Architecture Competition Iceland Volcano Coffee Shop Honorable mention – Simone Marzorati and Silvio Lussana

We’d like to take the opportunity to introduce you to one of our Honorable mention winners for our "Iceland Volcano Coffee Shop" competition – Simone Marzorati and Silvio Lussana from Italy!

Honorable mention winners from Italy

We are Silvio and Simone, two young architects and friends from Italy. We first met during our studies at the Politecnico di Milano, where we had the opportunity to work together in many architectural studios and for various international competitions. After graduation, we decided to keep collaborating and challenge ourselves with new stimulating design experiences.

Simone is a qualified architect from Milan, Italy. He is currently working as a Junior Architect at the architectural firm Park Associati. In 2020, he graduated cum laude from the Politecnico di Milano in the MSc programme “Architecture-Built Environment- Interiors”. During his studies, he had the opportunity to study at the Technische Universiteit of Eindhoven as an Erasmus student.

Silvio is a qualified architect from Brescia, Italy. He is currently working as a Junior Architect at the architectural firm ARW Botticini+Facchinelli. In 2020, he graduated cum laude from the Politecnico di Milano in the MSc programme “Architecture-Built Environment-Interiors”. During his studies, he had the opportunity to study at the Manchester School of Architecture as an Erasmus student.

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?

Working as Junior Architects in two architectural firms, we have the opportunity to be involved in several architectural projects at different scales, mainly focusing on urban-related issues. However, when we collaborate, what sparks our interest is a very distinctive natural, urban, or social environment. We think the previous reading of the site is fundamental for the design process, at every architectural phase.

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

We find architecture fascinating and able to respond concretely to the needs of human beings to live and move in space. We conceive architecture as a perceived space, where humans are emotionally involved and free to experience it according to their own perceptions. Indeed, our architectural approach relies on the awareness that designing means responsibility. It implies a change in the existing built, natural, and social environment and, therefore, in the values linked to it.

Why do you participate in architecture competitions?

Joining architecture competitions allow us to experiment with different design solutions, while challenging ourselves on stimulating and new topics, developing fresh insights, and defining a common path in our professional growth.

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

Experimentation relies on creativity which we think is stimulated only through the enjoyment of the design process and the involvement with a particular topic. For this reason, what we feel to recommend is to have fun!