Denver Affordable Housing Challenge competition Honorable mention winners - Kexuan Shang and Shenglu Qiu

We’d like to take the opportunity to introduce the Honorable Mention winners of Denver Affordable Housing Challenge competition – Kexuan Shang and Shenglu Qiu from United States!

Kexuan Shang and Shenglu Qiu

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 are two independent designers who came together for this competition. Shenglu Qiu holds a master’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley and a bachelor’s degree from Tongji University. He is currently based in San Francisco. Kexuan Shang is completing a Bachelor of Architecture at Rice University and is based in Houston. We met while working at Genarchitects in Shanghai, where we discovered a shared intellectual curiosity and a mutual commitment to socially and culturally engaged design. Although we pursue our own academic and professional trajectories, we enjoy collaborating on projects that allow us to bring together our different perspectives and complementary strengths.

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?

Qiu’s current practice focuses on integrating design with emerging technologies in ways that ultimately contribute to human well-being. His work spans a range of scales and typologies, including healthcare, workplace, and interior environments, and has been recognized through multiple AIA design awards. He is particularly interested in the sensory qualities of architecture and approaches each project as a perceivable whole, articulated from large to small and from the inside out. Shang’s experience includes contributing to major cultural and institutional projects, civic landscapes, and research-intensive design proposals across several architecture offices. Her work has ranged from museum and public realm design to healthcare and residential projects, with responsibilities spanning conceptual development, visualization, and exhibition design. Together, we are drawn to projects that foreground social and urban questions, particularly those that address the changing demands of contemporary living, the role of public space, and the intersections of architecture with cultural and ecological narratives.

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

For us, architecture is a way of engaging the world with attentiveness, responsibility, and care. It is a medium through which we navigate contemporary crises by imagining forms of resilience. Architecture has the capacity to empower and to heal, and to create space for those who are often overlooked, whether human or more-than-human. We see architecture as an orchestration of experience, shaped by a careful sensitivity to context. It is a discipline that operates from the scale of the subject to that of the city, and one that demands site-specific interventions grounded in cultural and ecological awareness.

Why do you participate in architecture competitions?

Architecture competitions provide a space to explore ideas without the constraints of conventional practice. They encourage us to move beyond the immediate demands of professional projects and address design issues at broader, even global, scales. Competitions offer opportunities for rigorous experimentation, collaboration, and growth, allowing us to develop visionary approaches while remaining engaged with the critical debates and responsibilities that define the field of architecture.

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

When considering whether to participate in a competition, we first ask ourselves if the project aligns with our passions and knowledge, and whether we can make a meaningful contribution to the conversation. We approach competitions as a space for experimentation and intellectual engagement, where designers can explore ideas freely, push the boundaries of their thinking, and contribute thoughtfully to broader architectural discussions.