The Winners!
ART AND ARCHITECTURE
First Prize Winners
Zeynep ÇOLAK
Turkey
She is a 3rd year architecture student at TED University. She was born and raised in Ankara/Turkey but currently she lives in Istanbul. Besides the architecture, she is getting educated to become a sculpture artist. She is also a former ski racing athlete in the national team and a big enthusiast of violin. Her goal is to become an inspiring artist in plastic arts.
Second Prize Winners
Akça Yılmaz
Turkey
I have always been fascinated by humankind’s ability to create. This is how Ibegun studying architecture. To explore and produce architecture as a field that provides far more than constructs for humans is my ultimate goal. I wish for architecture, creativity and design to be trusted and embraced as tools of communication.
What is your design philosophy?
I see design as the process of any data. Therefore, I can say that clear observations and relatable interpretations of any medium are critical in terms of producing a good design. The focus of design should be the keyword ‘process’ according to me. Because I consider process to be the connector of the reality and the end work. If one focuses on a high quality design process, the design would be strongly connected to the world. Extending the standards while finding answers to current problems require this kind of bond. If I compare design to a journey, how it starts and how it ends should not be considered more important than the journey itself.
What was your feeling when the winners were announced?
I was looking forward for the results’ announcement. When I had the notification, I was extremely rejoiced. The news felt extraordinary because the main thing I underlined during the essay was embodied; a written work was considered good enough to be among winners.
Can you briefly explain your essay writing process, the source of ideas and, your understanding of the topic?
The topic of the essay was what attracted my attention at the very first place. The understanding of architecture had always interested me and I always had a tendency to relate it with art. Thanks to that habit of mine, at the very moment I saw the title of the competition, I applied as a competitor. The process begun with the analyses and the comparison of art and architecture as words. The essay digs into their deep meanings and the way they are used by humanity.
As the end work, I suggested a graphic that diagrammatizes the way they work according to me. As a general approach to the title Art and Architecture, I may say that the only certain thing to say is that they are highly dependent to each other. Sometimes they cover each other, sometimes they become each other, but one cannot exist without the other.
When and how you were first introduced to Architecture?
Ever since I was a child, people chose ‘creative’ as a word to describe me. Even if I was not sure what I created at the first place, I felt so motivated thanks to these comments. As time passed, life taught me creativity can be hidden in anything; words, a smile, an artwork. I wanted this creativity to become the main priority on my life. Therefore, I took the opportunity to make a great-scaled creativity my focus; I started studying architecture.
Third Prize Winners
Brandon Koots
Argentina
Architecture student based in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Although I’m originally from the Caribbean island of Curaçao. As a future architect, I’m more interested in writing and investigating. Not only to question how we see, do and (most importantly) teach architecture, but also to figure out how our built environment can affect our wellbeing. Writing is my way of processing those questions that may one day lead to interesting answers.
What is your design philosophy?
This is something I’m kind of still developing. I used to have an idea of the things I like in architecture until about 2 years ago when I started exploring chaos within architecture. Last year, I decided to investigate the topic of happiness and purpose in life and since then I’ve been exploring how our built environment can affect how people experience the world. I started a podcast to do exactly that by asking guests their thoughts and opinions on this relationship between design and happiness. My goal in life, and maybe even my purpose, is to design spaces that improve people’s wellbeing and happiness
What was your feeling when the winners were announced?
It was very exciting! I remember the first email I received saying I made it to the top 50, arrived around 4 am here. So, when I went to bed on the 19th, I was hoping to wake up around that time to see the results. Which did not happen at that time. And when I was going about doing things on that day, I suddenly get mentioned in a story in Instagram by Archiol. That’s when I knew that I must have made it into the top 3. I also remember saying “YAAASSSSS” when reading my name. Hahah.
Can you briefly explain your essay writing process, the source of ideas and, your understanding of the topic?
I wouldn’t say that I have a writing process exactly. It’s always different every time I write. But what happens most of the time is that something I read, saw or experienced generates a question or an idea in my head. It happens a lot that I keep thinking about that question or idea until I sit down and actually write something about it. And I can’t exactly force it. It has to come naturally, otherwise I won’t be pleased with the results. In the case of the Art and Architecture competition, I was already questioning this relationship between art and architecture before signing up. So, it was a topic familiar to me and a topic that I have a personal interest in. Because I wish architecture and art were more interconnected instead of two separated worlds.
When and how you were first introduced to Architecture?
For some reason, when I was about 10/11 years old, I decided that I wanted to be an architect. Not sure what had inspired me back then. But since that day I started drawing house plans for myself and for friends at school. I still have several of those at home in Curaçao. A lot of the plans I drew back then (if not all of them) were in a way based on the home I was growing up in. Thinking about it nowadays, it does makes sense. Because as a child you feel safe and comfortable in your home. So, when designing, you try to create a home that generates that same feeling of safety and comfortability.
Special mention
Honorable mention
Kael Jakub
Mili Arora
Kael Jakub
Mili Arora
