Get inspired!

17,725 architecture projects

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

Circular Shelters with Skylights and Geothermal Heating in the Icelandic Landscape

Authors:
Huanlin Luo, Niaoniao Li
Circular Shelters with Skylights and Geothermal Heating in the Icelandic Landscape
Explore the full project presentation!
Subscribers only
Circular guest shelters with skylights and geothermal heating immerse visitors in the Northern Lights while seamlessly integrating into the Icelandic landscape.
5 key facts about this project
01
Guest units are designed in circular shapes to optimize views of the Northern Lights.
02
Skylights are integrated into each shelter for direct celestial visibility.
03
A geothermal heating system utilizes local resources for energy efficiency.
04
Sustainable materials include concrete and wood, ensuring ecological integration.
05
The layout promotes communal interaction while maintaining guest privacy.

## Project Overview

Located near Mývatn Lake in Northern Iceland, the Hiringi project is designed to provide immersive accommodations for visitors seeking to experience the Northern Lights. The architecture reflects a commitment to harmonizing with the landscape while prioritizing guest engagement with this natural phenomenon. The design is informed by the unique topography and diverse ecosystems of the surrounding area, emphasizing an architectural response that resonates with the environment.

### Spatial Configuration and User Interaction

The project features a range of circular guest units that highlight adaptability and mobility while offering a comfortable retreat. Centrally situated, the main structure includes communal spaces such as a restaurant and sauna, fostering social interaction among guests. Ancillary buildings and thoughtfully integrated pathways enhance functionality within the rural setting, ensuring a cohesive and intuitive flow throughout the site. Each guest shelter, designed to accommodate single or double occupancy, is crafted over approximately 23 to 29 square meters, maximizing spatial efficiency through its circular form.

### Materiality and Sustainable Systems

The selection of materials reflects an emphasis on durability and environmental resonance. Structural concrete is utilized for stability, while extensive use of glass in skylights and windows facilitates a connection with the outdoors. Wood is incorporated into interior finishes, contributing warmth and texture. Sustainability practices are embedded within the design, including geothermal heating systems that are appropriate for the local climate, and insulation constructed from mineral materials to ensure thermal comfort. Skylights in each guest unit enable direct views of the night sky, enhancing the overall experience and aligning with the project's ecological focus.

Noticed a mistake?
Highlight the text and click on
Noticed a mistake

Enter an open architecture
competition now

Mujassam Watan Urban Sculpture Challenge #8

Mujassam Watan Urban Sculpture Challenge #8

Design iconic urban sculptures for the prestigious Mujassam Watan competition and compete for 50,000 €

50,000 € PRIZE project COMPETITION
Prize 50,000 + Potential realisation
Eligibility Open to all
Final registration deadline 23 July 2026

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
Portugal Long Table 
Restaurant

Design a slow-living restaurant in Portugal

project COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Early bird registration deadline 8 July 2026
Mujassam Watan 
Urban Sculpture Challenge #8

Design iconic urban sculptures for the prestigious Mujassam Watan competition and compete for 50,000 €

50,000 € PRIZE project COMPETITION
Prize 50,000 + Potential realisation
Eligibility Open to all
Final registration deadline 23 July 2026
new
Valli Wine 
Tasting Room

Design a wine tasting room in Italy

project COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Early bird registration deadline 30 July 2026
Pavilion Atlas 2026

Design a story of your country

ideas COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Final registration deadline 16 September 2026

Recurring architecture competitions

Museum of 
Emotions

Use architecture to create different emotional states

Edition #8 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 18 June 2026
new
Kinderspace

Design a kindergarten of tomorrow

Architecture for Children’s Development #4 ideas COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Early bird registration deadline 18 June 2026
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 #3 ideas COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Advance registration deadline 2 July 2026
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
Advance registration deadline 9 July 2026
Underbridge #2

Design housing in underutilized bridge spaces

Affordable Housing Edition #20 ideas COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Advance registration deadline 16 July 2026
MICROHOME 2026

Design a new concept of small-scale home and share a prize fund of 100,000€

100,000 € Prize Fund / Kingpsan Edition #11 ideas COMPETITION
Prize 100,000 €
Eligibility Open to all
Final registration deadline 30 September 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