Architecture Competition Spirala Community Home Honorable mention – Studio S-Z

We’d like to take the opportunity to introduce you to one of our Honorable mention winners for our “Spirala Community Home” competition – Ani Zakaryan and Aigerim Syzdykova from Denmark!

Ani Zakaryan and Aigerim Syzdykova from Denmark

Studio S-Z, founded in 2020, is a creative duo collaboration within the fields of architecture, theory, and interior design. Ani and Aigerim are both alumni of Politecnico di Milano, and together bring 14 years of international experience in cultural, public and institutional projects from Japan, Denmark, the US, and Germany. Currently the location of the studio is shared between San Francisco and Copenhagen.

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?

Past experience of studio founders lies within the realm of mixed-scale public projects (from 200 to 5000 m2) in the field of hospitality, cultural and educational projects internationally.

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

Studio S-Z believes that architecture is a connecting tissue between the human and its environment, aimed to enrich our self-awareness and relationship to our habitat.

Why do you participate in architecture competitions?

We decided to enroll to this competition being fascinated with the idea behind the Spirala community. We felt connected to their values and wanted to show our support and help translate their ideas into architecture.

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

Competitions are always a great way to stay intact with your intuitive thinking and give yourself freedom to create a new narrative within your own timeframe. We think it is important to balance out commissions and competitions in one’s practice to help shape the identity of the firm or your personal brand.