Los Angeles Affordable Housing Challenge 1st prize winners - Jihoon Kim and Brenna Elise Fransen

We’d like to take the opportunity to introduce you to the 1st prize winners of our "Los Angeles Affordable Housing Challenge" competition – Jihoon Kim and Brenna Elise Fransen from United States!

Jihoon Kim and Brenna Elise Fransen

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.

Jihoon Kim and Brenna Fransen are both graduates from Iowa State University and are currently based in Los Angeles, CA as architectural designers.

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 collaborators, we have worked together on a wide range of projects both during our academic studies and after graduation. When entering competitions, we choose to select briefs that align with our values as designers and have previously been awarded for our proposals including preventative climate change strategies and sustainable housing solutions.

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

Architecture is a direct reflection of the complexity between politics, social structures, and economics. We find that our role is to help uncover disparities and highlight the ways in which our built environments can contribute to better conditions for users and the environment.

Why do you participate in architecture competitions?

Participating in competitions provides opportunities to expand our knowledge on subjects we may not have access to in our practical work. We always approach competitions by questioning our preconceptions of design while still keeping constraints and feasibility in mind. This approach has allowed us to grow our knowledge and reshape the ways we design in our day-to-day work.

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

Find projects that align with who you want to be as a designer. Through the process you will learn, and through learning you will grow. You don’t have to win to learn and grow!