Get inspired!

17,725 architecture projects

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

Cedar-Focused Residencies Featuring Phytoremediation and Green Roofs

Author:
Melissa Caron-labrecque
Cedar-Focused Residencies Featuring Phytoremediation and Green Roofs
Explore the full project presentation!
Subscribers only
With a focus on sustainable practices, the use of Cedar and a green roof, this dual-residency for painters integrates creative studios with comfortable living spaces near a serene lake.
5 key facts about this project
01
Two artist studios are designed to maximize natural light and lake views.
02
A green roof incorporates native vegetation for ecological benefits.
03
The foundation includes recycled materials from an existing barn and house.
04
Water management employs a phytoremediation system for sustainability.
05
Rooftop gardens provide habitats for local wildlife, including bats.

The design is located next to a peaceful lake and serves as a dual-residency for painters. It combines living spaces with studios, creating an environment that supports creativity and community interaction. The overall concept focuses on blending work and daily life, making it easier for artists to draw inspiration from their surroundings while having the comforts of home.

Ground Floor Layout

The ground floor includes two studios, a dining room, a commune kitchen, bedrooms, washrooms, and a living room. This layout promotes an easy flow between spaces, allowing for both social gatherings and quiet moments of solitude. The careful arrangement ensures that residents can engage with each other while having personal areas for reflection and creativity.

Second Floor and Green Roof

On the second floor, additional bedrooms, a kitchen, and a living room open to a green roof. This green feature helps with insulation and supports local plants and animals. The purpose of the green roof goes beyond aesthetics; it manages rainwater and reduces energy consumption, which aligns with modern principles of sustainability in design.

In-Between Concept

The “In-Between” concept is a key focus, highlighting how work and relaxation can coexist. The studios are designed to maximize natural light and views, connecting the artists' creative practices with their environment. The design blurs the lines between inside and outside, encouraging residents to use the landscape as inspiration for their work.

Water Management and Ecological Features

An advanced water management system is in place, featuring a phytorepurification method. This system emphasizes recycling and filtering water, which supports the environment. The design also includes elements that benefit local wildlife, offering a rooftop garden for bats. Such features show a commitment to the local ecosystem. In terms of materials, Structural Wood LVL Beams and recycled Cedar Wood from existing buildings have been used, which contribute to sustainability without losing the site's historical character.

These elements work together to create a space that allows for both artistic expression and everyday living, revealing a relationship with the landscape that enhances the residents' experiences.

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