We’d like to take the opportunity to introduce you to the winner of the 1st prize of our “Abu Dhabi Flamingo Observation Tower” competition - Bryan Fan and Shelley Xu from Australia!

Abu Dhabi Flamingo Observation Tower 1st prize winners from Australia

Bryan Fan and Shelley Xu from Australia

We are both young architectural professionals based in Melbourne, Australia. Graduated with a Master’s of Architecture from the University of Melbourne in 2016, we are currently working as graduate architects at a major practice in Australia. Our previous experiences include student positions held in Shanghai/ Hong Kong and Australia.

As individuals we have been involved in projects of all scales. From bespoke restaurant fit-outs to large scale high-rise residential/ commercial/ hospitality and mixed use project across Australia. We have also been involved in large civic and hospitality projects in SE Asia and Dubai, in particular the involvement of pavilion competition for the Dubai Expo and a hotel development competition at Dubai Creek Harbour. As creative individuals/ collective we are quite comfortable to operate projects at any scale and typology.

What does architecture mean to you and what is the role of an architect in your society?

For us architecture is about connecting people to a place and giving them meaningful experiences.

In contemporary society, architects should be the leader in shaping and improving the built environment and lead society towards a better future at a broader socio-economic context.

Why do you participate in architecture vision competitions?

As young architects/ designers, architecture vision competitions provide a good platform and opportunity for us to speculate and test different design ideas and present to a worldwide audience.

What advice would you give to individual who struggle to decide whether it would be beneficial for them to participate in architecture vision competitions?

Just do it. Participating in architecture vision competitions is a great way to test and examine what you believe in the architecture and the built environment.

Top 3 Reasons Why You Should Enter Architecture Competitions

Curious about the value of architecture competitions? Discover the transformative power they can have on your career - from igniting creativity and turning designs into reality, to gaining international recognition.

Learn more