The Winners!
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First Prize Winners
Naiyue Zhang
China
My name is Naiyue Zhang, I am studying architecture in Edinburgh, and my hometown is Shanghai. I am a cat person but allergic to their fur. I like their sensitivity, cautiousness, curious and unpredictability, which resonate with me. Fortunately, many of the architects and architectural scholars around me own cats, so I can get a certain amount of happiness from their social media. As an architecture student, I am interested in urban ecology and its future and setting my own futuristic theme sci-fi world. When it comes to architectural aesthetics, I prefer lightness and minimalist form.
What is your design philosophy?
Perhaps, in summary, my answer to the above question is 'Architectures are shaped by human lifestyle'. Then, on this basis, I imagine what kind of careers and lifestyle might emerge 100 years later. Besides, in what way will present buildings exist 100 years later? If there is a change in the environment of the earth's surface, will there be more population in the future? At that time, will there still be so many people yearning for the metropolis? I conceived my fiction while facing these questions above and designed the house in the story.
Can you briefly explain your understanding of the topic and the source of ideas?
'Home' means residential architecture, shelters, or a broad sense means a place to come back. So where will people living 100 years later like to come back? At first, I thought it crazy; humans may not be living on the earth in 100 years. They might fly to mars or upload their consciousness to the cloud servers. However, I was in front of an architectural competition ask about 'change of home ideas' and 'residents interacts'. These wild ideas should be turned into feasible and constructive designs. So I chose 'somewhere on earth' for the site and defined my designing brief as 'to design a residential facility for a family living in the future dissimilative environment.'
I suppose the most significant environmental threats that will emerge in the future are disasters caused by unstable climate and resource shortages. Therefore, my design should first be climate adaptable and disaster-resistant. Materials and structure will be helpful for these two advantage. I referred to space materials in material selection, and the pufferfish inspired me for the inflatable facade.
Besides, I thought about the impact of further intelligence on human family life and housing structure. If everyone owns AR glasses, will these people share the same screen in one room? To some extent, television has shaped the living room for 50 years, but when I owned my first smartphone, I forgot the remote control's location; then which device will change humans future? Besides, future humans who are good at telecommunications might not need a large place to meet visitors, so I removed the redundant living room.
When and how you were first introduced to architecture?
My programme started in 2018, but before that, I did one foundation year and… well, maybe I was introduced to the first time I stepped out of my house. ‘Is that spiky tower used to fence aliens invading from the air?’ Kindergarten children might occasionally think about architecture, and I was one of those kids.
What does architecture mean to you?
A honest negotiator work for defer a variety of conflict. A tool for write down poems and dreams. As an object, architecture is the physical evidence of human activities. As a discipline, architecture teaches me to think about how to solve practical problems.
Second Prize Winners
Gyu Jin Kim, Da Som Park & Seung Seon Kang
Third Prize Winners
Yu Fu
China
My name is Fu Yu. I am currently a young professional architect, just graduated from Tongji University, majoring in architecture.
What is your design philosophy?
I pay special attention to the scale and feeling of people in space. It can be a good quality that leads me to focus on humanization and avoid pursuing formalism and personal idealism.
Can you briefly explain your understanding of the topic and the source of ideas?
Because I like to traveling, it is a sudden thought when I living in hotel. I want to sleep in nature talking with people. I think the home can be different. It will have a variable for day and night, dwelling and leisure.
When and how you were first introduced to architecture?
The first time is about 8 years ago, when I was a freshman . I chose architecture as my major in university and started to study it. In the first class, the teacher asked us to make a bench using corrugated paper. I began to think about how to design it strong and beautiful.
What does architecture mean to you?
Architecture has been with me for many years. It is an important part of my life, and it is not only my career but also my hobby. It helps me learn to feeling, observing and thinking.
Special mention
Honorable mention
Akarsh U Vagman & Nirali Salian
Helen Cheung
Hanwan Liang
Akarsh U Vagman & Nirali Salian
Helen Cheung
Hanwan Liang
