Architecture Competition Office Design Challenge / Edition #2 2nd and Student prize winners – UNIVERSITY OF PECS

We’d like to take the opportunity to introduce you to the 2nd and Student prize winners of our "Office Design Challenge / Edition #2" competition – Fariha Afzal, Ezgi Su Demirci and Antonella Masanotti from Hungary!

2nd and Student prize winners from Hungary

Fariha Afzal did her bachelor's from the University of Northern Iowa in Interior Design. After graduation, she returned to Pakistan where she co-founded her firm, A-SQR Architects in Pakistan. After working in the field as a Design Architect for over 5 years, she came to the University of Pecs, Hungary to pursue her master’s degree in interior and Spatial Design. It was during her masters she researched the idea of the cube and how we can use it to decrease sedentary positions in a work environment.

Ezgi Su Demirci has studied the subjects of Interior Architecture as a major and Industrial Design as a minor with a full merit scholarship at Kadir Has University in Istanbul. Ezgi played a crucial role in diverse built-in projects during her bachelor's education. These experiences led her to work interdisciplinary with other fields. She is studying Interior and Spatial Design master’s at the University of Pécs.

Antonella Masonotti Architect, PhD candidate in Appraisal and Evaluation at the Roma Tre University. Master’s degree in architecture - Architectural Design from Roma Tre University, and bachelor’s degree in architectural science from Sapienza University of Rome. She conducts research on the topics of ecological transition and multi-criteria assessments, particularly in applications in complex and participatory programs. She carries out support and integration activities to teaching in Appraisal Courses and was Visiting Scholar at Universidad de Boyacá at Universidad de Oriente and Breuer Marcell Doktori Iskola, Pécsi Tudományegyetem

Together we are part of the Parametrized Comfort Research Group at the University of Pécs. With this research group, we focus on how to enhance human life in working and home environments through the intervention of architecture and design.

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

For us, architecture is more than just a building. Architecture is the inherent dialogue that takes place between a user and the built environment and the interaction between them is constantly evolving through time. As Architects/Designers, we must speculate the needs and wants of an ever-evolving society and design that best fits our future societies as well.

Why do you participate in architecture competitions?

Architecture competitions gives us an opportunity to work outside our comfort zones. To explore a new societal way of life and understand the complexities of designing that lie around them. It is one of the few mediums that allows architects to go wild with their imagination, designing your unique vision of how you see the world.

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

While undertaking a competition is a big task, you will always walk away from it with invaluable experience. It offers you a unique opportunity to explore the world from a different perspective and hones your design and research skills.