Iceland Beer Spa 3rd prize winners - Mariia Sviderskaia and Gleb Limonov

We’d like to take the opportunity to introduce you to the 3rd prize winners of our "Iceland Beer Spa" competition – Mariia Sviderskaia and Gleb Limonov from Georgia!

Mariia Sviderskaia and Gleb Limonov

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.

We are an architectural duo that dates back to our time as bachelor students in architecture. We formed our long-standing friendship based on our love for clean and honest solutions and our struggle for simple yet elegant designs. But we also love anything silly and always try not to be dull in our life and work. An analyst of the team, Maria is a strong professional architect. Gleb pursues a career in archviz, considering architecture as a hobby and personal passion. Currently, we have taken a gap year after completing our bachelor's degrees in architecture, which we are using as an opportunity to prepare for our master's program.

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?

Together and professionally we mostly work on public architecture and art installations.

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

Architecture is a synthesis of confident conclusions from analytical data, cultural context and a touch of the architect's creative vision, but most importantly it is the friends we made along the way. The architect transforms simple matter into solutions of ordinary problems and new impressions of life. The architect creates comfort and efficiency as well as feelings. Surprise and calm, curiosity and confidence, awe and peace, tension and relaxation.

Why do you participate in architecture competitions?

Architectural competitions offer the freedom to realize projects according to one's vision. While rules provide direction for thought, they don't restrict creativity. This enables the expression of one's full creative potential and design perspective. Our primary objective in participating in competitions is to refine our creative voice and diversify our portfolio. We believe that this experience will deepen our engagement with the design process.

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

Architectural competitions are a great way to test and improve your skills. It is an opportunity to learn more about the world we live in. You can gain familiarity with different cultures and diverse perspectives. Architectural competitions offer greater creative freedom than professional work, allowing for the exploration of new techniques and approaches.