THE WORDS OF THE PARTICIPANTS: Aleksandra TROJNAR and Szymon TOMALA

29 July 2024

Highlight on our participants... Let's read Aleksandra, member of the team who built the lodge Horizon Hérité in Avize, and Szymon, member of the team who built the lodge La Roseraie in Chigny-les-Roses. Aleksandra and Szymon are architecture students from Krakow University.
This interview was carried out following the 2024 edition and is entirely in English.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your academic background in architecture?

Szymon: “I’m Szymon TOMALA. I’m in my third year of studying Architecture. In one year, I will be doing my engineering degree, my bachelor. So, for me it is really interesting to build something and not only to work on my computer and do plans.”

Aleksandra: “I’m Aleksandra TROJNAR, and I have graduated fashion design and I have been working in an architecture office for a year now. In July, I will graduate architecture and get my engineering degree. I really love to design and to build like Szymon said earlier. I love building and doing some things with my hands, I used to do this with my father, and he teaches me a lot about it. It was great that I could also teach the guys from my group – as a girl, it was really nice.”

What motivated you to participate in the event (Architecture en Champagne)?

AT: “For us [Polish students], it was maybe a little different than the others because it was a reward for the best students from our university. We got chosen by our teacher to come to the workshop. I think it’s such an amazing event that I really want to participate again in the future...”

ST: “I think that it’s really something different from what we do in Poland for our University’s project… I heard from the people that I met during the workshop that in France, there is sometimes some kind of manual project like furniture project or something like this. And for us, it was the first place, first time where we could do something manual – not only doing maquettes but something different with wood, stones, or all the different materials. For me, it was a really great experience in terms of manual things. Right now, I am thinking that maybe I would like to be a constructor or work with wood because I am too tired of sitting in front of a computer doing the same thing every day. I think that, for us Polish, it was a different experience. This is why we are so happy about it!”

AT: “This kind of experience is important to have because you can feel the material, its texture. This is way different than sitting and designing on the computer. Paper will get everything and the wood won’t.”

What was your role in your group? If you had one.

ST: “I will say that in my group it wasn’t really a role. Everyone had a thing to do. One day I was polishing the metal and the previous day I was drawing the side plan. Adèle, the architect and team leader, asked us every time: “do you want to do this or are you more comfortable with this?”. Everything was about our comfort and our abilities to do the tasks. Of course, some things were harder for me – for example, some of my teammates have already participated in some building workshop or something similar in the past. I was really happy to be a part of my team!”

AT: “In my group, the first role and the most important one was the warming exercises! Every day, we were running before starting our work, and it was funny because we used to play some music. It was good because the room was really cold.

I think it was a little bit different for me than Szymon because I was the only girl in my group. But, I’m a Polish girl, so I’m a tough girl! I think, at the beginning, the boys were a little bit afraid that I may be fragile or shy, but it’s big NO! I really love to make some mechanical stuffs. In our group, it was really great that every person added something different to this project. I was doing the collages, Nnamdi was the main drawer, Rémi B [team leader] was the talker and funny boss, Rémi G was my partner to build, and we loved to build together!”

How would you describe your approach to architectural design during the workshop?

AT: “In our case, Rémi [team leader] told us we didn’t have so much time, so we had to think wisely to choose what we could actually build. In fact, we had this site in Avize with a hill. At the beginning, when we just came here, we thought the hill was the most important thing. So, we had to do something connected with it and we all agreed about it. It was something important because we all thought the same way. It was a crucial question because Rémi [team leader] always said: “what can we really build?”.

In our group, the process of the design was made of a lot of conversations with each others. It was important for us to be in the same phase of thinking. When we were designing the bench, everyone wanted to do a big and very long bench to welcome many people. I disagreed with this idea because I was explaining to them that the most important part of this project is the feeling… The feeling that you are part of the society, of a community. However, at the end of the day, you’re alone with your thoughts, with your memory, and it’s very important to internalize. At the end of the day, you’re just with yourself. So, we had a compromise about the bench being made only for one person or one and a half maybe!”

ST: “I think that the main thing for me was the ability to change the idea because we voted, we were in a big trouble with our first project. And, after thinking how we could do it, how we wanted to prepare the big stairs, how we wanted to use the materials, we decided to abandon this project and start to think about another one. We needed to take two steps back and think once again, what we wanted to do, where we were, what the size was, what the materials were. Then Adèle proposed the X shape [for the lodge]. So, the struggle with the roof started: “How do we want to make the roof? Let’s not make a traditional roof!”…”

What kind of skills or experiences do you think you brought to your team?

ST: “It’s a really hard question to answer! I can’t select just one skill that I am really great at. It was a group project, so after all, the skills of the whole team are important, not only my skills. It was great that we had in the team, for example, Félix who already built some similar projects before. His skills at working on the wood were very important for us. It’s not about mine or anyone’s skills in particular, but it’s about the team that we created and the relationship that we made. After all, every single person alone wouldn’t build it.”

