Architecture competition "Construction Container Facelift" Honorable mention - Larissa De Rosso and Ana Bretes

We’d like to take the opportunity to introduce you to the winners of the Honorable mention of our “Construction Container Facelift” competition - Larissa De Rosso and Ana Bretes from United Kingdom!

Larissa De Rosso and Ana Bretes from United Kingdom

Larissa De Rosso

I graduated as an Architect and Urbanist from FAUUSP (São Paulo, Brazil) in 2007. In 2014, I completed my M.Sc. in Environmental Sustainable Design at AA School (London, UK).

I worked as an architect for several years in Brazil, developing projects from conception to design. After moving to London, I worked on hospital schemes at BDP, and currently I am working at Michael Sparks Associates LLP, a chartered architecture firm in West London.

Ana Bretes

I graduated in Architecture from dArq-FCTUC (Portugal) and have completed an advanced studies course in Architectural Heritage with the Faculty of Architecture in the University of Porto.

I worked for a few years in Portugal before moving to Macau, where I worked in CC Office  and AEDAS. I am currently living in London, working at Michael Sparks Associates LLP, as well as doing some freelance set design for theatre.

Brief information about the projects that you/your company have been involved with. For instance what scale have you focused on/preferred, any significant projects where company/ individuals have been involved?

Larissa De Rosso

I worked with a diverse range of projects, from offices and retail to hospital schemes and warehouses. I also undertook some furniture design and visual signage on a number of the projects I was involved in.

Ana Bretes

I’ve worked on a wide range of building types and scales; adaptive reuse projects of 10m2 typical scale houses, sets for theatre, large hotels, casinos, sports facilities, exhibition spaces, institutional buildings, and a rehabilitation centre for disabled people, etc.

Every building type and scale has its points of interest and its challenges. I like the creative process in set design and the challenge of working on existing building adaptations/conversions.

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

Architects, by the nature of their job, interfere with and have an influence on people’s lives, so they should use that power to try to improve cities and people’s lives, but not by simply superimposing themselves and their ideas. They have the social responsibility of listening to people and trying to understand and investigate the site and its surroundings in order to come up with the best solution they can provide for each specific situation.

Why do you participate in architecture vision competitions?

Mainly to keep our creativity going and to challenge ourselves. It’s also a way to learn about and investigate different subjects. We view these competitions as a way to improve ourselves and to widen our knowledge. It is also a great experience to work in a team and add to everyone's experience and background to the proposal.

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

You have nothing to lose. As long as you see it as something you’re doing for yourself, as part of your learning process and to face new challenges, you’ll always win something by participating in architecture competitions.