Architecture competition "The Big Tiny Coffee House Challenge" 3rd prize winners - Studio 2HB SRL

We’d like to take the opportunity to introduce you to the winners of the 3rd prize of our “The Big Tiny Coffee House Challenge” competition - Marco Di Pisa, Daphne Tarantino, Marianna Di Salvo and Silvia Albano from Italy!

Studio 2HB from Italy

The Studio 2HB was founded in 2017 by two young and ambitious Italian architects: Daphne Tarantino & Marco Di Pisa. Daphne & Marco graduated, respectively, in 2009 and 2010. Both achieved cum laude with Master’s degrees in landscape and outside spaces design (focusing on Renewable Resources Inherent Parks), Innovation Virtual Design (with a focus in modern 3D and render). Sharing the same passion for their job and their personal lives, they decide to leave their home country (Italy) and move to the U.S, where they lived for three years. During that time, they worked on developing stronger connections with their clients and broadened their understanding of an international market. After three years living and working abroad they both felt that it was time to return home to Palermo, Italy to create their shared vision of a design studio in their hometown. This is how the idea of the Studio 2HB was born. Studio 2HB’s innovation is driven by a collaborative team of five architects, engineers, and interior designers all working to craft inspired solutions to fulfill their client’s desires. Everyone at Studio 2HB is focused on innovation while maintaining concepts of environment and sustainability, while holding true to the Italian fashionable style.

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 company/ individuals have been involved?

Since its opening, Studio 2HB has been involved in a broad scope of projects both at home and overseas. Studio 2HB has achieved great results from designing and planning landscape spaces, interior design, facade design and furniture design. Studio 2HB has focused on projects that incorporate local building techniques, systems, and materials that require the rigorous examination of the physical, social, and environmental context of each project. Studio 2HB is always interested in expanding their portfolio through local and international projects that enhance the human experience through designs that both meet the needs of the population and coexist with the world around them.

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

Our love of architecture comes from a belief in the power of design to enhance our daily life experience. Studio 2HB provides beauty, makes a difference in the life of our clients and the world around them. The architect’s unique ability is to choreograph the human experience, that experience is what we look upon as motivation in our studio.

Why do you participate in architecture vision competitions?

Competitions are fundamental to Studio 2HB studio in order to reach the next step in our growing process, as architects and as individuals. We want to participate in competitions to push ourselves to do more and be better. It is a chance to be recognized by our peers, and to learn and grow from them. Competitions are a place to push the boundaries of creativity while staying true to our philosophies. It is a place to dream the future with every detail that we draw.

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

We would encourage any young architect who is thinking about whether to participate in a competition to take part. We are a young studio and have loved the amazing challenge that a competition can provide. This is a chance to dig into a project, believe in it, and show the world who you are. It is a place to grow your dreams and feed your passions.