Get inspired!

17,725 architecture projects

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

Deep Blue Triangular Prisms for Meditation in a Lush Forest Setting

Author:
Francois Bodlet
Deep Blue Triangular Prisms for Meditation in a Lush Forest Setting
Explore the full project presentation!
Subscribers only
Deep blue triangular prisms rise within the Latvian landscape, offering a minimalist retreat designed for meditation, where every element is crafted to enhance the connection between nature and user.
5 key facts about this project
01
Deep blue color scheme designed to blend seamlessly with the natural surroundings.
02
Interior space predominantly painted black to enhance focus and introspection.
03
Unique triangular prism shape contributes to natural light play and spatial dynamics.
04
Multifunctional ergonomic furniture optimizes functionality within a compact footprint.
05
Natural ventilation harnessed through strategically placed vertical windows for airflow.

The project is located in Latvia and serves as a retreat focused on meditation and self-reflection. It features a series of triangular prisms painted in deep blue, which connect to the surrounding nature. The design promotes a sense of disconnection from everyday life, encouraging users to immerse themselves in the calm of the environment. The overall concept prioritizes a minimalist aesthetic, fostering tranquility and presence.

Exterior Design

The building’s form is a combination of dark and light elements. The lower sections of the prisms reflect a shimmering quality that helps them blend into the landscape. The upper parts, adorned in deep blue, create an illusion of lightness and elevation. This geometric design not only provides visual interest but also allows light and shadow to play across the surfaces, enhancing the building's interaction with its environment.

Interior Layout

Inside, the cabin invites occupants to escape from the fast pace of daily life. The space is primarily painted black, except for a light gray concrete floor, which establishes a unified and neutral backdrop. This choice encourages focus and self-discovery. The layout spans 14 square meters and is designed for flexibility. It features a multifunctional piece of furniture that combines a bed, desk, storage, and reading area, ensuring efficient use of available space.

Sustainable Features

Natural ventilation is included through vertical windows that promote airflow and maintain comfort without relying on mechanical systems. The heated concrete floor enhances the indoor climate, allowing for barefoot movement during all seasons. The materials chosen for the structure are essential, with wood as the main component due to its ecological benefits, while the concrete floor contributes to improved thermal performance.

Design Symbolism

The triangular prisms carry deeper meanings of harmony, balance, and stability. These principles reflect the nature of the equilateral triangle. The integration of these ideas into the building's function creates an atmosphere conducive to meditation and relaxation. Each design element connects the interior experience with the natural landscape, enhancing the feeling of being present within the cabin. A carefully placed opening frames views of the changing sky, reinforcing the sense of connection between the structure and its surroundings.

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