Architecture Competition Pavilion Of Humanity: First Contact 2nd prize winners – Subtext Studio

We’d like to take the opportunity to introduce you to the 2nd prize winners of our “Pavilion Of Humanity: First Contact” competition – Shahram Arashzad and Fatemeh Kazemi from United States!

Fatemeh Kazemi  and Shahram Arashzad from United States

Subtext studio was established in 2018 by Shahram Arashzad and Fatemeh Kazemi. Being at the crossroads of what we were taught in our architectural education and what we were involved in at our post-studies work lead to the foundation of the studio. By joining forces, we have strived to bridge the inherent gap and produce designs that are not only of architectural merit, but also constructible and, most importantly, with a subtext of human understanding at their core.

Brief information about the projects that you/your company have been involved with.

Our dedication to delivering well-thought-out, well-designed, and well-executed projects has led us to handle mostly small-scale projects, such as weekend getaway homes, and several interior design projects. However, at the same time, we satisfy our thirst for large-scale projects by participating in diverse architectural design competitions.

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

Architecture can change lives. This is not an overstatement. Good design does and will have an impact on the course of the future; and what is the future but the choices of the present? In other words, well-designed spaces generate positive atmospheres for their users, which promotes well-being. Consequently, the accumulation of good architecture can offer a better world. This intrinsic dynamic property of architecture comes with challenges, which we thoroughly enjoy overcoming. The responsibility of any architect is to get to the core of that question, “What is good design?”

Why do you participate in architecture competitions?

Participating in architecture competitions is not an easy task, whether you are a professional or a student. It takes time to prepare a good project for any competition, and, quite frankly, it is not easy to win them. So, surely, they could start to feel like a wasted effort and a drain of intelligence, as Rem has put it. But at the same time, architectural competitions provide a platform for both the student and the professional to deliberate on a dissimilar typology, which can be beneficial in a number of different ways.

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

Our advice to individuals who struggle to decide whether it is beneficial to participate in architecture competitions or not would be to perhaps be very selective with the competitions they choose to participate in. For example, make sure it’s your favorite typology or the right scale for the amount of time that you can spend.