Architecture Competition Iceland Lake Myvatn Community House 3rd and Student prize winners – UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA

We’d like to take the opportunity to introduce you to the 3rd and Student prize winners of our "Iceland Lake Myvatn Community House" competition – Jon Breuer, Blake Czyzewski and Shane Herb from United States!

3rd and Student Award winners from United States

We are undergraduate students at the University of Minnesota studying architecture in the Bachelor of Science program. We are involved in our American Institute of Architecture Students chapter and currently hold entry-level design positions throughout the midwestern region of the U.S.

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?

In school, our studios focus on a wide range of project types and scale. In particular, we focus on the human aspect of design, and we approach architecture from the perspective of the human experience. This manifests differently based on site constraints and program type, but keeping in mind the way users will experience a piece of architecture is always a top consideration in our approach.

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

For us, architecture is about understanding the world around us. Our approach revolves around respecting the needs of the community, and as designers we believe the role of the architect is to enhance our surroundings by providing socially and environmentally sustainable design solutions.

Why do you participate in architecture competitions?

Architecture competitions are a great way to build your skills and explore design methods and technologies you may not touch on in school. They are also a great way to build up your resume and portfolio to stand out to employers, and they offer the opportunity for your work to be publicized. They also give you the opportunity to work as a team and develop leadership and communication skills.

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

Just go for it- architecture competitions offer a low-pressure environment for you to have fun with design and apply the skills you learn in school without the scrutiny of critics or stress of grades. Participating definitely won’t hurt in any way, and it’s really all about having fun with an independently-led project.