Architecture Competition Legendary Bird Home / Edition 2 Honorable mention - Daniele Pepe and Barbara Wielebska

We’d like to take the opportunity to introduce you to one of our Honorable mention winners for our "Legendary Bird Home / Edition 2"competition – Daniele Pepe and Barbara Wielebska from Netherlands!

Daniele Pepe and Barbara Wielebska from Netherlands

aitects is a Dutch design studio founded in 2021 in Haarlem by Daniele Pepe. Collaborating with my architect wife Barbara Wielebska, we decided to record our love for each other and architecture in our name - ai (爱) is love in Chinese - since we met and spent many beautiful years living in Shanghai.

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?

As aitects we have designed single family houses and large scale commercial renovations. Before founding aitects Daniele has designed mainly large scale mixed-use, renovations and commercial buildings, while Barbara has been involved in hospitality, mixed-use and public architecture at all scales and had leading roles in sustainable design.

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

Architecture today should be tackling climate change issues and not focusing only on appearance: we can have beautiful buildings that are extremely energy efficient without having to greenwash them. Architects need to guide industry and clients towards a more sustainable and holistic vision of construction to build together tomorrow’s future.

Why do you participate in architecture competitions?

We like to feel challenged by a competition to think creatively and with less constraints than in everyday practice.

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

Give it a try! It will push you to do something different and – even if you don’t win – you’ll be rewarded by having acquired some new skills!