Get inspired!

17,725 architecture projects

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

Charred Shingles and Cross-Laminated Timber Define a Versatile Urban Lantern Space

Authors:
Ya-yuan Tseng, Yu-chun Chou, Chun-hao Hsu
Charred Shingles and Cross-Laminated Timber Define a Versatile Urban Lantern Space
Explore the full project presentation!
Subscribers only
Crafted with charred shingles and cross-laminated timber, this urban lantern serves as a multifunctional public space, fostering community interaction while seamlessly integrating with its environment.
5 key facts about this project
01
Crafted from sustainably sourced cross-laminated timber, enhancing structural integrity and environmental performance.
02
Designed with charred wooden shingles to provide natural weather resistance and a unique aesthetic.
03
Incorporates a bent A-frame structure, optimizing internal space and light distribution.
04
Multifunctional design allows for community gatherings, events, and informal meeting spaces year-round.
05
Integrates advanced light diffusion technologies to create a warm glow while maintaining energy efficiency.

## Overview
The "Twilight of City" project is situated in an urban environment characterized by its historical significance and vibrant street life, such as that found in Dubrovnik, Croatia. This design integrates traditional lantern-inspired forms with contemporary architectural principles to create a multifunctional public space. The intent is to serve as a gathering point that enhances social interaction while providing shelter and illumination in the urban landscape.

## Structural Composition
The architectural framework is organized into three main components: structure, envelope, and light.

1. **Structure**: The core frame is constructed using reinforced metal, ensuring durability and stability while allowing for a lightweight form that can withstand environmental challenges.
2. **Envelope**: Incorporating translucent materials such as Low-E glass and transparent cloth, the envelope facilitates light diffusion while maintaining visual comfort for users. This feature ensures a warm glow, aligning with the structural inspiration of a lantern.
3. **Light**: The integration of advanced lighting solutions enhances the atmospheric quality of the space during nighttime, marking it as a focal point within the urban context.

## Materiality
The materials selected for this project are intended to provide both aesthetic and functional benefits.

- **Low-E Glass**: This energy-efficient material reduces heat loss while allowing natural light to permeate the interior.
- **Metal**: Serving as the primary structural element, metal combines strength with a modern visual appeal.
- **Transparent Cloth**: This choice softens the design, enabling day-to-night transitions in transparency and illumination.
- **Timber**: Used in flooring or structural bases, timber introduces a natural element that reinforces the warm and inviting qualities of the lantern concept.

## Programmatic Applications
The design caters to a variety of uses, ranging from coffee shops to community meeting spots. Its adaptable interior configurations allow for versatile community engagement spaces, making it suitable for a range of functions that cater to local needs. This capacity for dynamic use emphasizes its role in fostering interaction and enhancing urban life while reflecting modern public requirements and cultural nuances.

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