Iceland Ski Snow Cabin competition Honorable mention winners - Bas Jeroen Kahlert and Alexander Christian Peter Heim

We’d like to take the opportunity to introduce you to the Honorable mention winners of our "Iceland Ski Snow Cabin" competition – Bas Jeroen Kahlert and Alexander Christian Peter Heim from Germany!

Bas Jeroen Kahlert and Alexander Christian Peter Heim from Germany

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 both studied at the Technical University in Darmstadt under professors such as Elli Mosayebi, Meinrad Morger, and Wolfgang Lorch. However, we only really got to know each other at Dietz-Joppien-Hammerschmidt in Berlin after we had each spent some years working for different offices, including GRAFT in Berlin and other smaller firms in Germany.

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?

 Our team at DJH focuses on small to large construction projects in service phases 1-4, mainly in the residential construction sector. This means that we are involved in everything from the basic evaluation through to approval planning. In our collaborative efforts, we decided to pursue a project together outside of the office, with the potential of eventually opening our own practice in the future. Our goal was to develop our own architectural language.

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

 For us, architecture is like a lingua franca, something that can be understood and felt across nations and cultures. Everyone intuitively understands the atmosphere of a successful building, which we find fascinating. Of course, building is not only about atmosphere but also about sustainable strategies to preserve existing structures while adding new, contemporary elements to improve the quality of life for the residents and respect historical values. At the same time, we must always keep an eye on environmental compatibility, which we also tried to address in our contribution to the competition.

Why do you participate in architecture competitions?

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

 If you enjoy designing, it can only help you. Even without a top ranking, you have gained something - experience.