Kinderspace / Edition #2 competition Honorable mention winners - Rune Junior Rui-Xin Li and Tina Meng Ting Li

We’d like to take the opportunity to introduce you to the Honorable mention winners of our Kinderspace / Edition #2 competition – Rune Junior Rui-Xin Li and Tina Meng Ting Li from Sweden!

Tina Meng Ting Li and Rune Junior Rui-Xin Li

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.

X2 Architects was founded in 2019 and is based in Stockholm, Sweden. We are a small team of architects and designers who work at the intersection of architecture, pedagogy, and social sustainability. While compact in size, we collaborate extensively with educators, municipalities, artists, and researchers. Our focus lies in creating meaningful environments that encourage movement, play, and social connection especially in public and educational settings.

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?

Our projects range from temporary installations and activity parks to permanent urban interventions, often with a participatory process at the core. We specialize in designing for children, families, and communities. From motor skills parks, schoolyards, cultural spaces, and shared public areas. One of our strengths is helping small-scale initiatives grow into large-scale, funded projects through design-led feasibility studies. We also lead educational programs on risky play and physical literacy in connection with our built environments.

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

To us, architecture is about shaping relationships rather than buildings. Between people, space, nature, and time. As architects, we believe our role is to listen deeply and design generously. That means creating spaces that serve real human needs, even the unspoken ones like the need for joy, movement, rest, curiosity, and dignity. In today’s society, where many places are over-designed and under-utilized, our responsibility is to create environments that invite life in. But it’s not enough to have visionary ideas, they have to be feasible. We aim to strike a balance between high ambition and grounded realism. Great architecture should inspire, but it must also get built. That means understanding budgets, timelines, politics, and maintenance without losing sight of the original purpose.

Why do you participate in architecture competitions?

Competitions like this allow us to step outside the constraints of our daily client-driven work and push the boundaries of what architecture can be. They provide a space for experimentation and clarity, where we can challenge our own assumptions, test ideas, and engage in a global dialogue with peers. It’s a creative reset and an opportunity to deepen our values through design.

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

Start with a project that speaks to you, one that aligns with your values or sparks your imagination. Use the competition as a tool to grow, not just to win. The real value is in the thinking and making. Even if your entry isn’t recognized, it can evolve into something else: a portfolio piece, a conversation starter, or even the seed of a real commission.