Architecture Competition The Last Nuclear Bomb Memorial / Edition #2 Honorable mention – UNIVERSIDAD DE LA SERENA

We’d like to take the opportunity to introduce you to one of our Honorable mention winners for our "The Last Nuclear Bomb Memorial" #2 competition – Daniel Muñoz Ramírez from Chile!

Daniel Muñoz Ramírez from Chile

My name is Daniel Muñoz Ramírez, I am an architecture student at University of La Serena, Chile. I am currently working on my thesis project. At the same time, I am working for an architecture firm in my country called ‘Mar de Dunas Architecture’ where I specialize in the design and rendering of projects.

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?

I have worked on smaller scale projects, mainly single-family houses, I personally like to work on artistic/conceptual projects in which one can explore more freely how architecture can shape space at different scales and thus modify the way we inhabit the world and relate to others.

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

Architecture is a tool that allows us to translate human behavior into a spatial form. the role of an architect is to rethink our position in the world and our ways of living in it, through the configuration of space and how it affects our behavior, an architect is responsible for seeking an improvement in the functioning of us as individuals and as a society, always in conjunction with the environment.

Why do you participate in architecture competitions?

Competitions are opportunities for exploration and research that guide the architect to take a stand on a topic, contribute to rethink the ways in which humanity relates to the environment and how this can be improved/modified through architecture.

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

Personally, participating in competitions helped me to find my own design method and workflow, also, they are a way to express your stand on a topic. My advice is to look for contests whose topics are of interest to you, because learning something new already feels like a victory.