Architecture Competition The Home of Shadows 3rd prize winner – Irina Ivancu, Catinca Joita and Daniel Oancea

We’d like to take the opportunity to introduce you to the 3rd prize winners of our "The Home of Shadows" competition – Irina Ivancu, Catinca Joita and Daniel Oancea from Romania!

3rd prize winners from Romania

Linear was formed as a group of friends and colleagues almost five years ago, while studying architecture at “Ion Mincu” University of Architecture and Urbanism in Bucharest, Romania. We all work independently, but from time to time we decide to embark on the journey of coming up with a proposal for a competition, almost as a way to reminisce about all the projects we used to work on together in university.

Our main goal is to seek answers and discover new thoughts, experimenting with new ideas through the creative process. At first glance, our proposals tend to seem simple, but as you discover the entirety of the project, you realise that there is so much more than meets the eye. We don’t think of architecture as walls and construction elements, but as experience, and we hope that is something that will never change about us.

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?

We are all independently involved in a multitude of projects, from interior design and shipping container architecture to designing an airport and rehabilitating heritage buildings. However, when talking about our work as a team, we only focus on competitions for now. We have yet to think about forming a practice together.

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

We think that architecture is all about creating experiences and eliciting emotional reactions from the visitor. Architecture is about habit, time and life. It is a tool of immense power, as it influences our entire world. It can both create and destroy the spirit of a human being. Hence, the role of the architect is to soothe and take care of our society, nurturing it in a positive direction. It is a huge responsibility, as we dictate the lives of present and future generations.

Why do you participate in architecture competitions?

We enjoy participating in architecture competitions because, to us, it feels like play. Regardless of the outcome, it is a wonderful experience to derive joy from the process of designing, particularly as a group of close friends.

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

For those who struggle to decide whether participating in an architecture competition would be beneficial for them, we would like to say that any experience has its own worth. No matter the result, there is always something to learn or to discover, both architecturally and about oneself. Focus on the process, enjoy it and don’t put pressure on yourself.