Howard Waterfall Retreat competition Honorable mention winner - Laert Hoxha

We’d like to take this opportunity to introduce you to the Honorable mention winner of our Howard Waterfall Retreat Competition – Laert Hoxha from France!

Laert Hoxha

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.

Studio HOXHA was founded in 2015 and is based in Paris, in the 5th arrondissement near the Pantheon. It is a multidisciplinary architecture practice working on a wide range of programs, from new builds to rehabilitation. We are particularly specialized in the transformation and enhancement of existing buildings. Our goal is to preserve heritage while modernizing it, in order to create spaces adapted to contemporary uses. Each project is for us an opportunity to respect the history of a place while giving it new life.

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 work on a wide variety of projects, with a particular focus on the rehabilitation of buildings in Paris. This includes transforming existing buildings into collective housing, or adapting them to new uses, such as high-end sports facilities. We have also led large-scale operations, such as collective housing projects of over 8,000 m² in partnership with Nexity, one of France’s leading developers. Another aspect of our work concerns luxury architecture: designing villas in Saint-Barthélemy, chalets in Megève, and emblematic renovation projects such as the Chanel building on rue Cambon in Paris.

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

For me, architecture reflects the character of a society: it shows what it chooses to highlight and what it seeks to transmit over time. Heritage is diverse – it can be vernacular and modest, or monumental and historical but it is everyone’s responsibility to preserve and enrich it. Building the city is a collective duty, and the architect is one of its guardians. My personal background reinforces this conviction. I am originally from Albania, a country marked by a communist history where heritage was often destroyed by the state. Today, I see it threatened by the opposite excess, that of uncontrolled development. In this context, the role of the architect is to ensure balance: to create spaces that accompany development while protecting urban memory and quality of life. This is a vast subject, but it lies at the heart of my commitment: to be the link between heritage and innovation, between preservation and transformation.

Why do you participate in architecture competitions?

The economic development of Studio HOXHA is mainly based on private clients, through direct commissions and partnerships with different stakeholders. In this context, competitions are not our main source of work, but they occupy an essential place in the practice of architecture. I had the opportunity to take part in public competitions early in my career, when I was working with the agency SCAU. There I discovered that competitions are one of the few arenas where architects can fully express their potential, confront their ideas, and give their very best. Today, even though the agency’s activity relies mostly on private projects, I strive to participate in at least one competition per year. It is a way to revitalize the spirit of the agency, to stimulate creativity, and to rekindle the ‘grinta’ – the drive to win and surpass ourselves. It is also a breath of fresh air that frees our creative energy and nourishes our daily projects.

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

I would advise them not to see a competition only as a contest, but as a journey. Each competition is an opportunity to discover a new place, a new story, a new culture – whether as a student or as an experienced architect. It is a way to explore the world and, at the same time, to discover oneself. Participating in competitions unleashes creative energy. The more you do, the more you develop your sensitivity, and the more innovative and inventive you become. Beyond the result, competitions are an incredible driver of learning and creativity.