Architecture Competition Iceland Cave Tower 1st prize winners – Gaspar Cánepa and Mareike Schlatow

We’d like to take the opportunity to introduce you to the 1st prize winners of our “Iceland Cave Tower” competition –  Gaspar Cánepa and Mareike Schlatow from Denmark!

Gaspar Cánepa and Mareike Schlatow from Denmark

We are two architects with heterogenous backgrounds, located in Denmark, who find value in collaborations which enhance a diverse approach to the discipline.

Gaspar Cánepa graduated from Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (Argentina) in 2011, has worked in various international offices like EMBT (Spain), ESRAWE Studio (Mexico), and Urban Agency (Denmark), and has also taken part in small-scale projects and competitions on his own.

Mareike Schlatow, after finishing her master's degree at the Technical University Berlin (Germany) in 2014, has worked in international offices like Zanderroth Architekten (Germany) and Urban Agency (Denmark).

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?

Both Gaspar and Mareike have worked with various scales and typologies, ranging from industrial design, small-scale houses, multifamily residentials, mixed-use buildings, and office towers to urban planning and large-scale infrastructure.

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

Architecture is the physical reinterpretation of space, carefully taking into consideration the context, society, and history to formulate a new vision and create valuable spaces for people to identify and engage with.

Why do you participate in architecture competitions?

Competitions help to engage and think about projects with less constraints, which allows to create new fundamental concepts and values.

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

Keep on going.