The Winners!
SENSORY ARCHITECTURE
First Prize Winners
Jodel Bismarc Mekemta
Togo
I am a student and am currently working on my master thesis project. Writing inspires critical thinking in collective thinking which is key to the enlightenment of people’s consciousness. Already winner of several competitions and architecture prizes published in international magazines, I am convinced that just as the writer heals society, architecture teaches, shares, balances and offers us a second life.
What is your design philosophy?
My golden rule when it comes to design is to associate profoundly the nature. We are a part of Nature, and I believe that the use of its simplicity, its sensibility, and generosity ingeniously to figure out challenges that our humanity faced, can be benefit for us. Above all, before starting any design, I always try to find out for whom, how, why and in what context the project is intended. Because the result of the choice of design should contribute to the creation of a strong landscape brand and to achieve this, it requires a certain attention to the local culture, heritage, and technology.
What was your feeling when the winners were announced?
I was proud and honored. I learned a lot through this competition. Also, I felt a sense of satisfaction to have contributed with words, to inspire in this field which is the sensory architecture because for me the important thing in all this, is the well-being, it is to feel like a fish in the water wherever you could be.
Can you briefly explain your essay writing process, the source of ideas and, your understanding of the topic?
My essay treats mainly about how our environment influences the human’s sensation and how our internal state can be in phase with the space we design. For achieving it, we started by showing that Sensory architecture is an architecture of experience that awakens all the sense organs in order to make
us conscious with the environment in which we live. That's possible with a harmonious balance of the space elements, the use of biophilic design and above all, as our internal state changes constantly. And, the implementation of an Alliesthesa's space can be an adjustable solution.
Also I searched a friendly, commonly and very open up title where everyone can start thinking about the concept of well-being without necessarily read the full text. Because for me, a title is like a skin of the content, and it needs to be very simple, of the fact that, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication” ashe said Leonardo da Vinci. So I try to find out which expression can create a metaphoric link with our daily life. I finally got it, in my break time, when I contemplated the beach of Lomé where l saw a little kids jump in the water and their smiles make me understand the feeling that flow on them. So I asked myself how I could combine this three elements: water, Kids and smile. And like a Boomerang on my heard I got an idea.
I understand the subject as one that treats the notion of consciousness of the spaces in which we live. I think that as soon as we come into this world, we have explored the sensory notion because by screaming, the baby gets in touch with its environment but in an unconscious way. But the most important thing in our design is not to live unconsciously our spaces but rather consciously.
What measures will you take/ taking to introduce the philosophy of sensory architecture to practice?
As the architect Frank Lloyd Wright once said, "my favorite project is my next one", I believe that in our daily practice, placing the occupant of the building at the center of our thinking, devoting particular attention to the way a space can affect him in the short and long term is already a first step. Furthermore, taking advantage of the diversity of our environment will allow us to improve our architectural choices because we form a unique whole.
Second Prize Winners
Bruno Cardoso de Almeida Pirro
Brazil
Bruno, 26 years old, lives in São Paulo - Brazil, and studies architecture since 2018. Seeking inspiration in films and music, loves phenomenology and tries to use the senses to design your own projects in architecture university.
What is your design philosophy?
Well, I believe I am still in the process of understanding and learning about architecture and all its shapes and design. For now, my philosophy is based on the senses, on inhabiting and being inhabited. Being the intermediary of this relationship between man and the building. Understand what feeling your client is looking for, and how to bring those feelings that the person needs to the surface and work with it, in a way that the building manages and deals with those feelings creating a unique atmosphere.
What was your feeling when the winners were announced?
It feels so great. When I saw it, I didn’t believe that was true. I didn’t imagine that I could be among the top ones, it’s so amazing and unbelievable. It was the first time that I participated in an architecture contest all by myself and I am very happy with the result. Thank you all for that.
It feels so great. When I saw it, I didn’t believe that was true. I didn’t imagine that I could be among the top ones, it’s so amazing and unbelievable. It was the first time that I participated in an architecture contest all by myself and I am very happy with the result. Thank you all for that.
I read a lot about sensory architecture and phenomenology in the last 3 years. I thought a lot if I use some the ideas and concepts of the books that I read about but, in the end, I realize that for the first time I could wright about what I believe and the conclusions that I made until today based in my own experiences. So, I let myself free to write what it felt right to be written. I just opened the file, looked at the image, played Fear of The Water by Syml and let the things happen naturally.
It’s a personal text, it was a personal writing, it’s about my believes, my thoughts, and my feelings. I am very grateful to have approached the topic in this way, because looking back today I don’t believe there was a better way to do this.
What measures will you take/ taking to introduce the philosophy of sensory architecture to practice?
In a way, it’s relatively easy to use phenomenology when you’re designing something for yourself or for someone of your imagination. The real challenge is to use the senses and phenomenology for someone with feelings, dreams, fears that you may not know yet.
So, I believe that knowing your client and understanding how he would like to feel is essential to develop a good project, and it’s the best way to work with sensory architecture.
Following that thought, I always try to know how the client would like to feel, understanding the moment in life that he is right now, his dreams, history and feelings. I think that the most important thing that you can ask is “how do you want to feel?”. In my opinion, without this it is impossible to make a design that the client can really dwell, because architecture is art and art is always about feeling.
Third Prize Winners
ELIANA HELTSCHL
Austria
I am a 29 year old Architect from Austria. I'm originally from Tirol, but I moved to Vienna when I was 18 to study Architecture at the TU Vienna. I finished university last year and now I am currently working in an Office and in my freetime I am working on different projects in a studio that I share with 10 friends of mine.
What is your design philosophy?
During my studies I learned that it is very important for the quality of my designs to practice “Slow Architecture”. This doesn't mean that I work slowly, but that I deal with it constantly and very intensively and give the design time to develop and hopefully be perfected. I don't want mass production but a building with character. I start from the big picture - urban planning - and work down to the details - the joints. Buildings are designed for its visitors and residents and they should communicate with them, serve and bring them pleasure for a long time.
What was your feeling when the winners were announced?
I was more than happy - after all, this was the first essay contest I entered and I'm still very flattered and overwhelmed to have made the top 3 out of so many submissions. I'm looking forward to read the other entries for inspiration and to learn more about the topic.
Can you briefly explain your essay writing process, the source of ideas and, your understanding of the topic?
I studied this topic intensively during my studies, read and researched a lot about it, and my thesis was personally my biggest work on this topic. My writing process is relatively insane, to say the least. I always start collecting various outpourings on my part and quotes that fit the topic in one document. In my phone you can always find passages of text that have occurred to me in between (this is what I mean by Slow Architecture - the project I'm working on is always buzzing around in my head - whether I'm on the bus to work, in the shower or at a party) and then I take a few days to work everything out neatly, connect the threads of thought, and layout. And I usually end up having to take on the hardest work: The shortening of the text because I always pack in way too much ;)
What measures will you take/ taking to introduce the philosophy of sensory architecture to practice?
I read a lot about this topic, I have some architects whose work I respect, and I try to visit and experience a lot of buildings. In my own projects I always try to find out as much as possible about the clients, let them show me what they like and then I try to put myself in their shoes as much as my empathy allows and start designing. I permanently walk through the building in my mind and see every corner, every material, every incidence of light coming together in front of me, as if it were already built reality. My work is done when I want to move in myself.
Special mention
Honorable mention
PRIYANSHI HIRAN
Randy Sovich, AIA
PRIYANSHI HIRAN
Randy Sovich, AIA
