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 Huts Emphasizing Biophilic Design in a Nature-Integrated Workspace

Cross-Laminated Timber Huts Emphasizing Biophilic Design in a Nature-Integrated Workspace
Explore the full project presentation!
Subscribers only
Utilizing cross-laminated timber to mimic mangrove structures, the design integrates circular huts that promote collaboration and focus within a nature-centric workspace.
5 key facts about this project
01
Utilizes cross-laminated timber for structural efficiency and sustainability.
02
Incorporates charred wooden shingles for enhanced durability and fire resistance.
03
Employs a bent A-frame design that maximizes natural light and ventilation.
04
Features a circular layout that fosters connection and flow between spaces.
05
Integrates biophilic design elements, promoting a seamless relationship with the surrounding environment.

## Overview

Situated on Purple Island in Qatar, the Hut Hub is designed to enhance workspace functionality while fostering engagement with the surrounding natural environment. Drawing inspiration from mangrove trees, the concept addresses adaptability and sustainability, promoting a harmonious relationship between indoor and outdoor spaces. The layout comprises a series of distinct circular zones, each serving specific functions—including hospitality, learning, collaboration, and concentration—thus facilitating a varied work experience for users.

## Spatial Strategy

The design incorporates a circular configuration of huts, each tailored to specific activities. The **Hospitality Hut** welcomes users and encourages communal interactions, while the **Learning Hut** provides resources for knowledge sharing. The **Collaboration Hut** is dedicated to teamwork, emphasizing cooperative efforts, and the **Concentration Hut** offers private spaces tailored for focused tasks. The varying heights and upward-curving roofs of these huts optimize natural light penetration and support an intuitive flow, guiding occupants through defined pathways between zones.

## Material Selection

Material choices in the Hut Hub play a crucial role in achieving its aesthetic and ecological objectives. The primary materials employed include reinforced concrete for structural strength, timber for warmth and natural aesthetics, and glass in roof elements to maximize daylight. Additionally, earth-based materials are used for exterior cladding to reflect the textures of the local landscape. This thoughtful integration aims to enhance energy efficiency, leveraging natural light and ventilation conducive to the arid climate of Qatar.

## Environmental Strategies

The project's environmental emphasis is demonstrated through its architecture and site integration. Natural ventilation is facilitated by strategically placed upper openings, enhancing air quality and cooling. The orientation of the building captures sunlight while mitigating heat through indirect light. By incorporating native vegetation, including roof gardens, the Hut Hub supports biodiversity and contributes positively to the local ecosystem.

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

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
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
Final registration deadline 4 February 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
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
Early bird registration deadline 25 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