MICROHOME #10 competition The Hapi Homes Award winner - Alessandro Ghidini

We’d like to take the opportunity to introduce the Hapi Homes Award winner of MICROHOME #10 competition – Alessandro Ghidini from Italy!

Alessandro Ghidini

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.

My name is Alessandro Ghidini, and I graduated from the Faculdade de Arquitectura da Universidade de Lisboa (FAUTL) in 2016. After working as an architect in several Italian studios, I decided to found lens, a studio dedicated to architectural visualization, while simultaneously attending the Master’s program in “Emergency Architecture and Human Rights” at IUAV in Venice. Since then, I have mainly focused on 3D imagery, while also taking part, whenever time allows, in architecture competitions related to emergency issues or small-scale projects, such as the microhome competition.

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?

lens has given me the opportunity to work on a wide range of projects of different scales and in various parts of the world, often far from where I am based. I have collaborated with numerous architectural firms on competitions as well as on approved projects currently moving toward construction. Among the most significant works I have contributed to, I would highlight the competitions HALO and Ponte sobre o Douro, developed with noarq architecture studio in Porto, both now under construction. Being involved in these projects has been particularly meaningful and rewarding.

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

Architecture has always fascinated me for its ability to spark curiosity and encourage deeper exploration. I believe the role of the architect is to act as a problem solver, using creativity to address complex challenges. Unfortunately, today the visual impact of a project often outweighs its functional purpose. I believe that a good architect must be able to balance these two aspects, now more than ever, ensuring that architecture is both meaningful and effective.

Why do you participate in architecture competitions?

I enjoy participating in architecture competitions because each one is an opportunity for professional growth. Every competition leaves me enriched, with new perspectives, refined skills, and a strengthened creative approach.

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

I personally think that participating in competitions is the most practical way to enhance your design skills. Competitions like microhome in particular force you to develop an "idea", a sort of foundation from which the rest of the project can emerge. I believe that this "idea" is the basis of a satisfactory architecture and an effort in this direction can only be positive for an architect or an aspirating one.