Get inspired!

17,725 architecture projects

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

Bearing Ring Retreat with Smart Glass and Reflective Panels

Authors:
Chenyu Pu, Mengxing Wang
Bearing Ring Retreat with Smart Glass and Reflective Panels
Explore the full project presentation!
Subscribers only
A bearing ring system allows for adaptable configurations in a cabin that integrates smart glass and reflective panels, creating a self-sufficient meditation space immersed in nature.
5 key facts about this project
01
A bearing ring system allows the cabin to transition between upright and horizontal configurations.
02
Smart glass provides adjustable privacy while enhancing views of the surrounding landscape.
03
The cabin operates entirely off-grid, utilizing a subterranean base for year-round climate control.
04
Exterior mirror panels reflect the environment, minimizing visual impact and unwanted solar gain.
05
Multi-functional spaces accommodate meditation, living, and sleeping activities within a compact footprint.

The Transformable Meditation Cabin is designed as a peaceful retreat in a natural landscape. It serves as a space for meditation and contemplation, allowing users to connect deeply with their surroundings. The concept centers around adaptability, as the cabin can change its shape to meet the needs of the occupants. A distinct feature of the design is its bearing ring system, which allows the cabin to switch between upright and horizontal configurations, redefining how meditation spaces can function.

FUNCTIONALITY AND LAYOUT

The layout of the cabin is carefully planned to provide essential amenities alongside calming living spaces. On the ground level, occupants encounter a double door entry system, a manual operation station, a removable ladder, and necessary facilities like a toilet and sink. The main area is the meditation/living space, which invites calm and introspection. Thoughtful storage solutions are incorporated throughout to improve organization and make the space user-friendly.

TRANSFORMABLE BEARING RING SYSTEM

At the heart of the design is the bearing ring system, enabling easy transitions between upright and horizontal states. In the upright position, additional storage and a generator are accessible, reinforcing the cabin's independence from external resources. When horizontal, the space adapts to accommodate meditation practices while also allowing for living and sleeping activities. This flexibility enriches the experience for users.

MATERIALS AND ECOLOGICAL DESIGN

Sustainability is a core aspect of the cabin, designed to operate off-grid and lessen its impact on the environment. The subterranean base station is vital for maintaining a comfortable climate throughout the year. It provides natural ventilation during hot months and is equipped with a fireplace and generator for heat in colder seasons. The exterior features mirror panels that help the cabin blend into the landscape, minimizing its visual footprint and reflecting unwanted sunlight.

DETAILS OF CONNECTION WITH NATURE

A notable design feature is the roof, which uses smart glass that can transition from frosted to clear. This allows inhabitants to enjoy clear views of the surroundings while maintaining privacy when desired. This thoughtful detail emphasizes the connection with nature and enhances the peaceful atmosphere, inviting occupants to engage with the landscape in their meditative practices.

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

Enter an open architecture
competition now

The Home of 
Shadows
The Home of Shadows
The light studies. Edition #4
The Next House: USA
The Next House: USA
20,000 USD Prize
The Architect's 
Chair
The Architect's Chair
Take a seat and make a statement! Edition #5
Kinderspace
Kinderspace
Architecture for Children’s Development #3
The Architect’s 
Stair
The Architect’s Stair
Take a step and make a statement! Edition #3
Buildner's Unbuilt Award 2026
Buildner's Unbuilt Award 2026
100,000€ Prize / 2026

The Next House: USA — A Global Call to Reimagine the American Suburb

`
Competition organisers

Buildner is launching The Next House: USA, a global architecture competition that challenges architects, designers, and thinkers to reimagine the American suburban home for the 21st century. For decades, the suburban house has symbolized comfort and stability, but today it often reflects excess, isolation, and environmental strain. This competition asks: how can the American home evolve to address climate urgency, economic pressures, and shifting social values?

Participants are tasked with designing a prototype home of no more than 1,500 sq ft (≈140 m²) for a household of two adults and one child. The design should be compact yet generous, adaptable, sustainable, affordable, and replicable across diverse U.S. contexts. More than a design exercise, the competition aims to spark a conversation about how homes can support healthier, smarter, and more connected communities.

The total prize fund is $20,000 USD. The final registration deadline is May 20, 2026, and winners will be announced on September 22, 2026. The Next House: USA invites architects, students, and visionaries worldwide to redefine what the American home means today—and what it should mean tomorrow.

The Next House: USA

Design the next suburban home for the USA

20,000 USD Prize ideas COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Early bird registration deadline 19 November 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
The Next House: USA

Design the next suburban home for the USA

20,000 USD Prize ideas COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Early bird registration deadline 19 November 2025
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 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
Kinderspace

Design a kindergarten of tomorrow

Architecture for Children’s Development #3 ideas COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
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
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
Advance registration deadline 15 January 2026
new
Buildner's Unbuilt Award 2026

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

100,000€ Prize / 2026 ideas COMPETITION
Prize 100,000 €
Eligibility Open to all
Early bird registration deadline 26 February 2026

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