Concrete Pavilion competition 3rd Prize winners - Koh Noguchi and Ssu-Kuo Lo

 We’d like to take the opportunity to introduce you to the 3rd Prize winners of our Concrete Pavilion competition – Koh Noguchi and Ssu-Kuo Lo from United Kingdom!

Koh Noguchi and Ssu-Kuo Lo

Please tell us about your company (when it was founded, where it is based, how many employees, etc) Alternatively, if you do not have a company, please give us some insights on your own professional/academia background.

We both met at the Architectural Association, London, during our diploma course.

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 the company/ individuals have been Involved?

We have worked on projects of various scales throughout our careers in academia, professional practice, and competitions.

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

 Architecture has a unique role in actualising ideas from other fields—such as finance, engineering, and philosophy—into the physical realm. For this reason, it is a powerful driver and role model that can shape and reflect our society.

Why do you participate in architecture competitions?

We enter competitions to explore new ideas that are not constrained by the gatekeepers of academia or by clients in professional practice. They give us the freedom to tackle any brief that piques our interest and approach it in our own way.

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

We recommend entering at least one architecture competition if you are on the fence. However, when you do, be fully committed to it. By doing so, you will gain something from the experience, even if you do not win the competition itself.