Architecture Competition Tiny Kiwi Meditation Cabin 2nd prize winner

We’d like to take the opportunity to introduce you to the 2nd prize winner of our “Tiny Kiwi Meditation Cabin” competition – Mat Winter from Canada!

Mat Winter from Canada

I completed my Master of Architecture degree in 2015 and spent 3.5 years working for Herzog & de Meuron in Switzerland. Returning to my home country of Canada in 2018, I worked in Toronto as an architectural designer before founding Winter Studio in August of 2020.

Shortly before starting Winter Studio, I was involved in the design and construction of large-scale office buildings in Switzerland, as well as domestic projects in Southern Ontario. Winter Studio focuses on participating in international competitions of all types and sizes, while continuing to design and build houses and cottages throughout Ontario.

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

Architecture is an environmental and societal reaction of materials and phenomenon. Architects build in and with space and time.

Why do you participate in architecture competitions?

Competitions, like school, allow for the freedom to “play”, test ideas, take risks, to be unusual. Besides the benefit of exploring ideas and representational methods beyond the sometimes-banal day-to-day tasks of the profession, competitions allow me the opportunity to demonstrate who I am as an architectural designer, from the selection of competition briefs and sites to the choice of materials and organizational strategies, to the final panel layouts.

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

Competitions are an opportunity to push yourself outside of your comfort zone; they are a creative outlet if you otherwise feel limited in your freedom to explore in the work you do. They provide us designers with the chance to have more control over the outcome of our projects; and above all, the process guides you to learning what is truly important to you as a creative, and can be a valuable reminder, when needed, for why you’re in the profession in the first place.