Get inspired!

17,725 architecture projects

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

Cross Laminated Timber Housing Integrating Steel Grids and Shared Living Spaces

Authors:
Sara Badalinezhad, Diego De La Maza, Leon Ladišić, Derya Ucan
Cross Laminated Timber Housing Integrating Steel Grids and Shared Living Spaces
Explore the full project presentation!
Subscribers only
Cross Laminated Timber forms a resilient framework supported by a steel grid, creating adaptable housing that enhances community living through shared amenities and efficient spatial configurations.
5 key facts about this project
01
Cross-laminated timber provides structural versatility while enhancing thermal performance.
02
A central core integrates essential shared wet units efficiently, reducing redundancy.
03
Adaptable spaces can be easily reconfigured for various community activities.
04
The steel grid framework supports vertical and horizontal connections throughout the building.
05
Community amenities are strategically positioned to promote resident interaction and accessibility.

Set in the urban landscape of Berlin, the design focuses on creating adaptable housing solutions that cater to modern needs. The approach emphasizes a modular system that allows for flexibility in how spaces are used. By encouraging communal living, the design fosters interactions among residents while addressing issues of affordability and sustainability.

Core Structure

At the center of the layout is a core that facilitates movement between floors through stairs and elevators. This core houses essential “wet units,” which include shared kitchens, bathrooms, and showers. By having these facilities available to all residents, the design minimizes redundancy common in traditional housing, enhancing the communal aspect of living.

Adaptable Spaces

Surrounding the core, adaptable spaces are created for varied functions. These can shift between social use, such as living areas and gardens, or become additional wet units if needed. This kind of flexibility supports different lifestyles, including co-living scenarios and those with larger families. Residents can tailor their space according to their needs at any given time.

Materials and Structure

The project uses a steel grid framework, which provides necessary strength and stability to the structure. This framework allows for walls and floors made from Cross Laminated Timber (CLT). This choice of materials contributes to both the aesthetic and the environmental aspects of the design, promoting effective energy use and sustainable practices throughout its lifespan.

Community Integration

Community amenities are placed strategically within the base of the building. These include retail areas, libraries, and daycare centers, ensuring that daily services are easily accessible. This integration promotes a strong connection between the residents and their neighborhood, encouraging informal interactions that support a vibrant communal life.

The thoughtful design balances public and private areas, ensuring that private units are positioned for privacy. Each unit is designed to provide comfort, while shared spaces allow residents to engage with one another. The overall composition creates a living environment that supports both community and individual needs, paving the way for a new approach to urban housing.

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