The ICAA Hosts the Inaugural Gindroz Symposium on Affordable Housing

On Saturday, November 8th 2025, the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art (ICAA) hosted the inaugural Gindroz Symposium on Affordable Housing. The half-day symposium brought together past recipients of the Gindroz Award for Excellence in Affordable Housing at the ICAA’s national headquarters in New York City and culminated in the presentation of the 2025 Gindroz Award to Nansledan, a 540-acre extension to the city of Newquay on the north coast of Cornwall.

ICAA Board Chair Melissa DelVecchio kicked off the Symposium by emphasizing the centrality of housing affordability to the ICAA’s mission, and ICAA Board Member and Affordable Housing Committee Chair Eric Osth elaborated on the nature and scale of the affordable housing shortage faced by communities across the country and around the world.

These opening remarks were followed by presentations from the team behind Nansledan. Led and managed by the Duchy of Cornwall and inspired by HM King Charles III’s vision for English urban development, Nansledan is a sustainable mixed-use community comprising walkable neighborhoods with homes, shops, offices, schools, restaurants, and recreation. Nansledan was selected by the Gindroz Award panel for its deep commitment to providing affordable housing while placing people and environmental impact at the center of the design process.

In their presentations, Phil Mason (Cornwall Council); Ben Bolgar (The King’s Foundation); Peter James (Duchy of Cornwall); and Hugh Petter (ADAM Architecture) addressed varied aspects of the project, including community engagement, logistical and infrastructural challenges, the architectural and design language of the built environment, and the concept of harmony as expressed throughout Nansledan. The presentations underscored Nansledan’s commitment to providing affordable housing that is seamlessly integrated into the community.

The second half of the Symposium invited past recipients of the Gindroz Award to shed light on their unique approaches to developing affordable housing in varied contexts across the country. The ICAA was pleased to welcome Rob Fredericks, Executive Director and CEO of the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara; Christine Pierron, Partner at the Santa Barbara-based Cearnal Collective; and Donald Powers, Founding Partner at Union Studio in Providence, Rhode Island.

Speakers participated in two panel discussions moderated by architect and urban strategist Delma Palma: the first invited the team from Nansledan to answer questions about their work, and the second convened the full slate of speakers to address broader questions about the challenge of developing high quality affordable housing.

Ray Gindroz, co-founder and Principal Emeritus of Urban Design Associates and co-founder of the Marilyn and Ray Gindroz Foundation, delivered closing remarks celebrating the tremendous accomplishments of the past and present Gindroz Award winners. He also spoke to the enormity of the challenge that lies ahead if we are to tackle the affordability crisis while at the same time delivering housing that is beautiful, dignified, and enduring. Following remarks from Whitney McKnight, Executive Director of the Muse Family Foundation, the 2025 Gindroz Award for Excellence in Affordable Housing was presented to the team behind Nansledan.

Recordings of the full Symposium will be released on the ICAA’s website in early 2026.

The ICAA is grateful for the longstanding support of the Muse Family Foundation for making the Gindroz Award for Excellence in Affordable Housing possible, and to Suzanne Santry and Russell Windham for providing additional support.

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