Architecture Competition MICROHOME 2019 Honorable mention - Jolanda Devalle and Alison Zuccaro

We’d like to take the opportunity to introduce you to the winners of the Honorable mention of our “MICROHOME 2019” competition - Jolanda Devalle and Alison Zuccaro from United States!

Jolanda Devalle and Alison Zuccaro from United States

We are both recent graduates of the Yale School of Architecture, currently living and working in New York City. Alison Zuccaro is an architectural designer at Christoff:Finio Architecture, with prior professional experience in Miami and Chicago. She received a Master of Architecture from Yale University (2018), and a Bachelor of Design from the University of Florida (2015) with a Minor in Sustainability and the Built Environment. Jolanda Devalle is currently an architectural designer at Selldorf Architects. Jolanda previously worked for Foster + Partners in London. She holds a Master of Architecture from Yale University (2018), where she received the William Edward Parsons Memorial Medal for distinctive work in urban design and a Bachelor of Architecture at the University of Cambridge (2014).

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 company/ individuals have been involved?

Throughout the course of our education at Yale, the relationship between architecture and urbanism became a primary focus as we reassessed modes of living, cooperating, and community organization in our work. While collaborating on a project for Pier Vittorio Aureli’s studio Shed No Tears for a Colonial City (Spring 2018), we realized how reframing existing conditions can bring to light the essential character of a site or community. We aim to design strategically and thoughtfully, with careful consideration for the individual, community and the environment.

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

Architects should seek to improve the quality of the built environment at every scale. We believe that architects should be deeply engaged in research and advancing the status quo, especially in regard to the role of the built environment in climate change.

Why do you participate in architecture vision competitions?

Architecture vision competitions provide the opportunity to think freely and conceptually, without the constraints of professional practice. We participate in these competitions because we see them as opportunities to research new topics, experiment with design, and challenge ourselves.

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

Approach the competition as an experiment in thought and a testbed for design ideas. Have fun with it!