Get inspired!

17,725 architecture projects

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

Cascading Vines and Rammed Earth Create a Tranquil Forest Retreat

Authors:
Nancy Rodriguez, Micah Wiersma, Trevor Garland
Cascading Vines and Rammed Earth Create a Tranquil Forest Retreat
Explore the full project presentation!
Subscribers only
Cascading vines envelop a rammed earth foundation, creating a serene meditation cabin that harmonizes with the Latvian forest environment.
5 key facts about this project
01
Cascading vines are integrated into the design, providing natural insulation and aesthetic appeal.
02
The cabin's rammed earth foundation enhances thermal efficiency, adapting to seasonal temperature changes.
03
A geotextile wrap at the start supports rapid plant growth for a living building facade.
04
The internal layout prioritizes open views, facilitating meditation amidst the natural surroundings.
05
Water is collected through a canvas roof, directing rainwater to an underground cistern for sustainable use.

Eventual Vestige is a Silent Meditation Forest Cabin located in the forests of Latvia. The design focuses on creating an intimate relationship between the cabin and the surrounding nature, aiming to provide a space that encourages reflection and tranquility. By drawing on the idea of building upon historical foundations, the concept embraces sustainability while also recognizing the nature of impermanence in both architecture and life.

Design Concept
The cabin features an open layout that emphasizes views of the sky and trees. This layout enhances the experience of meditation, allowing users to find peace in their surroundings. A rammed earth foundation supports the structure, providing strength and helping to maintain a comfortable temperature inside.

Materiality
Lightweight materials make up the cabin's exterior, allowing for easy integration with the natural environment. These materials support the idea of a welcoming space, inviting natural light and outdoor elements indoors. Cascading vines are intentionally included in the design, creating a natural curtain that softens the transition between inside and outside.

Temporal Evolution
The design includes a timeline that outlines how the cabin will change over the years. In the first year, a geotextile wraps around the structure, supporting the growth of plants that will enhance its appearance. After two decades, jasmine vines will cover the walls, creating a lush, green façade. By the end of its second century, metal elements will have either rusted away or been removed entirely, allowing nature to reclaim the building.

Functional Features
Among the practical aspects of the cabin is a chimney that aids in ventilation, contributing to the overall comfort of the space. A water-collecting canvas roof directs rainwater into a cistern located out of sight, providing a sustainable supply of water for various needs. These features are thoughtfully integrated into the design, ensuring they serve a purpose while maintaining a pleasing aesthetic.

The cabin's design culminates in an outdoor area with an earthen platform, featuring seating and a hearth. This space invites visitors to settle and enjoy quiet moments in nature, fostering a sense of peace that reflects the spirit of the forest surrounding it.

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