Kinderspace #3 competition Honorable mention winner - Angela Vasilevska, Andrijana Volcheska and Sara Jovanoska

We’d like to take the opportunity to introduce you to the Honorable mention winners of our Kinderspace #3 competition – Angela Vasilevska, Andrijana Volcheska and Sara Jovanoska from Macedonia!

Angela Vasilevska, Andrijana Volcheska and Sara Jovanoska

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.

We are a team of three architects, all holding Master’s degrees from the Faculty of Architecture at the University “Ss. Cyril and Methodius” in Skopje, currently gaining experience in architectural firms in the city. Although we do not yet operate as a formal architectural practice, we collaborate as an independent team, often working together on competitions and private projects. Our shared academic background has shaped a common interest in architecture that is sensitive to context, landscape, and the everyday experience of space. Competitions provide us with an opportunity to explore ideas more freely, test design approaches, and engage with different architectural questions beyond the constraints of everyday practice. As emerging architects, we see these collaborations as a way to continue learning, developing our design thinking, and building a foundation for our future professional paths.

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?

With several years of professional experience, we have individually worked on a wide range of projects across different scales and typologies. Our work spans from large-scale urban and masterplanning proposals to smaller residential buildings, as well as commercial and educational projects. In addition to architectural design, we have also been involved in the development of architectural exhibitions, which allowed us to engage with architecture through research, curation and spatial storytelling. This experience has strengthened our interest in how architecture can be communicated and experienced beyond the built form. Working across different scales and formats has helped us develop a broader understanding of architecture — from urban relationships and spatial strategies to the more intimate qualities of human-scale environments. Whether through professional work, exhibitions, or competition proposals, we approach each project as an opportunity to explore thoughtful and context-sensitive design solutions.

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

For us, architecture is fundamentally connected to the way society is shaped and experienced. The spaces we aim to design influence how people live, interact, and relate to their environment, making architecture an important cultural and social responsibility. Architecture, in this sense, is both fragile and powerful, small decisions can have a lasting impact, so it must be practiced with care and thoughtfulness. As architects, our role goes beyond simply designing buildings. It involves understanding the context, the community and the needs of the people who will use those spaces. Through thoughtful design, architects can create environments that are inclusive, sustainable, and meaningful for everyday life. Choosing this profession reflects our desire to actively participate in shaping the society we live in. With experience and reflection, we approach our work by listening, learning, and responding to the challenges of our time while creating spaces that support and enrich human experience.

Why do you participate in architecture competitions?

We engage in architecture competitions because they offer a rare space to explore design ideas in their most conceptual and uncompromised form. Partially freed from the constraints of investors or clients, we can focus on the principles and spatial strategies we have studied, testing the relationship between form, function, and context. Competitions allow us to critically examine architectural questions, experiment with innovative solutions, and reflect on the broader role of architecture in shaping social and environmental experiences. For us, they are not just exercises in design, but opportunities to develop a thoughtful, research-driven approach and to cultivate a distinctive architectural voice as emerging practitioners.

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

We believe architectural competitions are an invaluable opportunity for growth and experimentation. Regardless of the outcome, each competition provides lessons in design thinking, problem-solving, and creative exploration that cannot be fully replicated in everyday practice. Competitions encourage a form of critical and subjective thinking, pushing participants to question assumptions, explore unconventional solutions, and develop their own architectural voice. For anyone considering it, we would say: approach competitions not just as a contest, but as a space for learning, reflection, and experimentation. Every architect can benefit from at least trying their hand at this unique form of design practice.