MICROHOME Kingspan edition 2024/25 Honorable mention winners - Teymur Osmanov, Alisa Tikanova, Olga Sergeevna Alekseenko and Dmitrii Alekseenko

We’d like to take the opportunity to introduce you to the Honorable mention winners of our "MICROHOME Kingspan edition 2024/25" competition – Teymur Osmanov, Alisa Tikanova, Olga Sergeevna Alekseenko and Dmitrii Alekseenko from Georgia!

Teymur Osmanov, Alisa Tikanova, Olga Sergeevna Alekseenko and Dmitrii Alekseenko

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.

Our team came together specifically for this competition, bringing diverse backgrounds and experiences to the collaboration:

Teymur is a seasoned architect and mentor with international professional experience. He has worked with several prominent architectural firms and collaborated with RIBA in establishing its European branch. He is currently developing a methodology for architectural competitions and assembling international teams of students and professionals to participate in design challenges.

Alisa maintains a private practice, collaborates with various studios, and is actively involved in volunteer sociocultural projects.

Dmitry holds a degree from LMU, collaborates with multiple architectural bureaus, and operates his own private architectural practice.

Olga specializes in tourism and public space projects, engages with urban communities, and runs her own design practice.

Though we live in different countries, we are united by a shared passion for architectural experimentation. We explore and develop spaces that inspire and shape human experience. A common thread in all our work is the thoughtful integration of architecture with ecosystems, landscapes, and urban contexts—always informed by history and driven by innovation.

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?

Teymur: Professionally, I’ve worked on many large-scale projects across Europe and beyond, including cutting-edge timber and hybrid timber-concrete constructions. In competitions, I focus on the humanitarian potential of each challenge, often integrating a mission-driven perspective into the topic. I tend to prefer small- to mid-scale projects, where I can maintain full control over the final outcome.

Dmitry: I work on a wide range of projects, from countryside hotels to public buildings and residential developments. I value the opportunity to bring fresh perspectives to building aesthetics, spatial organization, and functionality. My approach blends, reinterprets, and enhances architecture and its surroundings to ensure all elements interact harmoniously.

Alisa: Architecture is my craft. I work on urban space design, building projects, and the redevelopment of territories and facilities.

Olga: I design projects in tourism, public architecture, and landscape design. I enjoy working with smaller-scale sites and environments that directly address people's needs, making their lives more ecological, comfortable, and convenient.

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

Teymur: If humankind ever had a mission on Earth, it was to build and to destroy. I chose the first part of this primordial mission — I am a builder. Unfortunately, in the society I live in today, architects have lost the lofty position they once held. I’m interested in restoring that role by nurturing a new generation of builders who possess the power to create real and positive transformation.

Dmitry: To me, architecture in its purest form is about how humans shape the world. It’s about creating new living environments guided solely by experience and imagination. Architecture brings order and diversity to the chaos of nature — sometimes beautifully, sometimes not — but this is the very process that enriches us as professionals.

Alisa: I believe that an architect serves as a mediator in the relationship between the client and the land.

Olga: For me, architecture is a tool for living interaction between people and space. Through my projects, I aim to create harmonious environments. This often means working with real places and genuine needs — where the scale is secondary to the quality of the space and the care shown toward both people and nature.

Why do you participate in architecture competitions?

Teymur: At first, I started participating in international competitions with my team to raise our professional standards and mastery by competing on a global level — it was a way to clearly see what we were capable of. Over time, I began to realize that we actually had something meaningful to contribute to the field. This evolved into a journey of playful creativity. Currently, I’m working on developing a methodology for architectural competitions, aimed at offering fellow architects guidance on how to reach the top using their talent and intellect.

Dmitry: For me, competitions provide an opportunity to collaborate with different teams and break away from my usual thought patterns when approaching a project. They allow me to explore ideas that may not be feasible in everyday practice.

Alisa: Competitions are an excellent way to assess team compatibility. They also serve as a training ground for unconventional and creative thinking.

Olga: Competitions help me step beyond routine tasks, express creativity, and look at global challenges from new perspectives. Working collaboratively teaches me new skills, exposes me to different viewpoints, and allows me to learn from others' experiences while working toward a shared goal.

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

Teymur: If you're thinking about participating, then you're already eligible for a win - you just don't know that yet. It's not too early, and it's not too late - it's just the right time and the right place. Make that one move, and you'll become a true creative, a future builder, a forecaster for what is coming next. And maybe you'll even get a contract, who knows? :)

Dmitry: Try it, seek new approaches, get inspired. It might not be easy during the process, but it will give you many new thoughts and ideas.

Alisa: Take action! It's beneficial in many ways. You learn to be a team member and test whether you can work with a team on real projects. You train your mind and hone your craft.

Olga: Competitions help you transcend ordinary tasks, express creativity, and view global challenges from new angles. Collaborative teamwork teaches you new things, allows you to hear different perspectives, and learn from others' experiences while working toward a shared goal.