Get inspired!

17,725 architecture projects

Learn from past Buildner architecture competition participants through our extensive project library, curated over more than 15 years!

Basalt and Iridescent Glass Views in a Sensory Visitor Center

Author:
Alyssa Bullock
Basalt and Iridescent Glass Views in a Sensory Visitor Center
Explore the full project presentation!
Subscribers only
Utilizing basalt and iridescent glass, the design emphasizes sensory engagement while integrating into the tectonic landscape, serving as a visitors’ center with expansive views of natural landmarks.
5 key facts about this project
01
Utilizes basalt rock to reflect the local geology.
02
Incorporates iridescent glass elements that change appearance with light.
03
Features a sound-proof room to enhance auditory experiences.
04
Offers multiple observation decks for panoramic views.
05
Designed to mimic natural cave formations for spatial dynamics.

The Edge sits on the tectonic divide between Europe and America, closely integrated with its unique landscape. It features three small caves that contain natural geothermal pools, allowing visitors to experience the area’s geological character. The design focuses on sensory engagement, inviting people to connect with both the space and the surrounding environment through various elements.

Sensory Engagement
The concept involves activating all five senses: taste, vision, hearing, smell, and touch. The café within the visitors' center offers local foods, creating a space for visitors to take a break during their outdoor adventures. The observation tower plays an important role, providing expansive views and an open top floor suitable for stargazing and observing natural phenomena like the northern lights. The decks are positioned to face important landmarks, such as Hverfjall volcano and Myvatn Lake.

Spatial Organization
The layout of the visitors' center mimics the formations found in caves. The design alternates between smaller, compressed spaces and larger, open areas. This organization creates a dynamic experience as visitors move through the building. Vertical wooden fins are strategically placed throughout the interior. They not only provide shade but also enhance the architectural character. The way the light filters through these fins adds depth to the visitor experience.

Materiality and Integration
The materials chosen for The Edge are closely tied to the natural surroundings. The façade combines metal panels and glazing, which maximize light while maintaining a strong visual connection with the landscape. Basalt rock is used within the cave areas, reflecting the site’s geological identity. Additionally, small flecks of iridescent glass add a touch of visual interest and change with the natural light.

Observation Tower
The observation tower is a key feature, highlighting the tectonic divide. It includes three lookout points: two protruding decks and an open-air platform at the top. This structure allows for various views of the surrounding landscape, enhancing the visitor experience. The design emphasizes the relationship between the built environment and nature, making it a vital component of the overall concept.

The observation tower offers a unique opportunity for visitors to engage with the night sky. It creates an inviting space where one can take in the stars and witness the northern lights illuminating the dark.

Noticed a mistake?
Highlight the text and click on
Noticed a mistake

Enter an open architecture
competition now

The Architect’s 
Stair
The Architect’s Stair
Take a step and make a statement! Edition #3
Kinderspace
Kinderspace
Architecture for Children’s Development #3
Buildner's Unbuilt Award 2025
Buildner's Unbuilt Award 2025
100,000€ Prize / 2025
The Home of 
Shadows
The Home of Shadows
The light studies. Edition #4
The Architect's 
Chair
The Architect's Chair
Take a seat and make a statement! Edition #5

The Buildner’s Unbuilt Award 2025: Celebrating Architectural Creativity and Visionary Unbuilt Designs with a Total Prize Fund of €100,000

`
Competition organisers

The Buildner’s Unbuilt Award 2025 is an international architecture competition dedicated to recognizing and celebrating the value of unrealized architectural designs. It invites architects, designers, and students worldwide to submit visionary projects that have not yet been constructed, highlighting the power of ideas and the creativity behind the design process. By focusing on unbuilt work, the competition aims to bring forward concepts that shape the future of architecture and push the boundaries of the profession. 

Participants can compete in three categories based on project scale: Small Wonders (up to 100 m²), Medium Marvels (101–999 m²), and Large Visions (over 1,000 m²). Each category winner will receive €20,000, and additional prizes include honorable mentions, student awards, and a special Best Presentation Award. Winning projects will gain significant international exposure through Buildner’s publicity campaign and a feature article on ArchDaily, providing a unique opportunity to showcase creative ideas to a global audience. 

The Buildner’s Unbuilt Award 2025 encourages entrants to submit any type of unbuilt project, from conceptual visions to detailed designs, celebrating bold innovation without the constraints of realization. Important deadlines: registration closes on October 30, 2025; submissions are due by November 20, 2025; winners will be announced on December 17, 2025.

Buildner's Unbuilt Award 2025

Celebrating your unbuilt architecture visions with a €100,000 prize

100,000€ Prize / 2025 ideas COMPETITION
Prize 100,000 €
Eligibility Open to all
Final registration deadline 30 October 2025

Open architecture competitions

  • Closest deadline first
  • Project competitions first
    Selected winning projects have the potential to be constructed
  • Ideas competitions
    Experimental competitions with the focus on pushing the boundaries of creativity
Concrete 
Pavilion

Design a concrete pavilion

Edition #3 ideas COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Final registration deadline 27 November 2025
new
Pavilion Atlas 2026

Design a story of your country

ideas COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Early bird registration deadline 21 January 2026

Recurring architecture competitions

new
Re:Form - 
New Life 
for Old Spaces

Choose a site—used, abandoned, or forgotten—anywhere in the world, and give it a new purpose

Edition #2 ideas COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Early bird registration deadline 2 October 2025
Hospice - 
Home for the 
Terminally ill

Design a safe and supportive space to those struggling with a terminal illness

Edition #5 ideas COMPETITION
Prize 10,000 €
Eligibility Open to all
Advance registration deadline 9 October 2025
new
The Architect’s 
Stair

Take a step and make a statement!

Take a step and make a statement! Edition #3 ideas COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Early bird registration deadline 15 October 2025
Kinderspace

Design a kindergarten of tomorrow

Architecture for Children’s Development #3 ideas COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Advance registration deadline 16 October 2025
Buildner's Unbuilt Award 2025

Celebrating your unbuilt architecture visions with a €100,000 prize

100,000€ Prize / 2025 ideas COMPETITION
Prize 100,000 €
Eligibility Open to all
Final registration deadline 30 October 2025
new
The Home of 
Shadows

Design a home with no artificial lighting

The light studies. Edition #4 ideas COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility OPEN TO ALL
Early bird registration deadline 5 November 2025
The Last 
Nuclear Bomb Memorial

Design a memorial that speaks to the cause of ending all nuclear weapons programs

Edition #6 ideas COMPETITION SILENT CONTEST For this competition, NO DESCRIPTION TEXT is allowed. The architecture ideas must be communicated strictly with visuals.
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Final registration deadline 13 November 2025
new
The Architect's 
Chair

Take a seat and make a statement!

Take a seat and make a statement! Edition #5 ideas COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Early bird registration deadline 20 November 2025
Museum of 
Emotions

Use architecture to create different emotional states

Edition #7 ideas COMPETITION SILENT CONTEST For this competition, NO DESCRIPTION TEXT is allowed. The architecture ideas must be communicated strictly with visuals.
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Final registration deadline 27 November 2025

Media, partners and clients

To view this project in detail,
please log in with your
Architects’ Network Plus account.
Subscription instantly unlocks all the architecture projects plus other member-only benefits:
  • Access the 17,725 Concept Library
  • Professional tools including file transfer, email, portfolio management, and more
Register now
Already a member? Log in

This website uses cookies to improve user experience and gather usage statistics.

More information is available in our Privacy & Cookie policy