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 Cladding Framing Cultural Narratives in Icelandic Landscapes

Authors:
Gary Stanesby, Edoardo Albertini Petroni, Alice Appleby, Abre Etteh, Abre Etteh
Basalt Cladding Framing Cultural Narratives in Icelandic Landscapes
Explore the full project presentation!
Subscribers only
Set against the dramatic Icelandic landscape, basalt cladding intricately frames a series of immersive views, creating a cultural venue that merges visual art with cinematic experiences.
5 key facts about this project
01
Basalt cladding seamlessly integrates with the surrounding geological features.
02
Gallery wall visible from the café enhances cultural engagement.
03
Framed views create a dynamic experience of the Icelandic landscape.
04
The design supports thermal performance through local material use.
05
Experience shifts from day to night with changing natural light effects.

The design is situated in Iceland, a land marked by its rugged beauty and dynamic landscapes. The project focuses on creating a connection between architecture and nature, emphasizing the unique identity of the region known as the "land of ice and fire." The goal is to provide visitors with an immersive experience that explores Iceland’s cultural narratives and diverse geological features while offering spaces for both art and film.

Conceptual Framework

Skrymir, taken from Nordic mythology, inspires the main idea behind the design. This figure represents illusion and surprise, which are explored throughout the various spaces. By creating an environment that encourages exploration, the architecture invites visitors to engage with both the built form and the landscape, emphasizing the fluid relationship between them.

Spatial Organization

The layout begins at the gallery wall, prominently visible from the café. This area serves to showcase Icelandic art and offers insight into the country's rich history. From here, visitors journey through a series of carefully designed framed views, leading ultimately to the movie theatre. The contrasting experiences between the wide views of mountainous terrain and more intimate glimpses of volcanic landscapes enrich the overall experience and foster deeper connections with the surroundings.

Material Selection

Basalt serves as a key material in the design, used for both cladding and insulation. This choice is intentional, as it mirrors the geological features that characterize the Icelandic landscape. Using local materials helps the architecture resonate with its context and supports effective thermal performance in a challenging climate. The connection between the structure and the natural surroundings is further enhanced through these material choices.

Environmental Interaction

As day shifts to night, the relationship between the architecture and the environment evolves. The design takes advantage of changing light conditions, which transform the way natural phenomena, such as moonlight and the northern lights, interact with the spaces. This dynamic quality enriches the visitor experience, encouraging a dialogue between the architecture and the landscape that invites contemplation.

Framed perspectives highlight dramatic mountain vistas and volcanic features, creating a rich sensory experience. This careful arrangement encourages visitors to engage with the natural landscape, deepening their appreciation for the distinctive qualities of Iceland.

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
new
Iceland 
Slow Sauna

Design slow sauna in Iceland

project COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Early bird registration deadline 26 November 2025
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
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
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
Final registration deadline 26 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
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
Advance registration deadline 3 December 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