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A Minimalist Retreat for Wellness and Reflection

Authors:
Sofya Smirnova, Marianna-janika Gontšar, Oksana Karula, Endri Soomere
A Minimalist Retreat for Wellness and Reflection
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The Kolka Cabin is a contemporary yoga retreat designed with sustainability, community, and mindfulness at its core. Located in a forested setting near Cape Kolka, the structure serves as both a yoga studio and a communal gathering space.
5 key facts about this project
01
The structure features a circular plan for unity.
02
A central yoga studio captures natural light effectively.
03
Concrete minimizes the building’s carbon footprint significantly.
04
Timber façade enhances thermal performance in the forest.
05
Private rooms promote intimacy with lower ceiling heights.

The design centers around a circular plan that supports yoga, meditation, and communal gathering, emphasizing movement, unity, and connection. Oriented to engage with its forested setting, the structure responds to both environmental conditions and the rhythms of daily practice. A central yoga studio anchors the plan, oriented to capture natural light and views of the surrounding trees, creating an immersive and contemplative atmosphere.

Material Expression and Environmental Response

Concrete is used strategically to reduce the building’s carbon footprint, while a timber façade enhances thermal performance and allows the structure to visually recede into its wooded context. Recycled materials are used in insulation, and an overhanging roof offers passive solar shading to maintain indoor comfort year-round. Each component is selected to minimize environmental impact and support the longevity of the landscape.

Interior Rhythm and Spatial Contrast

Private rooms feature lower ceilings to foster a sense of retreat and intimacy, while larger communal areas remain open and flexible to accommodate shared use. Layered timber slats on the exterior filter light into the interior, creating a soft visual connection to the outdoors while maintaining privacy. Through its material choices and spatial transitions, the project creates a calm, enduring environment that supports collective wellness and quiet individual reflection.

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Vancouver Tall Challenge: Building Higher Downtown

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Competition organisers

The Vancouver Tall Challenge: Building Higher Downtown is an international architecture competition organized by Buildner in collaboration with the City of Vancouver and the University of British Columbia’s School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (SALA). The competition invites architects, designers, planners, and creative thinkers to explore innovative approaches to tall buildings in Vancouver’s downtown core, focusing on sustainability, livability, urban density, public space, and the city’s strong connection to nature. As Vancouver continues to grow, participants are challenged to rethink how vertical development can enhance urban life and contribute to a more vibrant, inclusive, and resilient city identity.

The competition offers a total prize fund of $15,000 CAD, with winning proposals selected by an international jury of architects, planners, academics, and city-building professionals. Key dates include the final registration deadline on October 29, 2026, submission deadline on November 30, 2026, and winners announcement on January 26, 2027. Full competition details, requirements, and registration information are available at architecturecompetitions.com/VancouverTallChallenge

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Design the future of Vancouver’s skyline

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Eligibility Open to all
Final registration deadline 29 October 2026

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