The defining feature of "Bois l'Etat" is the focus on communal planning and lifestyle. As the heart of its spirit is the use of local materials and building practices wherever possible, with the expense of construction and development finding its way back into the local economy. The dwelling utilizes all available and practical sustainable methods to promote healthy living. The addition of rainwater harvesting, composting toilets and the efficient use of energy and resources led the judges to describe it as “an elegant evolution of familiar, simple housing typologies”. For the site inhabitants, the design team envisions a transformation: a restoration from stigma and struggle, the creation of a self-sufficient environment, and becoming contributors to the marketplace and the world beyond.

Designed by Gregory Canaras, Wayne Norbeck, Jordan Rogove, Moya Brown, Lynn Dee Silver, Wendy Meguro, Junko Nakagawa, Patrick Cullina, Erin Reisinger, and Donald Chalfin.