Get inspired!

17,725 architecture projects

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

Curved Timber Embrace with Expansive Nature Views

Authors:
Janice Teng, Rachel Moody, Carlos Veas, Lachlan Smith
Curved Timber Embrace with Expansive Nature Views
Explore the full project presentation!
Subscribers only
The design features a cocoon-like structure with curved timber walls that create an intimate atmosphere, while expansive glass openings frame picturesque views, serving as a retreat for meditation and reflection.
5 key facts about this project
01
Curved walls create an intimate, cocooning effect.
02
Expansive glass openings frame targeted views of the landscape.
03
Timber construction emphasizes warmth and a connection to nature.
04
The design features a pot belly stove as a central gathering point.
05
Strategic roof angles manage light exposure throughout the day.

The Silent Meditation Wilderness Cabin is a retreat set in a quiet natural environment, designed to promote reflection and mindfulness. The focus is on creating a relationship between people and nature, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the landscape while enjoying modern comforts. The design aims for clarity and simplicity, ensuring functional spaces that facilitate solitude and contemplation.

Spatial Arrangement

The layout of the cabin is carefully planned to provide stunning views of the surrounding dewy plains and the shimmering lake. This thoughtful arrangement lets in ample natural light, enhancing the connection between the interior and the exterior. Openings are positioned to frame scenic vistas, encouraging occupants to engage visually with their surroundings.

Architectural Form

Curved walls define the cabin's shape and provide a sense of safety and comfort. This design choice not only enhances the visual appeal but also creates a nurturing environment that supports meditation and inner peace. The overall scale of the cabin is intimate, promoting relaxation and quiet thought.

Material Utilization

Timber is a key material used throughout the cabin, establishing a warm atmosphere while linking the interior to the natural world outside. Strategically placed glass in sliding panels enhances the connection between inside and outside, allowing clear views and plenty of natural light. The roof design features angles and openings that manage sunlight, contributing to a calming atmosphere.

Atmospheric Qualities

As day shifts to night, the space inside the cabin changes. The warmth generated by the pot belly stove becomes a central focus, inviting occupants to settle and reflect. This design feature not only creates a cozy environment but also emphasizes the bond between people and the wilderness, reinforcing the cabin's purpose as a space for mindfulness and serenity.

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