Architecture Competition Iceland Thermal Springs Guest House Honorable mention - Nicholas Houser and James Hardt

We’d like to take the opportunity to introduce you to the winners of the Honorable mention of our “Iceland Thermal Springs Guest House” competition - Nicholas Houser and James Hardt from United States!

Nicholas Houser and James Hardt from United States

H+H Studio is a collaboration between two architectural students founded in 2018. The partnership began in our undergraduate education at Texas A&M University after partnering for multiple semesters. We decided to keep up the partnership, focusing on using practical and synthetic techniques to create new spaces and forms that operate on every scale of architecture. We are continuing our education in the pursuit of a Master of Architecture at the University of Pennsylvania (Houser) and the University of Texas (Hardt) prior to entering the workforce full time.

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 company/ individuals have been involved?

H+H Studio is interested in nurturing the potentials of form. The products are a hybrid substance that aims to satisfy the needs of culture and use, while still holding identity as an architectural object. This interest touches all scales from the item produced to the capacity of a skyscraper.

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

Architecture is the pinnacle of human expression in the physical realm, the ability to combine aspects of all rational and speculation facilitate the ability for understanding, growth, and identity as a society. It is a tool to shape culture and society. The role of the architect is to be the mediator and synthesizer across the interdisciplinary realm that is the built world around us.

Why do you participate in architecture vision competitions?

We believe that in order to maintain the agency of the architect in society, that when entering a competition, since many entries remain unbuilt, that it further drives the progression of incoming architecture students, as well as helping maintain the public’s knowledge of where architecture is going. By pursuing competitions with the hopes of the possible construction of the results, our partnership gathers more authorship in the architectural realm.

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

Architecture competitions allow you to help create visualizations and vocabulary that explain your project without the presence of you being there. Participating in competitions gives you the ability to learn how to be effective with drawings and images that sell your work, rather than relying on only interaction with a known client. Competitions also allow for a greater comradery between competitors and facilitate a network that architects need in order to maintain agency and authorship.