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We have just completed
the 2nd International Design Competition
entitled THE LOFT OF THE FUTURE

We have winners!

One project prepared by three young architects was awarded: Uros Micic, Ivana Mitrowic and Igor Stegic are the winners of this year's 2^nd edition of International Design Competition THE LOFT OF THE FUTURE organized by FAKRO and Stadslab European Urban Laboratory in Tillburg. Honourable mentions went to Romea Muryn from Poland and Jose Cadilhe from Portugal.

Visualisations were evaluated by the three-member jury: Marc Glaudemans (chairman) dean at Fontys Academy of Architecture and Urbanism in Tillburg, Pieter Oosterhout – architect and director of the architectural agency Pieter Oosterhout Architects in Beuningen, Netherlands, Sabina Sujew - Master of Arts, Export Manager at FAKRO.

1st Prize: Uros Micic (Serbia)

This submission showed a remarkable level of integration and detail in its presentation. The concept of two different types of loft pavilions is convincing on several levels. The project as such is not particularly visionary, but a well formulated answer to a real and relevant urban and architectural challenge. By proposing to add lightweight, sustainable and aesthetically well designed pavilions on top of or in between postwar housing blocks in New Belgrade, the area becomes both more diverse in terms of social stratification and will have an increased capacity and higher density, which is an answer to the question of the redevelopment and regeneration of postwar urban districts. The inner structure of the proposed pavilions has an almost gothic feel and the integration of roofwindows in the structure increases both its transparency and its functionality. A wide array of sustainable design solutions is integrated in the buildings as well, without creating the feel that these features are mere added necessities. The competition entry was furthermore very well presented. A clear winner!

Honorary mention: José Cadilhe (Portugal)

The geographic setting of this project is spectacular and somewhat alienating: the surface of a huge Alpine dam (‘one of the largest walls in the world’). The ‘loft’ is designed as a structure that is fixed on the surface of the dam and can be reached from the top by a spectacular staircase. The number and kind of lofts can vary and the wall might evolve into a futuristic vertical city. The remarkable feature is that even in these extreme conditions the roofwindows have been applied in the curved walls of the pavilions, appealing to aspects of safety and view. Unfortunately, the interior spaces and the detailing are very conventional and rather out of place in such unique and extreme conditions.

Honorary mention: Romea Muryn (Poland)

Without any written motivation this projects seems to appeal to a poetic realm of architectural interventions in industrial complexes. Within the interior world of such existing buildings a completely new and different universe can be created by ‘cutting away’ parts of facades and roofs. The addition of a multi-facetted and overgrown façade creates a surprisingly attractive and even romantic atmosphere of a suburban natural environment, while we are still in the heart of a formerly industrial building. The interior has been reprogrammed and can only function properly if the added façade is transparent enough. Abstract representations of roof windows (rather pools of mirrored glass surfaces) provide these conditions. Any suggestion of technological reality is absent, which reduces the impact of this project as visionary at most.

It is the second time when FAKRO became the inspiration for the architects from all over the world: Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa and both Americas. Participants were to create architectural visualization of the loft with the use of minimum five roof windows from the proSky range. The loft of the future not only should be full of light and creative spacial solutions, it should be user-friendly as well.

Among dozens of works submitted, inter alia, from many exotic parts of the world such as Zimbabwe, Indonesia, Argentina and Australia, 21 were qualified – says Sabina Sujew. We were fully convinced to award unconventional, innovative, fully creative and artistic projects. Decision about giving the award to Uros Micic was supported not only by the perfect preparation of the project but also the fact that his work is a complementary piece with the FAKRO products.

The awards in the competition were €1000 cheque and the voucher worth €4000 for the participation in the Masterclasses - prestigious urban-architectural workshops of which the organizer is Stadslab European Urban Design Laboratory by the Fontys Academy of Architecture and Urbanism in Tillburg. Workshops are held annually in one of European cities that can benefit from the projects prepared by young architects who have the opportunity to practice their art and widen their theoretical knowledge. So far, the workshops have been organized in Poland and Hungary. This year, participants will meet in Georgia.

We would like to thank architects from all over the world for cooperation and encourage to participate in next year competition.

1st Prize: Uros Micic (Serbia)
	This submission showed a remarkable level of integration and detail in its presentation. The concept of two different types of loft pavilions is convincing on several levels. The project as such is not particularly visionary, but a well formulated answer to a real and relevant urban and architectural challenge. By proposing to add lightweight, sustainable and aesthetically well designed pavilions on top of or in between postwar housing blocks in New Belgrade, the area becomes both more diverse in terms of social stratification and will have an increased capacity and higher density, which is an answer to the question of the redevelopment and regeneration of postwar urban districts. The inner structure of the proposed pavilions has an almost gothic feel and the integration of roofwindows in the structure increases both its transparency and its functionality. A wide array of sustainable design solutions is integrated in the buildings as well, without creating the feel that these features are mere added necessities. The competition entry was furthermore very well presented. A clear winner!

Honorary mention: José Cadilhe (Portugal)
	The geographic setting of this project is spectacular and somewhat alienating: the surface of a huge Alpine dam (‘one of the largest walls in the world’). The ‘loft’ is designed as a structure that is fixed on the surface of the dam and can be reached from the top by a spectacular staircase. The number and kind of lofts can vary and the wall might evolve into a futuristic vertical city. The remarkable feature is that even in these extreme conditions the roofwindows have been applied in the curved walls of the pavilions, appealing to aspects of safety and view. Unfortunately, the interior spaces and the detailing are very conventional and rather out of place in such unique and extreme conditions.

Honorary mention: Romea Muryn (Poland)
	Without any written motivation this projects seems to appeal to a poetic realm of architectural interventions in industrial complexes. Within the interior world of such existing buildings a completely new and different universe can be created by ‘cutting away’ parts of facades and roofs. The addition of a multi-facetted and overgrown façade creates a surprisingly attractive and even romantic atmosphere of a suburban natural environment, while we are still in the heart of a formerly industrial building. The interior has been reprogrammed and can only function properly if the added façade is transparent enough. Abstract representations of roof windows (rather pools of mirrored glass surfaces) provide these conditions. Any suggestion of technological reality is absent, which reduces the impact of this project as visionary at most.