Architecture Competition Omuli Museum Of The Horse Honorable mention – Wilber Ilett and Tim Hatch

We’d like to take the opportunity to introduce you to one of our Honorable mention winners for our “Omuli Museum Of The Horse” competition – Wilber Ilett and Tim Hatch from United Kingdom!

Wilber Ilett and Tim Hatch from United Kingdom

We are both graduates (2020) from the Central Saint Martins' BA Architecture program and are currently both employed as Part 1 Architectural Assistants in practices within London.

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?

Both of our degree theses centered around adaptive reuse of existing buildings and design for the circular economy.

Wilber’s thesis ‘Aesthetics of Sustainability’ explored and adapted the postindustrial slate mining landscape of North Wales in response to its newly assigned UNESCO world heritage status.

Tim’s thesis ‘Euston Test Bed’ re-imagined a postal sorting warehouse above Euston station, at the center of London's Knowledge Quarter, as an incubator for the research, design, testing, and public exhibition of sustainable (or ‘green’) technologies.

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

As approximately 40% of global C02 emissions are a result of the built environment, we see the role of the architect today as a key figure in the collective action to tackle the climate emergency. We strongly believe the adaptive re-use of existing buildings and materials is the most sustainable approach to the future development of the built environment. Our responsibility is to learn to navigate these parameters in an innovative and effective way.

Why do you participate in architecture competitions?

Like many during the pandemic, our graduate prospects were disrupted, and we used competitions to continue our development as designers. As designers early in our architectural careers, competitions allow us the opportunity to not only lead projects but refine our ethos and experiment with its application.

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

We think the key thing to consider is that you as the participant set the parameters for what you intend to input and gain from your entry. Meaning, you can tailor the scope of your submission to whatever stage you are within your design career, and in doing so will always be rewarded.