Architecture Competition Vancouver Affordable Housing Challenge Honorable mention winners – Evan Williams, David Phan and Rodolfo Escamilla

We’d like to take the opportunity to introduce you to one of our Honorable mention winners for our  "Vancouver Affordable Housing Challenge" competition – Evan Williams, David Phan and Rodolfo Escamilla from United States!

Honorable mention from United States

We are former Iowa State Alumni, who graduated in the Spring of 2020 in Architecture. All three of us work for different firms; David’s firm is Gensler, which specializes in major commercial structures. Rodolfo’s firm is SHM Architects (based in Dallas), which specializes in residential design. Evan works for CMT inc., an engineering firm that specializes in infrastructure, public works and aviation design. Using our diverse work experiences helped us with developing our design.

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?

Rodolfo: Involved in the design of boutique-style, single-family homes. The results are well-crafted, personalized, and luxurious spaces for families.

Evan: Involved in designing the State Farm Airport Hangar Facility in Bloomington, Illinois that will be constructed in 2023.

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

Architecture is about creating comfortable, beautiful, and efficient spaces. Great architecture inspires the mind; it creates wonder, and aspirations. Architecture can be catered to an individual or designed for the masses. It is exactly this versatility that we, as designers, have fallen in love with. An architect is tasked to examine the built world in order for them to better understand the communities in which they reside.

Why do you participate in architecture competitions?

We participated in this architecture competition, for one, to have fun designing in a similar manner to how we designed when we were in college. We also want to creatively figure out how to find solutions for a seemingly wicked problem that affordable housing has become in certain parts of society. Though our solution may be imperfect, it’s an excellent thinking exercise that can help us be better architects now and in the future.

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

It’s a time commitment, but it is definitely doable. All three of us have full-time employment and are seeking licensure in our respective states, yet we were still able to do this competition, mostly meeting virtually. It will make you a better designer and a better thinker as well.