Mastering the art of competition

By Barbara Gutierrez [email protected] 09-29-2025

Carlos Hernández, a fifth-year architecture student, created a biomimetic underwater gallery called Coral Spine Reef Repair + Sanctuary, where divers can explore coral reefs through a submerged structure.

Using electrolysis-an innovative technique that allows for algae and seaweed to create calcium carbonate through electricity-the endangered reefs can focus on healing and creating new life and sanctuaries for fish rehabilitation.

His project was shortlisted for the UNI.xyc competition, a prestigious architectural design award, during the last academic year. Hernández credits his participation in the Architecture Competition class as a major factor in his success.

Offered as an elective for the past three years and taught by Yasmine Zeghar, a lecturer at the University of Miami School of Architecture, the course gives students the opportunity to create entries for the many competitions provided by organizations such as the American Institute of Architects, the Society of American Registered Architects, and others.

"The mission of the course is to teach students that competitions help showcase creativity, gain visibility, and secure projects for career growth," she said. "But also by participating, they can develop their portfolios and gain professional experience that supports their future careers."

"L'École Lumière," or The School of Light, an educational space created for underprivileged children in Senegal by architecture student Shari Soavi.

Zeghar created the course based on her vast experience competing nationally and internationally for more than 15 years. She guides the students through great amounts of research on competitions, including rules, regulations, and submission deadlines. In the past three years, about 10 students from her classes have won or received honorable mentions in competitions.

Zeghar tries to match each student with a competition based on their individual skills and interests. Students must research each jury member for each competition and what their interests may be.

"We look at what type of architecture they [jurors] are interested in and the kind of topics that they specialize in," she said. "Each year the jury members change, so we have to study them carefully."

Zeghar emphasizes that students should use their most emotionally compelling rendering or drawing as the lead image in their submission. "It is about catching the attention of the jurors and creating an impact," she said.

Hernández had an interest in merging architecture with issues of sustainability, so he kept this in mind as he created a gallery that has an "otherworldly quality" to it with a maze of pods and tubes winding under the ocean. Some pods are fish sanctuaries and others allow the divers to look at the coral reefs up close.

"Taking a class where I could use my creativity and design my own project was of great interest to me," he said.

More views of Hernandez's Coral Spine Reef Repair + Sanctuary.

Another student who garnered an honorable mention in The Freedom Pocket competition last academic year was Shari Soavi. The international contest required participants to design educational spaces for underprivileged children. Soavi chose a poor area of Senegal called Fafa Kourou.

Her project was called "L'École Lumière," or The School of Light. It was an educational complex composed of a wooden building with airy walls that allowed for air circulation and high visibility. It included a library and a classroom with interactive furniture. She used a nearby tree as the stage and created a small tree house where students could study privately.

Her design was practical and whimsical with bookcases that integrated wooden letter blocks for messaging and small benches that allowed the students a place to read or study.

"The main concept of the project was for versatility and practicality," she said. Besides furniture, the internal walls provided storage areas.

Both students liked the course because it allowed them to tap into their creative side and design a project completely from their imagination, they said.

But Soavi said that Zeghar's help was indispensable since in her teaching she pushes students to tap into their creativity and be boldly innovative.

"With professor Zeghar, you go big or you go home," she said.

Another angle of "L'École Lumière," or The School of Light by Soavi.