Architecture Competition Monte D'Oiro Wine Hotel 1st prize winners

We’d like to take the opportunity to introduce you to the 1st prize winners of our "Monte D'Oiro Wine Hotel" competition – Alexandru Ioan Patrichi, Claudia Galvan Zuluága and Iñaki Omar Millán from Belgium!

1st prize winners - ALEXANDRU PATRICHI ARCHITECTS

ALEXANDRU PATRICHI ARCHITECTS is a Brussels-based architectural firm, founded by architect Alexandru PATRICHI in 2015.

The workshop presently employs four people and provides a wide range of architectural and design services, as well as a personalized approach that is tailored to the client's demands and circumstances and is carried out responsibly.

We believe that architecture has the ability to push the boundaries of innovation and have an impact on people's lives, while remaining respectful of the environment and integrating into local culture. Each project is the result of extensive research, is guided by form purity and attention to detail, and provides high-quality environments.

Sustainability is critical in the construction of a project, as it provides a better framework for users, reduces environmental effect, and lowers maintenance costs over time.

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?

The studio is currently building several residential projects, with a particular emphasis on detail, while being involved in developing new ones and designing a couple of competitions.

The practice has a current emphasis on residential architecture (both because it represents a real challenge and because of the social context and young architects’ position in society), but tries to tackle various projects, diverse both in scale and function.

Projects have varied over the years, from renovations and small-scale interventions to new and more challenging constructions. The studio's goal is to grow and design public structures that have a larger positive impact on people.

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

Architecture is our passion, and we believe it has the power to change people's lives. It should exemplify universal principles, provide high-quality places, and provide consumers with sensory experiences. Its ultimate goal should be to make people's lives better.

Finally, architecture is a type of art, with the goal of communicating ideas, creating a sense of beauty, and eliciting emotions.

Architecture and the architect should respond to the challenges of their time and location, while also attempting to anticipate the future in order to remain relevant across time. For us, the architect's responsibility also includes raising awareness about the value of high-quality design and the influence it has on people and, ultimately, the environment.

Why do you participate in architecture competitions?

Architectural contests provide the opportunity to design and propose novel ideas; they place no restrictions on creativity and allow for complete freedom of expression in terms of design. They also present the architect with a special kind of client: an absent one.

What better challenge for an architect?

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

There is no doubt that participating in architecture competitions benefits an architect for several reasons, but one of the most significant is that it forces the architect to evolve as a professional.