Iceland Ski Snow Cabin competition Honorable mention winners - Mahla Ebrahimpour, Hiu Yu Ong and Nathaniel David Carden

We’d like to take the opportunity to introduce you to the Honorable mention winners of our "Iceland Ski Snow Cabin" competition – Mahla Ebrahimpour, Hiu Yu Ong and Nathaniel David Carden from Netherlands!

Mahla Ebrahimpour, Hiu Yu Ong and Nathaniel David Carden from Netherlands

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.

Novel Terra was founded in January 2024 by Mahla Ebrahimpour and Nathaniel Carden and is currently based in Providence, Rhode Island, USA. The research and design studio consists of two members with educational and professional experience spanning North America, Europe, and Asia. Novel Terra’s approach is to harmonize architecture with its context, enabling adaptability to change and creating places that respect individuals' proportions and emotions. Hiu Yu Ong is a freelance architect with an international design background. She obtained a master’s degree in architecture from KU Leuven and has 7 years of professional experience in Hong Kong and the Netherlands. Hiu is currently based in the Netherlands, where she met Mahla and Nathaniel, who share similar interests.

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 Novel Terra design team takes great pleasure in working on projects of various scales, primarily focusing on small/medium interventions and urban design. The team recently won first place in the Europan 17 Competition for the Skellefteå, Sweden site and is actively continuing their involvement. Hiu’s experience spans diverse scales, including urban design, educational, residential, recreational, hospitality, and office interior projects. She is particularly interested in light and shadow, warm and cool, and how different typologies and scales can drive sensational material selections.

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

Architecture is an embodiment of shelter, culture, consciousness, and emotion. Architects are the interlocutors, connecting past, present, and future actors, forces, and narratives.

Why do you participate in architecture competitions?

Architecture competitions provide a relatively uninhibited freedom to dream. These opportunities keep the thoughtful passion for design alive.

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

Participating in architecture competitions is not about anticipating an outcome. It is about contributing to a collective thought process that can inspire a better future.