The Legendary Highway 14 Tower Honorable mention winner - North Dakota State University

We’d like to take the opportunity to introduce you to the Honorable mention winner of our The Legendary Highway 14 Tower competition – Micah John Swedeen from United States!

Micah John Swedeen

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.

We are graduate students at North Dakota State University.

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?

As students, we are currently working on our theses for our Masters in Architecture. Our professor wanted us to have another project to work on as a side project.

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

Architecture to me is largely the world around us that has been designed and built specifically for humans. As architects, our role is to ensure that what we build prioritizes the human experience.

Why do you participate in architecture competitions?

I believe architecture competitions are important to push us as designers and also see how our own skills compare with those around us. Less about competition and more about improving ourselves as designers.

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

Do it!