Architecture Competition The Last Nuclear Bomb Memorial / Edition #2 2nd prize winner – Xavier Loureiro

We’d like to take the opportunity to introduce you to the 2nd prize winners of our "The Last Nuclear Bomb Memorial" #2 competition – Xavier Loureiro from Spain!

I am a Galician architect. I have worked in several architecture offices since I finished my degree at A Coruña University. I have been involved in different scale projects and have participated in international competitions, as well as public-use and residential buildings, retail projects and object design 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?

In the office where I work, we focus mainly on interior design and residential buildings, but honestly, I like whatever design challenge independently of the project size. What I like the most is when you can participate in all the project stages, from the very first ideas to the construction process.

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

For me, architecture is a kind of social art. Because the building is not just an object, it is not just the materials that compose it; the authentic architecture has an inmaterial part that are made with the relationships of its visitors and the building. And that is what I love the most about architecture, that it is not just a design that pop-ups from an architect's mind; there are so many people involved in all the stages that it is a kind of social performance that, as a result, creates a building.

Why do you participate in architecture competitions?

It is a kind of challenge that lets me face different programs and architecture scales and allows me to learn and improve my skills as an architect.

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

It is an excellent way to learn and develop new skills.