AT: “I just want to add that, maybe, I also have some experience because at our university we have built some kind of sculptures. It was a helpful experience because now, I know of wood construction behave. I think that Rémi’s [team leader] help was also really helpful because he knows some construction things. He was helpful sometimes, to figure things out on how to build the lodge.”

How did you envision the use of reused materials in your project?

AT: “In our case, it was tough because we were in Avize and were looking for some materials, but they were really destroyed… So, we couldn’t use them. We were with the client in a lot of different places: at the school, at the workshop they have, on the site, and all of the materials weren’t really useable. When we went to their workshop, we saw the wheel and it was instant! We just knew we had to use it. I think the idea of creating a lodge with adding something old to new materials is really poetic and I love it. For me, nowadays, it’s the main role of an architect because the world is full of new architecture, and I think we should learn to build by connecting the past and the future. In Poland, this topic is really tough because the historical structures of our buildings are usually destroyed because of the war. Nobody wants to care about these buildings because the law is not helping to renovate them. I think it’s very important that in the future, we, as architect, should design all the new buildings with reusable materials.”

ST: “I think that it’s a hard question because we need to create a structure that is safe for people to use it. So, our lodge is made from old and new materials. The wall panels are made from racks. We wanted to use them in a different way than the original one. When we were in Chigny-les-Roses the racks were vertical, this is why, we wanted to use them horizontally – to create something different. The holes in them are not in a straight way, it gives a sort of angle. So, this gave us the idea of filtering the view by creating a pattern with these holes pointing at the landscape. I think this was our main idea for the materials.

We also used the tiles from the church of the village. It’s a great way to connect the new and the old. I find it interesting that we used a part of the village. From our lodge, it’s possible to see the church; it’s kind of an echo, a connection. It’s the best thing about this project: the lodges aren’t only made from new things, but also from some materials that probably won’t be used by people anymore. It’s a new way to upcycle them. Also, the way that people give us these materials creates a new bond with the lodge we are building. It’s beneficial for the community because, in some way, they feel a part of this project.”

How do you think this experience will influence your future career in architecture?

AT: “We can agree that Szymon and I won’t just build things. It was a unique experience to participate, and it connects with me personally because there is this purpose of creating something for people. It was something important to feel because when you are just working in an office as I am, sometimes it’s hard to remember that these buildings are creating for people. When you’re working for villages it’s way different that when you’re working in a big office and doing some commercials buildings. This experience has changed me because I just feel that I don’t want to do some use stuff, I just want to be part of this community just doing some good stuff.”

ST: “We were talking about going to France for the wine, so maybe it’s our new future! [laugh] After graduating, we will be there picking grapes…

I think that this experience was also important for me to understand how a group project can create a bond between people. Indeed, after these two weeks, I feel much more connected to my friends from university. This type of project is the best way to show to architecture students what is the main purpose of architecture: we are creating for people. The essence of our project is to serve the community.”

What are your architectural or artistic inspirations?

AT: “Well, when I’m designing something, I have like an artistic mind… When I think about a project, I always choose some type of music. Every time it’s different but now, for example for my graduation exams, I’m listening to Hans Zimmer. It’s the only way I can design. I have to be in the mood for designing and music is the one thing I’m always using.

Some fashion artists that inspire me are Yohji YAMAMOTO and Iris VAN HERPEN. They are creating beautiful and strange clothes, but they are using the new technology with traditional knowledge of fashion. It’s really helping me to also merge this traditional construction with the new technology and solutions that we have.”

ST: “I would totally agree with Aleksandra! Music is something that helped me and is helping me a lot with design. Something that is also moving my heart is Edward HOPPER’s paintings, the way that he is painting the light… He wants to express the light without the surface that the light is on. It’s quite the same in architecture because we can transpose some idea, stories, and moods in our designs.

In another hand, from the architecture perspective, the wallpaper of my computer is the Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana. This building is made of bright and white stone and is constructed with arches. For me, it’s a really interesting way of connecting the new architecture with the old aspect. Every project has something I want to get the spot on.

In every project, you are choosing some aspect that are the key and then, you build your idea around them. It creates an atmosphere around you; it affects you. During the whole workshop, we had all kind of emotions, and it plays a role in our experience and construction. This spectrum of emotions brings us memories and strong connections.”

Outside of architecture, what are your interests?

ST: “I think we don’t love life except architecture right now… Our heart is beating for architecture [laugh].
I love sports in general: I love cycling, running, trekking in the mountains. I also love to plant things; I have a little jungle in my room!

This question is so tricky because architecture is such the main topic of our lives. You can research very unrelated things and sometimes it can be used in our projects. After all… just living life! [laugh]”

AT: “Of course, I love to sew things, but I also love to do origami! I really love to cook and bake too. And drinking wine and champagne of course! [laugh]”