Architecture competition Pavilosta Poet Huts Honorable mention - WROCŁAW UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

We’d like to take the opportunity to introduce you to the winner of the Honorable mention of our “Pavilosta Poet Huts ” competition - Agata Mila from Poland!

Agata Mila from Poland

I started studying architecture in 2015 at Wrocław Polytechnic in Poland and expect to finish my Bachelor’s degree in January 2020. In 2017, I took part in the Erasmus exchange programme at the Universitat Politècnica de València, Spain and, as a consequence, I took a gap year at my home university in order to extend my stay abroad, gaining work experience and embracing another culture. Since that time I have been working with a Spanish architecture studio Balzar Arquitectos.

Studying, working and living in Spain widened my perspective, not only in an educational sense but also as an experience. I have been given a chance to be a part of a great variety of projects on different scales, from house refurbishment to a primary school, and touching different aspects of architecture, from landscape to interior design.

Thanks to the topics we developed at the UPV, I understood that designing architecture united with nature, working together as two inseparable parts depending on each other and mutually evolving brings me the most joy. Whether it was a viewpoint in Norway, an agritourism farm in the middle of rice fields, or a pier in a Valencia Albufera Nature Park, I always intended to create an environment where both architecture and nature can thrive together.

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

I like to think of architecture as if it was some kind of mystery, a puzzle, a mind game. In order to reveal its true perfect self you have to connect all of the pieces that constitute the design: the history of a place, the culture, the environment, the composition, the society. Afterwards you use the tools such as the technology, the philosophy or the aesthetic sensitivity and you sculpture your idea, finding the ideal place for every factor, forging altogether an integrated balance.

The second part of the mystery lies on the side of the one who is to perceive the design. A strong project is when the idea is clear at a glance and subconsciously simply feels right within its surroundings. But an outstanding project is when the longer the beholder delves into it, the more layers of complexity unfold and subtly stretch the perception, when there is an open space for interpretation.

That is a kind of architecture I would like to advance. I believe that architects should constantly explore and find new solutions for old questions. Architects are the link between the earthbound and the imaginative. Yet it is their responsibility to design consciously rather than impressively.

Why do you participate in architecture vision competitions?

They are a challenge that lets you work beyond your own abilities and they give an opportunity to design in an often unique environment. They force you to explore different concepts and cultures and simply are an amazing experience in themselves.

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

Architecture vision competitions are different from what you do at work or at university. They let you improve yourself in fields before unknown, creating a vast space for unveiling your imagination. And also, they are great fun and bring a lot of satisfaction.