Get inspired!

17,725 architecture projects

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

Burnt Wood Structures Enhancing Community Connectivity with Roof Gardens

Author:
Tamás Herczeg
Burnt Wood Structures Enhancing Community Connectivity with Roof Gardens
Explore the full project presentation!
Subscribers only
Built with burnt wood and enhanced by rooftop gardens, the design promotes community engagement while effectively integrating sustainable waste management practices.
5 key facts about this project
01
Utilizes charred wooden shingles for enhanced weather resistance and aesthetic appeal.
02
Features a partially embedded northern wing that integrates with the site's topography.
03
Includes a communal pond designed to support local biodiversity and community engagement.
04
Incorporates designated areas for processing organic waste on-site to promote sustainability.
05
Provides seamless pedestrian access through a predominantly car-free southern entrance.

The design is situated in a remote area, about 500 meters from the nearest residential neighborhood. This location allows it to serve as a central gathering place for nearby scattered settlements. The overall concept combines various types of spaces—closed, open, and semi-open—to encourage interaction while providing necessary separation between different functions. By thoughtfully integrating public areas, depots, storage spaces, and service facilities, the design seeks to enhance community engagement and accessibility.

Spatial Organization

The layout follows a three-wing structure that clearly defines economic and community functions. The southern entrance is primarily for pedestrians, reducing vehicle traffic and creating more opportunities for recreational use. This careful planning fosters a lively social environment, bringing residents together while maintaining a sense of order and purpose.


Sustainability Measures

Waste management is effectively incorporated, with designated areas for collecting and recycling organic materials located on the west side of the building. This key feature emphasizes a strong commitment to sustainability. Communal gardens and greenhouses are planned on the flat roof and around a created lake. These spaces not only add beauty but also serve practical purposes, like supporting local biodiversity and improving air quality.


Local Economy Engagement

Supporting a local circular economy is another important aspect of the design. Waste and organic materials will be processed on-site, with composted materials used as soil for the community gardens and greenhouses. The collection of rainwater for irrigation is another feature that enhances sustainability, encouraging community members to participate in environmental care.


Architectural Context

Architecturally, the design reflects local traditions while incorporating modern elements. It makes thoughtful use of familiar concepts from Icelandic architecture, particularly the idea of hiding spaces within the landscape. Features like the depot that aligns with the natural grade of the site and the northern wing partially embedded in the ground show a smart response to the area's topography.


The focus on communal spaces, greenery, and sustainable practices shapes the character of the design, positioning it as an integral part of the community landscape.

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