Museum of Emotions #6 competition 3rd Prize winner - Weihao Yin

We’d like to take the opportunity to introduce you to the 3rd Prize winner of our "Museum of Emotions #6" competition – Weihao Yin from Spain!

Weihao Yin

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.

I graduated from the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia(IAAC) in 2023. Before that, my architectural voyage has taken me to diverse locations, including Hong Kong, Xiamen, Shanghai, and Barcelona, where I transitioned from a junior architect to a project leader. I founded my own design studio named Atelier Guerrilla after graduation in Spain. Inspired by the guerrilla tactics of urban warfare, Atelier Guerrilla infiltrates cityscapes with architectural interventions that defy the conventional order. We strategically position our designs to disrupt the monotony of urban environments, sparking conversations about the coexistence of rebellion and conformity.

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?

Atelier Guerrilla is an inter-disciplinary studio whose works include several practices such as: Urban and Landscape Design, Architecture and Interior Design, Exhibition and Stage Design, Cross-cultural Studies and Independently Publishing. I'm currently working across a diverse range of project scales, including pop-up exhibitions in Paris, villa designs in the Middle East, and urban renewal projects in China.

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

To me, architecture is both a constructed reality and a cultural practice — a medium through which we shape space, narrate ideas, and challenge our current situation. Coming from a background in both civil engineering and architecture, I see architecture as a bridge between the poetic and the practical — where structural logic meets human emotion, where technical systems support narratives of place, memory, and identity. I believe the role of the architect today extends far beyond building. In a world shaped by social inequality, ecological crisis, and rapid urban transformation, the architect must act as a cultural observer, a spatial strategist, and at times, even a quiet activist. Whether drawing comic book for a A culturally critical story, a renovation of ancient buildings, or contributing to urban renewal in many countries with different background, I try to question not just how we build — but why, for whom, and what stories the space tells.

Why do you participate in architecture competitions?

I participate in architecture competitions as a way to explore ideas that might not yet have a place in the built world—concepts that are critical, poetic, or speculative. They offer me the freedom to engage with urgent themes such as memory, potential collective trauma, urban decay, and ecological futures. Competitions also help me stay intellectually and creatively sharp, challenge dominant architectural tropes, and continuously evolve my voice as a designer.

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

Competitions are one of the few spaces where you're allowed — or even expected — to be political, poetic, or critical. Sometimes you're not just designing a building — you're dealing with an argument, a question, or even a dream. So don’t worry about “winning.” Use competitions to challenge yourself, to learn how you think, to test how far your ideas can go. And even if a project remains unbuilt, unwinned, it might still have a life — in your portfolio or in your future projects. So if you're uncertain: try once. If you don't have extra money: try those competitions with free entrance. Start with a topic that resonates deeply. See if the process inspire you. If it does, you'll know it's worthwhile.