalk and Rowayton, each with its own architectural style, according to the city.

What's in It for Designers

According to the city, designers are compensated directly by property owners who choose to purchase their pre-approved plans, and there is no limit on how many times a single design can be purchased. Firms with winning designs will also have their names, contact information and links to their plans featured on the city's ADU webpage.

Designers retain ownership of their work, according to the city.

Any use of a winning plan requires either a stamped set of plans or a signed letter of authorization from the original designer; without one, a submittal isn't treated as pre-approved and must go through a full, independent review, according to the city.

How to Submit

According to the city, architects and designers interested in participating can submit their entries through the following steps:

1. Complete the Norwalk pre-approved ADU contest application form.
2. Upload the completed form and the required plans via the submission portal.
3. Include floor plans and elevations (renderings are optional). Floor plans must label all rooms, list interior dimensions, and show the locations of windows and doors. Elevations must show exterior heights and proposed materials.
4. Do not include firm names or contact information anywhere on the floor plans or elevations.

All entries must be submitted by Oct. 16, according to the city.