Architecture Competition The Last Nuclear Bomb Memorial Honorable mention – 3DSENSE

We’d like to take the opportunity to introduce you to one of our Honorable mention winner for our “The Last Nuclear Bomb Memorial ” competition – Josef Lepša from Czech Republic!

Josef Lepša from Czech Republic

My work is mainly in the field of graphic design, animation, and scenography, often overlapping into other art media. The majority of my current projects are made under 3dsense, as I am the studio’s art director. 3dsense is a collective of artists, programmers, and a production team. The studio is based in Prague, Czech Republic. Our main aim is to use the connection between technology and artistic elements to create unique installations or events.

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?

Selection of work from 3dsense, where I have participated as an author of ideas and art director:

IRIS – a large scale installation for BLIK BLIK Festival in Pilsen, Czech Republic, later presented in White Night Festival in Melbourne, Australia and Prisma festival in Aveiro, Portugal. The projection shows a model of a human iris magnified a thousand times. A 50 sq. m. projection was mirrored on the surface of a water pool and brought a new dimension for the audience. http://3dsense.cz/projects/2018/iris-blik-blik

Haslev – a light installation created for the 150th anniversary of the introduction of the railway in the Danish city of Haslev. The work, made of glass and metal, has the form of 150 illuminated railway sleepers. Dark texts reminiscent of 150 important moments from the history of the city gradually shine through each of the sleepers. http://3dsense.cz/projects/2020/haslev

Paměť národa: 1989 – site specific scenography in commemoration of November 17th, 1989, on the Národní street in Prague – the location of a historical moment of the Czech Velvet Revolution. The installation consists of a 440 m long dynamic light setup, five large format projections, and all-around sound occupying the entire length of the street (Czech Republic, 2019). http://3dsense.cz/projects/2019/pamet-naroda-1989

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

As a studio, we create site-specific installations with respect to the place where the piece will be situated. Urbanism and architecture often influence our initial ideas and determine how we approach the scenography of the specific space for our work.

Why do you participate in architecture competitions?

I usually do not participate in architectural competitions, but when I saw the call for entry on the website of The Last Nuclear Bomb Memorial, I was really impressed. The assignment offered a work approach on the edge between the field of art installation and architecture, which fits the type of work that excites me.

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

This is a tough one, as such competitions for me are a way of challenging my creativity; it comes from my personal motivation, and there was no hesitation in my case, so I guess my advice would be to participate in order to challenge yourself.