FIRST PRIZE WINNER!
Andrei Dragos Ormangi, Alexandra Elena Burtea & Dana Beatrice Ponyiczky
Romania
Andrei Dragos Ormangi
Hello! I am Andrei Ormangi, a fourth-year architecture student at “Ion Mincu University of Urbanism and Architecture in Bucharest. I have always been an individual who creates and sources inspiration from experiences and feelings. I’m highly observant of my surroundings, having an affinity for understanding how people interact with the given natural and artificial world that encapsulates all of us. I also have a passion for visual arts and their crossover with computerised design.
Alexandra Elena Burtea
My name is Alexandra Burtea, I'm an architect student, year 4 at the Ion Mincu University of Architecture and Urbanism in Bucharest. I've always been a competitive person. Being able to participate in contests has given me the architectural freedom to design and create in the manner which I believe to be most valuable.
Dana Beatrice Ponyiczky
My name is Ponyiczky Dana, I am currently in 4th year, studying architecture at Ion Mincu University in Bucharest. I was born in a small city in Romania and I've moved to Bucharest to pursue architecture as a career. The stark difference between my hometown and the capital has made me very curious to learn about how people live and how architecture comes into play.
Interview with the Winner
What is your design philosophy?
Andrei Dragos Ormangi
Anthropology walks hand in hand with architecture. The people and their habits make architecture what it is in essence – a smart network of organisms. Designs must interact with humans and they must coexist dependent one on another. The more interactive a space is, the more useful it is. Understanding and creating these objects beyond their physical elements is what creates this compatibility.
Alexandra Elena Burtea
Humility is the foundation of good architecture. In the pursuit of doing great, many fail to do good. In a world that is ever-evolving, architecture should be the leading example of change as the first tool against harmful environmental, social and political factors. Our age of design should focus on becoming cleaner, sustainable, and more flexible.
Dana Beatrice Ponyiczky
I try to always stay curious and learn from the places and people around me. For me, something very important in the design process is being playful and having fun and through the resulting project inviting people to have fun with you.
Can you briefly explain your understanding of the topic and the source of ideas?
Andrei Dragos Ormangi
Our senses and perception are punctually what connects us humans to the material world. Inspiration came from our experiences within the city (Bucharest), be it daily mundane tasks or special events. Observing the different elements that build the big picture, we found the city to be a difficult-to-read mosaic of senses, each of them pointing in different directions, resulting a misaligned and out of tune image. Thus, our concept looks to bring order to these “colours” of the city, to sharpen and concentrate them and paint a stark accent within the city’s image.
Alexandra Elena Burtea
Our ideas and inspiration came out of an unusual corner, while we brainstormed our options, we realized that what comes naturally, rarely gets the appreciation it should receive. In our design, we wanted to reflect on daily experiences such as smell, light, shadow, reflections, and so much more. To be a part of the design. We discussed a high traffic crossroad, where a lot of different cultural lifestyles meet. We wanted to transform this everyday experience and give it meaning and a face of its own. Translating into this design. Using the experience it gives, we utilized it to create a more efficient and transparent design to allow the crossroads to be traversed in a more timely and organized manner.
Dana Beatrice Ponyiczky
With ``The colours of the inverted city`` we really wanted to create something for the city ,something that will make people think about senses as experiences rather than in a rational, scientific way. In a way the city we live in is our playground, we have a special connection with it. I think Bucharest is a very bold city, very heavy on the senses and very easily misunderstood so we wanted to shift this perspective by adding a playful light in both the figurative and literal sense.
When and how you were first introduced to architecture?
Andrei Dragos Ormangi
Architecture was not something I envisioned pursuing initially. However, one day when I was 16, that changed while I was on vacation in Athens. I got to visit Bernard Tschumi’s New Acropolis Museum. Stepping into the main foyer, I still remember the sense of wonder I felt while glancing upwards at the skylight, as it was casting strong shadows onto its surroundings, feeling the mass and tactility imposed by the materials. The decision to pursue architecture is one that I am grateful for every day, having the power to design through experiences and positively impact my surroundings and the future.
Alexandra Elena Burtea
Before I went to architecture school, I had no knowledge of it whatsoever, yet the decision to join became one of the best decisions of my life. I found a way of expressing and utilizing my skills and insights to create designs that have the capability of shaping a better world, a brighter future. Architecture has proven to me that if you give your heart and passion to it, the rewards are extremely satisfactory: contributing to life and society itself.
Dana Beatrice Ponyiczky
We are all continuously surrounded by architecture, so in a way, we are introduced to it the moment we are born but most of the times we decide to ignore it. The day I really started to notice architecture was in my first year of university when i started to see past the surface and see how much creativity, culture and stories it can incorporate.
What does architecture mean to you?
Andrei Dragos Ormangi
This field of work envelops every aspect of our daily lives and I find it being a fascinating way of reflecting societal, political and cultural directions. Architecture stands to me as a fundamental yet subtle tool for shaping a society. Whether it is the small task of designing a flower kiosk, or the possible future shift towards extra-planetary endeavours, I find myself glad to be able to positively impact my surroundings.
Alexandra Elena Burtea
To me, this profession holds the power to create and reflect on cultures history, and future at the same time. The control and effect it has had on human progress, the effect it has had on our way of living is fundamental and irreversible. As an architecture practitioner, I often find myself stunned by the impact we have and have had on the world. I pride myself on being part of this world-building creative process.
Dana Beatrice Ponyiczky
Architecture is my creative outlet and also my way of contributing to society. As architects a big responsibility we have is creating something for others to live in, through our professional lens. I try to think of architecture as an art you cannot hide: once it is out in the world it can have a very big impact so I try sticking to my philosophy as much as possible: ``make architecture that brings joy and comfort``.
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