Architecture Competition Himalayan Mountain Hut 2nd prize winner - ArC2

We’d like to take this opportunity to introduce the 2nd prize winners of our Himalayan Mountain Hut competition - Dorota Szlachcic, Mariusz Szlachcic, Julia Kisielewska and Wojciech Klapcia [ArC2] from Poland!

We are architects and owners of ArC2; an award winning architectural company employing 25 people founded in 1991 in Wroclaw, acting mainly on the Polish market. The company has won numerous architectural competitions, including the Africarium-Oceanarium and Congress Centre and Hotel in Wroclaw. We received numerous awards for housing projects in Wroclaw such as Under The Wings Oltaszyn Park and Wall St. House and the Grand Prix price from the Mayor of Wroclaw. Our biggest accomplishment is the implementation in 2014 of the Africarium-Oceanarium complex in the Wroclaw Zoo; the largest aquarium in Europe and the only one in the world dedicated to Africa. Now we are working on the next aquarium, this time in Angola. We operate on a large scale, but all the projects we develop down to the smallest detail.

For the competition we have invited architect Julia Kisielewska, constructor Dr. Eng. Maciej Minch who is also a climber and explorer. We attached significant importance to ecology and technologically sophisticated materials, hence we collaborated with a fabric technologist Wojciech Klapcia; visiting professors at the Polish Outdoor Group, journalists, designers and sales director at PajakSport.pl, and the author of numerous publications on alpine fabric technology. The competition project also utilised innovative methods for creating links with perovskite thin films, an alternative to silicon solar technology, which allows you a much cheaper and more efficient solar energy gain.

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

Human culture and civilisation is based on a principle of transformation of fragile materials into time-resistant structures which often vanish, perhaps forever. All things surrounding us are becoming disposable. Why should architecture be an exception? Perhaps this changeability - transition - ‘momentary architecture’ will become one of the major criteria of its assessment and the durable will no longer block the way for the newer and the better. How can architects meet this challenge? We have no idea. Perhaps we face the most demanding task our profession has ever been set. 

Why do you participate in architecture vision competitions?

Architecture vision competitions ventilate and allow the mind to look for new technologies and ideas. You can learn from people of different specialties about topics that apparently seem distant and unattainable. Technological visions advance our ability to serve local communities.

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

Each topic in his or her professional life can be pursued through the vision of an architecture competition. Try to get to the root of the problem, clearly and simply introduce the idea, polish it as crystal, and ultimately have fun with it.