The Next House: USA Honorable mention winners - Sidian Tu and Junfu Cui

We’d like to take the opportunity to introduce you to the Honorable mention winners of our The Next House: USA competition – Sidian Tu and Junfu Cui from United States!

Sidian Tu and Junfu Cui from United States

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 actually crossed paths at SOM Chicago, bonding over the shared trauma and triumph of designing massive, urban-scale competitions for the Middle East. Fast forward to today, we've traded the sub-zero winds of Lake Michigan for the endless sunshine of Los Angeles. While we don't run a massive corporate firm, we operate as a highly efficient, very tight-knit two-person team for our passion.

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?

Professionally, we’ve spent years wrestling with towering high-rises and sprawling campus masterplans. But honestly, small residential projects are much closer to our hearts. Designing a skyscraper is about shaping a skyline, but designing a house is about shaping daily life. It is incredibly personal. Everyone already has a highly specific vision of what their "dream house" should look like, and translating those deeply rooted ideas into reality is a completely different, yet incredibly rewarding challenge that we truly enjoy.

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

Junfu: To me, architecture is an absolute obsession. I could literally design without eating or sleeping (though my doctor and Sidian highly advise against this)

Sidian: Meanwhile, I’m the realist of the duo. We acknowledge that an architect's actual power to change society can sometimes feel frustratingly limited. We aren't saving the world single-handedly, yet we still strive to squeeze a meaningful, positive difference into every single detail we do have control over.

Why do you participate in architecture competitions?

Because unbuilt ideas can be quite loud in our heads, and we need an outlet for them. In all seriousness, competitions give us a pure, unfiltered platform. It’s a place where our ideas can be seen and our voices can be heard, totally free from the usual compromises of strict zoning codes or conservative budgets.

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

Stop overthinking it and just dive in. The worst that happens is you lose a little sleep and gain a killer portfolio piece. Believe in yourself—a great idea doesn't do anyone any good locked inside your head; it deeply deserves to be tested on paper.