Get inspired!

17,725 architecture projects

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

Concrete Tubes and Glass Walls Create Engaging Connection to Wetlands

Authors:
Bas Ten Brinke, Anastasia Ciorici, Dragan Petrovic, Sanne Mulder
Concrete Tubes and Glass Walls Create Engaging Connection to Wetlands
Explore the full project presentation!
Subscribers only
Concrete tubes interlace with glass walls to form an engaging visitor center that connects guests to the Al Wathba Wetland Reserve through thoughtful design and sustainable practices.
5 key facts about this project
01
Visitor center integrates ramps that enhance accessibility while connecting visitors to the landscape.
02
Sun-shaded gardens beneath the structure support local wildlife and create tranquil gathering spaces.
03
Glass walls in the auditorium offer views of the wetlands while serving as an exhibition space for local bird species.
04
Concrete-filled steel tubes mimic the visual characteristics of reeds, enhancing the site's natural aesthetic.
05
The design incorporates sustainable features like rainwater management and solar energy potential.

The Flamingo Visitor Center is located near the Al Wathba Wetland Reserve and serves as a central point for visitors to connect with the natural environment. The design centers around two ramps that emerge from a shared starting point, creating a purposeful relationship between the building and its surroundings. Accessibility is a priority in this layout, ensuring that everyone can navigate the space easily while enjoying various amenities.

Design Configuration
- The dual ramp structure is a defining feature, evolving into a well-thought-out arrangement of floors and roofs. These ramps allow for wheelchair access, making the visitor center welcoming for all. The movement through this design encourages exploration and curiosity, guiding visitors from arrival to various areas of the center.

Garden Integration
- Underneath the building, a sun-shaded space fulfills multiple roles. It accommodates vehicles and pedestrians while also supporting local wildlife. This garden serves as a buffer, enhancing biodiversity and creating a relaxing environment where visitors can unwind. The relationship between the garden and the building fosters a sense of harmony with nature.

Interior Spaces
- Upon entering, visitors find a reception desk conveniently located to the left, facilitating easy access to information and services. The toilet core, positioned to the right, ensures convenience for all. The interior also features a café, providing areas for rest and social interaction. The auditorium, located towards the rear and separated by glass walls, offers views of the wetlands while serving as a space for presentations that showcase local bird species.

Structural and Environmental Features
- The ramps are supported by a framework of concrete-filled steel tubes, arranged in a manner that reflects the appearance of reeds in the surrounding environment. This not only serves a structural purpose but also adds visual interest. The glass curtain wall surrounding the ramps allows for natural light to fill the interior, creating an inviting atmosphere. The toilet core plays a key role in connecting the two ramps and houses necessary HVAC systems, reflecting thoughtful design choices that balance practicality with overall aesthetics.

Throughout the Flamingo Visitor Center, design choices encourage visitors to engage with the natural landscape. Features like rainwater management and solar energy readiness showcase a commitment to ecological responsibility, making the center a valuable educational and interactive space for all.

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 Architect’s 
Stair
The Architect’s Stair
Take a step and make a statement! Edition #3
The Architect's 
Chair
The Architect's Chair
Take a seat and make a statement! Edition #5
MICROHOME 2026
MICROHOME 2026
100,000 € Prize Fund / Kingpsan Edition #11
The Next House: USA
The Next House: USA
20,000 USD Prize
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
Advance registration deadline 18 February 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
Rome 
Rain Rooms

Design a rain room for Rome

ideas COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Early bird registration deadline 14 January 2026
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
Iceland 
Slow Sauna

Design slow sauna in Iceland

project COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Advance registration deadline 28 January 2026
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
Advance registration deadline 18 February 2026

Recurring architecture competitions

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 Home of 
Shadows

Design a home with no artificial lighting

The light studies. Edition #4 ideas COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Advance registration deadline 14 January 2026
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
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
Advance registration deadline 22 January 2026
new
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
Early bird registration deadline 11 February 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