Get inspired!

17,725 architecture projects

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

Cultivating Community Within Green Spaces and Natural Wood Elements

Authors:
Daniel Derflinger, Maximilian Weinöhl, Mantas Indriliunas
Cultivating Community Within Green Spaces and Natural Wood Elements
Explore the full project presentation!
Subscribers only
With dedicated tea fields flowing into functional communal spaces, the design emphasizes a cohesive connection to nature while providing a serene environment for tea cultivation and enjoyment.
5 key facts about this project
01
Dedicated tea fields integrated directly into the landscape enhance the cultivation experience.
02
The design incorporates a workshop specifically for tea production and preparation.
03
Common spaces are positioned to foster community interaction during tea consumption.
04
Rest areas are designed to provide tranquil views of the surrounding nature.
05
Charred wooden shingles are used for improved durability and aesthetic appeal.

The design presents a residential house integrated with tea fields and a small tea house, located within a peaceful natural landscape. This setting allows people to cultivate and enjoy tea, providing an escape from the demands of city life. The concept emphasizes the importance of connecting with nature while celebrating the cultural significance of tea production and enjoyment.

Design Concept and Functionality

The layout of the house is organized to encourage both group interactions and private moments. A workshop serves as the center for tea production, creating an environment for activities from harvesting to preparation. This space reinforces the bond between people and their agricultural lifestyle, promoting an engaging approach to tea-making.

Spatial Arrangement and Flow

Next to the workshop, a kitchen is designed for easy movement and conversation during tea preparation. This closeness ensures a smooth transition from making to enjoying tea. The adjacent eating area allows for shared dining experiences, enhancing social connections among residents. This arrangement provides spaces that balance togetherness and relaxation.

Integration with Nature

The garden plays a key role in the overall design. It is not just decorative; it is essential for the tea-making process. The garden encourages direct participation in cultivation, highlighting a commitment to sustainable practices. It is easily accessible from the kitchen, ensuring fresh ingredients are always available.

Upper Floor Spaces

On the upper floor, common spaces and rest areas are designed to offer quiet moments for reflection. These areas are intentionally separated from the busier spaces of the house, creating personal retreats where inhabitants can enjoy the views of the surrounding landscape. This layout contributes to a calming atmosphere, enhancing the daily experiences of the residents.

The design connects themes of tea culture, community, and nature in a meaningful way. Large windows allow sunlight to pour in, bathing the interior in warmth and creating an inviting environment that mirrors the natural processes involved in tea-making.

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 Next House: USA
The Next House: USA
20,000 USD Prize
The Architect's 
Chair
The Architect's Chair
Take a seat and make a statement! Edition #5
Kinderspace
Kinderspace
Architecture for Children’s Development #3
The Architect’s 
Stair
The Architect’s Stair
Take a step and make a statement! Edition #3
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
Early bird registration deadline 19 November 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
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
Early bird registration deadline 19 November 2025
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 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
Kinderspace

Design a kindergarten of tomorrow

Architecture for Children’s Development #3 ideas COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
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
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
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