Architecture Competition Columbarium – The Chamber of Memories 3rd, BB Green and BB Student prize winners – Technical University of Košice

We’d like to take the opportunity to introduce you to the 3rd, BB Green and BB Student prize winners of our "Columbarium – The Chamber of Memories" competition – Matej Gurka, Karol Gregor and Andrea Bočková from Slovakia!

Matej Gurka from Slovakia

After several years of working in architectural studios in Slovakia and Czechia I decided to finish my architectural degree in Košice TUKE University Slovakia. I have been working since my studies in Prague. I was working on small scale projects like apartments and family houses as well as bigger like industrial and office buildings in cooperation with Ing. arch. Michal Jura in Prešov, Slovakia. My university consultants for this project were Ing. akad. arch Karol Gregor, chief interior designer of Jonas Zaborsky theater in Presov, author of Slovak National Bank in Košice or University Library in Košice and Ing. arch. Andrea Bočková, ArtD. who has also multiple realisations in Slovakia.

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?

As I mentioned in previous questions I worked on multiple project of different scales. We used to work on various types. Interior design of private appartments, family houses, builings for heatlhcare, office buildings and mostly industrial buldings with cooperation with local architects. In my further career I would like to work abroad for a time and then focus on sustainable architecture in field of residental buildings.

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

Architecture in my opinion is about transforming a strong idea into the form or structure. Architecture is simpy everywhere, from opening our eyes. We grow, live and die in it. It is our ecosystem, something like air. If the air is healthy, we prosper. From that derives a role of an architect as a co-author of this ecosystem we all are part of.

Why do you participate in architecture competitions?

This was my first time I ever evolved into an international architectural competition. I was looking for something new after several years of working on multiple projects, sometimes at the same time.

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

Simply to try it. It is really refreshing and gives you back to what is architecture about.