House of the Future 2nd prize winners - Andrea Baldo, Angelo Brollo and Gino Brollo

We’d like to take the opportunity to introduce you to the 2nd prize winners of our "House of the Future" competition – Andrea Baldo, Angelo Brollo and Gino Brollo!

 
Angelo Brollo, Andrea Baldo and Gino Brollo

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.

Our team is made up of three architects from Italy and Argentina, who met in Valencia, Spain, where we are currently based. In 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, we decided to come together and take advantage of the period of confinement in our homes to immerse ourselves in the participation and development of architecture competitions. Our central objective is to constantly cultivate and nurture the creative spark, something fundamental in the work of an architect. Competitions offer us the opportunity to investigate and explore architectural typologies that, sometimes, escape the daily routine. These competitions keep us agile in the creative process, allowing us to express our architectural vision without restrictions or limits, which is fundamental for the development and evolution of our professional practice.

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?

Currently, as a team, we primarily focus on architectural competitions, allowing us to tackle a wide range of projects. We are passionate about taking on challenges of various scales and addressing issues that inspire us to research and develop new ideas. The realm of architectural competitions provides us with a conducive space to explore bolder and disruptive ideas, as well as to contemplate issues that interest and concern us as designers.

This environment encourages us to delve into more dystopian concepts while also granting us the freedom to challenge ourselves to think beyond conventional limits. Furthermore, it affords us the opportunity to reflect on topics that interest us as architectural design professionals.

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

For us, architecture represents the art of shaping the world we inhabit. It is the most faithful reflection of our society; no other discipline manages to capture the times we live in so precisely. From ancient times to the present, architecture has borne witness to our evolution. Everything around us is architecture; every space we inhabit and everything we behold has been meticulously designed by someone. Being part of this dynamic, where ideas are passed down from generation to generation and transformed to adapt to the changing ways of life in our societies, is both motivating and an enormous responsibility.

Consequently, we understand the role of the architect as the catalyst for the needs and interests of society and individuals, working to enhance the spaces where they live and develop. We believe that architecture should interpret history and learn from it to redefine previous techniques and methods, adapting them to contemporary demands. Likewise, architecture should be avant-garde, capable of envisioning and anticipating future needs, imagining and shaping the world in which we will dwell.

Why do you participate in architecture competitions?

In our view, engaging in architecture competitions is a means of keeping the creative process active and exploring architectural typologies that are not part of our daily routine

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

Architecture competitions represent a privileged space to enhance individual creativity and test skills alongside other designers from diverse parts of the world. Each experience in these competitions is an invaluable opportunity to learn and grow. They serve as an invaluable showcase for young architects, allowing them to showcase their ideas and a challenge that sharpens our ability to solve problems in a wide range of contexts, even the most dystopian ones.

These competitions are not only a field of competition but also fertile ground for the exchange of knowledge and the exploration of innovative approaches. They enable each participant to immerse themselves in challenges that broaden their vision and enhance their ability to find ingenious solutions, which are essential for professional growth and the evolution of the field of architecture.