Architecture Competition Tiny Kiwi Meditation Cabin Honorable mention – Al Barry Ayaquil and Andrea Bianca Novencido

We’d like to take the opportunity to introduce you to one of our Honorable mention winners for our “Tiny Kiwi Meditation Cabin” competition – Al Barry Ayaquil and Andrea Bianca Novencido from Philippines!

Barry Ayaquil and Andrea Bianca Novencido from Philippines

AB Design Architecture and Interiors is a young architectural design consultation firm established in 2017 by spouses Al Barry and Andrea Bianca, who are both architects. The firm is small and is situated in the northernmost region of the Philippines. It is run by a team comprised of only 3 personnel, mainly the 2 owners and an administrative staff member.

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?

The company focuses more on residential projects which range from small housing units, such as condominiums and permanent residences, to country villas. The projects are carried through all phases of planning, economic viability, environmental impact, and socio-cultural design.

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

The company stands by its belief that design is evolutionary. Through design solutions, new value is being created. Though we at AB Design understand that architecture is basic, and that it only intends to shelter and introduce certain activities for its users, time and again it has proven that, once in a while, new demands for a space usage appears. This is true to all facets of human existence. Going beyond the basics of architecture is a choice. And one must recognize its evolving nature. As architects and designers of our physical environment, it is our role to protect it, make improvements, and nurture the relationship we create from it. Architects not only build forms and spaces with art and science, but we also acknowledge that we share the responsibility as stewards of the race and all entities that surrounds us, and that we hold a place in society in which we can educate everyone through the spaces we make.

Why do you participate in architecture competitions?

Architecture competitions offer many possibilities and design solutions for a single design problem. This being said, the firm strongly feel that it is through design competitions that the company grew to be more diverse when it comes to approaching these problems. Though we had a fair amount of successes and more abundant losses in participating in design competitions, “we did not lose entirely. Even if we did, we only failed forward.” In accepting this truth, we believe it has become one of the strengths of the company. There is excitement when one explores, competes with the best minds, and participates to learn a thing or two from competitors and your previous self. It taught us to be dynamic but with good sense, as oftentimes we discover that we are so caught up and far ahead in searching the answer that we miss the obvious. The experience is priceless, and the recognition for each success is equally incomparable.

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

Find a reason to enjoy the process and love it despite the pressure. Don’t be afraid of failure, this is very common to us, so don’t worry. If we accumulate all the learning for each of these failures, we can morph into well-rounded designers. Find mentors. It will help you so much if you have someone who can show you the way. Innovate. Try again and again, better than the previous time, until you find the best fix to a problem. And lastly, like most professions, success comes from hard work and perseverance. Until you are not there, keep threading one step at a time.

Open architecture competitions

  • Closest Deadline first
  • Project competitions first
    Selected winning projects have the potential to be constructed
  • Ideas competitions first
    Experimental competitions with the focus on pushing the boundaries of creativity
project COMPETITION
Sansusī Forest Food Court

Design a sustainable food court structure for the heart of a classical music festival

