The Architect’s Stair #2 competition Honorable mention winner - Alexander Ayuso

We’d like to take this opportunity to introduce the Honorable Mention winner of The Architect’s Stair #2 competition — Alexander Ayuso from United States!

Alexander Ayuso

Please tell us about your company (when it was founded, where it is based, how many employees, etc) Alternatively, if you do not have a company, please give us some insights on your own professional/academia background.

I am a recent Cal Poly grad and a native from the bordertown of Mexicali/Calexico. I am interested in the manifestations of border conditions, and the conflicting politics that results from an agonistic model with which they interact. I believe that it is important to leverage architecture as the medium to propel forward both a social message, as well as providing users the direct platform with which they can inhabit their political stance.

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?

While I do not have my own practice, I have had the opportunity to work in various building typologies within the professional practice. During my undergrad, I was able to participate as both a draftsman and designer in custom residential and commercial projects within the San Luis Obispo and San Francisco Area. Post-grad, my experience has shifted to now focusing primarily on the Hospitality and Civic projects. These projects include wine production facilities, wine tasting rooms, interior remodel projects for GSA and other related agencies, as well as other projects all across the state of California.

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

Architecture to me refers to the spatialization of the imagined world and its compounding politics, where the end product is transposed onto reality. The spatialized entity is then architecturalized and articulated, revealing the values and needs of both people and their society. I believe that the role of the architect in society is to participate in that discourse and to actively take a position in tension with the current cultural hegemonic force. The architect is to participate in the political dance of producing their clients dream product, while actively pursuing decisions that are in line with their values for individuals at the user level, and city at large.

Why do you participate in architecture competitions?

I participate in architecture competitions because I believe that it is important for me and the practice at large to explore different manifestations of our architectural theories, and how those spatial exercises reveal conditions of reality at large. It is important for our discipline to be able to architecturalized our arguments and have them be present in our buildings, beyond the theoretical realm.

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

The advice I would give to others is that at the end of the day, this project is your exploration that you can take at your own pace. While competitions elicit a competitive spirit, we are not participating against to each other to see who's bid is going to get constructed or to see if our building will be the next big development. These explorations are to allow each other to explore different concepts and ideas that we believe are important to the discourse and the built environment; these competitions are a platforms for all of us to discuss with each other across the whole world. So, just send it and have fun with it :) It is not like you won't graduate if you don't compete in a competition for fun