Second Place – Brick & Bloom By Lisa-Marie Deransy
Next up, we’re celebrating Brick & Bloom by Lisa-Marie Deransy, a talented young architect from Paris! Lisa-Marie specializes in collective housing projects, blending new construction with thoughtful rehabilitations. Passionate about sustainable design, she integrates bio-based materials, bioclimatic strategies, and energy-efficient solutions into her work.
Her single stair design fits seamlessly into Denver’s historic Capitol Hill neighborhood, featuring finely tuned massing, a lush courtyard garden, and cross-ventilated units—all demonstrating the advantages of a single-stair layout with remarkable clarity. Lisa-Marie sees design competitions as a rare chance to freely explore ideas beyond financial constraints, allowing her to experiment with innovative solutions and reimagine housing for the future.
Jury member Lauren Folkerts shared:
“This project exemplifies thoughtful design, with a beautiful human scale facade that strikes a perfect balance between traditional and modern unique details. Every aspect of design from context and orientation to the flow of the floor plans feels meticulously considered, resulting in a design that is not only highly functional but also deeply compelling. Its beauty and believability make it the kind of project one would hope to see built in their own neighborhood. The carefully curated material palette further elevates the design, adding richness and depth. This level of refinement makes it a standout deserving of recognition.”
“I am Lisa-Marie Deransy, a young architect from Paris, primarily working on collective housing projects, both new constructions and rehabilitations. Graduated from ENSA Paris-Malaquais in 2023, I then worked at Gaëtan Le Penhuel Architectes, and later at CUADRA. These experiences strengthened my ability to design functional, aesthetic spaces that address environmental challen-ges. They made me more aware of the ecological impact of architecture, incorporating bio-based materials, bioclimatic strategies, and solutions promoting energy efficiency. Alongside my work at the agency, I have started to train in urban planning and am considering specializing further in this field.”
“In my agency work, I’ve primarily focused on collective housing or mixed-use projects. At Gaëtan Le Penhuel Architectes, I participated in various projects – housing, mixed-use pro-grams, and public facilities – thus developing a versatile and innovative approach, focused on contextual and contemporary architectural responses.”
“At CUADRA Architectes, specialized in the construction and rehabilitation of collective housing, I deepened my skills in sustainable design and ecological rehabilitation, enhancing my ability to address the contemporary challenges of housing. Outside of my working hours, I am also interested in urban planning and am currently preparing an exhibition on peri-urban spaces in China.”
“For me, architecture is the most essential art, as it has a direct impact on people’s lives and daily routines. It is much more than just an aesthetic or technical exercise; it is a powerful tool for human, social, and ecological development. It shapes our cities, influences our lifestyles, and can address the great contemporary challenges.”
“It is also a fascinating discipline, where one must constantly explore many parallel fields to do our job well: urban planning, sociology, technology, ecology, spatial psychology… This intellectual rich-ness makes architecture an ever-evolving practice, where learning never stops.”
“I wouldn’t necessarily say that architecture is a manifestation of empathy, as that’s not always the case. However, the architect must absolutely demonstrate empathy if they want to design spaces that are just and adapted to real needs. Their role is not limited to drawing buildings but to understanding the people who will live, work, or move through them. They must anticipate uses, create connections, and imagine spaces that promote well-being, inclusivity, and harmony with the environment. A successful architecture is one that goes beyond aesthetics to truly improve people’s lives.”
“First and foremost, for the pleasure of it. The design phase is truly the one I enjoy most in my work. It’s a creative moment where anything is possible and ideas take shape. However, this phase is often relatively short. Once the competition is over, the design takes up less space in daily life, and we find ourselves immersed in the practical aspects and implementation constraints. Moreover, in an agency, the architect must constantly deal with constraints: client expectations, regulatory standards, technical requirements, and especially budget restrictions, which can some-times limit creative freedom. Participating in competitions on Buildner is a rare opportunity to freely explore my ideas without being constrained by immediate financial decisions. It allows me to experiment with innovative architectural solutions, test sustainable approaches, and imagine spaces where creativity takes precedence over profitability. This is an essential approach to renewing architectural practice and anticipating the housing challenges of tomorrow.”
“Don’t hesitate! Competitions push us to give our best, to step out of our comfort zone, and not rest on our laurels. In a profession like ours, learning is continuous, and each project is a new opportunity to explore, innovate, and perfect one’s practice. Furthermore, design competitions often highlight issues, sites, and themes that we rarely get to approach in an agency setting. It is therefore a unique opportunity to diversify one’s approach, experiment without commercial constraints, and broaden one’s perspective on architecture.”