Prize: MONETARY AWARD + CONSTRUCTION
Eligibility: OPEN TO ALL

registration deadlines

Remind me
Jan 10
Feb 08
Apr 06
ideas COMPETITION
The Home of Shadows

Design a home with no artificial lighting

Prize: MONETARY AWARD
Eligibility: OPEN TO ALL

registration deadlines

Remind me
Dec 05
Jan 24
Apr 18
project COMPETITION
Portugal Elderly Home

Design a comfortable and accessible home for the elderly in Portugal

Prize: MONETARY AWARD + CONSTRUCTION
Eligibility: OPEN TO ALL

registration deadlines

Remind me
Dec 06
Jan 25
Apr 19
project COMPETITION
Portugal Olive Guest House

Design a guest house and olive oil tasting room located in Portugal

Prize: MONETARY AWARD + CONSTRUCTION
Eligibility: OPEN TO ALL

registration deadlines

Remind me
Dec 08
Jan 27
Apr 21
project COMPETITION
Yoga House in the Bog

Design a yoga guest house located within rich bog wildlife

Prize: MONETARY AWARD + CONSTRUCTION
Eligibility: OPEN TO ALL

registration deadlines

Remind me
Jan 11
Feb 08
Apr 26

Reccuring architecture competitions

ideas COMPETITION
MICROHOME
Small living, huge impact! Edition #6

Design a new concept of small-scale home

Prize: MONETARY AWARD + PUBLICATION IN MAGAZINE
Eligibility: OPEN TO ALL

registration deadlines

Remind me
Feb 16
Apr 18
Jun 16
ideas COMPETITION
Silent contest
For this competition, NO DESCRIPTION TEXT is allowed. The architecture ideas must be communicated strictly with visuals.
Museum of Emotions
Edition #3

Use architecture to create different emotional states

Prize: MONETARY AWARD
Eligibility: OPEN TO ALL

registration deadlines

Remind me
Mar 17
May 19
Jul 21
ideas COMPETITION
Silent contest
For this competition, NO DESCRIPTION TEXT is allowed. The architecture ideas must be communicated strictly with visuals.
Architectural Visualization Award
Edition #2

Present your best work and submit your favorite architectural visualization

Prize: MONETARY AWARD
Eligibility: OPEN TO ALL

registration deadlines

Remind me
Mar 23
May 25
Jul 27
Run repeatedly
Children's Hospice
Home for the Terminally ill / Edition #2

Design a safe and supportive space for children struggling with a terminal illness

Prize: MONETARY AWARD
Eligibility: OPEN TO ALL

registration deadlines

Remind me
Dec 06
Feb 08
Apr 06
Register now
Run repeatedly
Milan Affordable Housing Challenge
Affordable Housing Series #15

Design a concept for affordable housing in Milan

Prize: MONETARY AWARD
Eligibility: OPEN TO ALL

registration deadlines

Remind me
Dec 07
Jan 26
Apr 20
Register now
Run repeatedly
Virtual Home
Edition #2

Shape the future of digital living environments

Prize: MONETARY AWARD
Eligibility: OPEN TO ALL

registration deadlines

Remind me
May 02
Jul 04
Sep 06
Register now
Run repeatedly
Office
Office Design Challenge / Edition #2

Reimagine the workplace of the future, and design the new way of working

Prize: MONETARY AWARD
Eligibility: OPEN TO ALL

registration deadlines

Remind me
Jan 03
Mar 01
May 04
Register now
Run repeatedly
Portable Reading Rooms
Edition #2

Design a portable reading room that encourages reading in any location

Prize: MONETARY AWARD + SCOLARSHIP
Eligibility: OPEN TO ALL

registration deadlines

Remind me
Feb 13
Mar 23
May 15
Register now
Run repeatedly
Pavilion Of Humanity: First Contact
Edition #2

How would you represent the best that humanity has to offer through architecture?

Prize: MONETARY AWARD
Eligibility: OPEN TO ALL

registration deadlines

Remind me
Mar 27
May 25
Jul 24
Register now

Creativity gym Short term competitions for you to exercise your creativity

T-SHIRT DRAWING COMPETITION
The Architect's T-shirt
Edition #18

Design THE architect's t-shirt!

Prize: 3,000 €
Eligibility: open to all

registration deadlines

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Feb 28
Mar 31
Apr 30
Register now
ARCHITECTURE PORTFOLIO COMPETITION
THE BUILDNER'S ARCHITECTURE PORTFOLIO COMPETITION
Edition #3

Submit your online portfolio!

Prize: 5,000 €
Eligibility: open to all

registration deadlines

Remind me
Apr 30
May 31
Jun 30
Register now

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Competition results

Hong Kong 
Pixel Homes

Hong Kong Pixel Homes

Affordable Housing Series #2
MICROHOME

MICROHOME

Small living, huge impact! Edition #4

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