First Place Winner
Omnia_Redefining Shelter
Design by
Irimia Roxana-Andreea & Ioniță Mihai Bogdan
Juror’s Comment:
A highly resolved modular system with strong real-world applicability—its scalability, transport logic, and multi-scenario adaptability make it a convincing and deployable mobile housing solution.
Work on:
The design could further enhance the quality of lived experience—interior comfort, spatial warmth, and emotional connection feel secondary to system efficiency.
Irimia Roxana-Andreea & Ioniță Mihai Bogdan
Andreea Irimia
architect
Andreea Irimia is an architect and a graduate of the Ion Mincu University of Architecture and Urbanism in Bucharest, class of 2017. Her diploma project was exhibited and published in professional contexts, receiving recognition from an international jury.
With over nine years of experience in architectural design, she has worked both in Romania and abroad. As a co-founder of AEK Design Studio, she has been actively involved since 2018 in all stages of the design process, from concept to implementation.
In recent years, she has focused on the study of experimental architecture using prefabricated modular elements, a research direction validated through awards and nominations at both national and international levels.
Bogdan Ioniță
industrial designer
Graduate of the Interior Design Faculty at the Ion Mincu University of Architecture and Urbanism, he also studied at the Umeå Institute of Design, continuing his education abroad where he gained extensive experience in industrial design and production.
Throughout his work, he employs design methodologies that extend beyond commercial practice into social projects, driven by active civic engagement.
His professional experience, patented and completed projects, and strong pedagogical skills have shaped both his practice and academic career. He is currently a Lecturer and PhD at the Ion Mincu University of Architecture and Urbanism, where he has led Product Design studios for 2nd, 3rd, and 5th-year students. He also teaches courses in Furniture History, Introduction to Graphic Design, Visual Identity, and Design and Advertising (Strategic Design).
Celebrating Creativity & Vision
Winner’s Spotlight: An Exclusive Interview
Discover the story behind the victory — from concept to creation.
Concept & Interpretation
What was the central idea behind your proposal, and how did you interpret the theme of mobile living within your architectural vision?
The central idea behind Omnia was to rethink temporary housing not as a disposable infrastructure, but as a long-term adaptable system. We interpreted “mobile living” through the lens of modular architecture—creating a scalable housing system that can be rapidly deployed for large-scale events like the Olympic Games, yet remain relevant after the event ends. Mobility, in this sense, is not just physical transportability, but also functional transformation across different contexts and timeframes.
Reimagining the Meaning of Home
The competition challenged conventional notions of housing. How does your design redefine what "home" means in an increasingly mobile and dynamic world?
Omnia challenges the traditional notion of home as a fixed, permanent structure. Instead, it proposes a “distributed home”—a system of modules that can expand, contract, or relocate depending on need. Home becomes an adaptable environment rather than a static object, capable of supporting both individual privacy and collective living. This redefinition reflects a world where displacement, mobility, and temporary settlements are increasingly common.
Mobility, Adaptability & Functionality
Mobile homes require a careful balance between flexibility and practicality. How did your design address the challenges of mobility while ensuring comfort, efficiency, and everyday functionality?
The design balances mobility and functionality through prefabricated, flat-pack metal components that are lightweight yet durable. Standardized connection points allow fast assembly without specialized tools, while modular repetition ensures scalability. Comfort and practicality are maintained through the ability to configure units for different occupancy needs, from single modules to interconnected clusters forming larger communities.
User Experience & Nomadic Living
Who did you envision as the primary users of your mobile home, and how does your proposal respond to the needs, aspirations, and lifestyles of contemporary mobile communities?
The primary users envisioned were temporary large-scale populations such as Olympic participants, disaster-affected communities, and mobile workforces. Omnia responds to their needs by prioritizing speed of deployment, flexibility, and dignity of living conditions. The system allows users to inhabit spaces that feel structured and stable, while still being adaptable to rapidly changing circumstances and cultural contexts.
Context & Environmental Integration
Your design is intended to function across diverse settings. How does the proposal adapt to different landscapes, climates, and environments while maintaining a strong connection to place?
Omnia is designed to operate across diverse environments—from urban event sites to remote or disaster-affected areas. Its modular nature allows it to be reconfigured depending on climate, density, and terrain. Weather-resistant coatings and robust aluminum structures ensure performance in varying environmental conditions, while the system can expand or compress to respond to spatial constraints.
Sustainability & Resource Efficiency
Sustainability was a key focus of the competition. What strategies, materials, or technologies did you incorporate to minimize environmental impact and support responsible mobile living?
Sustainability was addressed through prefabrication, reduced material waste, and optimized logistics. Manufacturing off-site ensures precision and minimizes excess, while flat-pack transport reduces carbon emissions associated with distribution. The most important sustainability strategy is post-event adaptability: instead of becoming obsolete, the modules are reused in disaster relief, temporary housing, or recreational applications.
Space Optimization & Design Innovation
Designing within a compact and mobile framework often requires creative problem-solving. What innovative spatial solutions or design features were essential to maximizing usability and enhancing the living experience?
A key innovation lies in the standardized modular system, which reduces complexity while maximizing configurability. Each module functions independently but can also integrate into larger systems. This “building block” logic allows efficient spatial planning and flexible density control. Integrated utilities and structural simplicity enhance usability while maintaining a compact footprint.
The Future of Mobile Living
As lifestyles continue to evolve, how do you see mobile architecture influencing the future of housing? What role can flexibility, sustainability, and mobility play in shaping the next generation of living environments?
Mobile architecture will increasingly define how we respond to rapid urbanization, climate emergencies, and global mobility. Omnia suggests a future where housing is no longer permanent by default, but adaptive by design. Flexibility, sustainability, and modularity will become essential principles, enabling architecture to function as an evolving system rather than a fixed product—capable of supporting shifting populations and unpredictable global needs.
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