Get inspired!

17,725 architecture projects

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

Elevated Meditation Retreat with Natural Slate and Timber Elements

Authors:
Noémi Lajos, Alexander Sárközi, Vanessza Véber
Elevated Meditation Retreat with Natural Slate and Timber Elements
Explore the full project presentation!
Subscribers only
Constructed with natural slate and timber, the elevated structure blends harmoniously into the pine forest, providing a tranquil retreat designed for meditation and reflection.
5 key facts about this project
01
Natural slate flooring provides durability and integrates seamlessly with the forest environment.
02
Hexagonal layout enhances spatial flow and encourages user engagement with nature.
03
Elevated on stilts to minimize ecological impact and avoid foundation disruption.
04
Large glass surfaces frame forest views, promoting a connection to the surroundings.
05
Designed specifically for meditation with a focused area at the hexagon's vertex.

Wood Nook stands as a carefully designed space situated in a peaceful pine forest, focusing on meditation and reflection. It serves as a retreat where individuals can disconnect from daily life and immerse themselves in nature. The overall design emphasizes tranquility and unity with the environment, creating an experience that encourages mindfulness.

Form and Structure

The building takes shape in a geometric form that highlights vertical lines and upward movement, resonating with the feelings associated with meditation. The increase in ceiling height rather than expanding the floor area promotes a sense of openness. The acute angle of the roof supports both structural stability and visual appeal. The hexagonal floor plan enhances the arrangement of space, guiding users toward important areas while allowing for a seamless flow throughout.



Material Selection

The choice of materials is crucial in reinforcing the design’s connection to nature. Natural slate is used for the flooring, bringing durability and a pleasing look. The timber structure provides strength and warmth, making the space feel inviting. To improve energy efficiency, the building incorporates PIR thermal insulation. Pine decking and rafters add to the overall atmosphere while ensuring the structure blends with its surroundings. Insulated glazing allows ample natural light to fill the interior.



Environmental Integration

Wood Nook is elevated on stilts, which reduces its impact on the environment while allowing it to adapt to different conditions without requiring concrete foundations. This approach supports sustainability, letting the design harmonize with the landscape. A solar panel mounted on nearby trees reflects a commitment to renewable energy. The wood-burning stove serves as an effective heating option that aligns with the project’s overall ecological sensitivity.

Walking into Wood Nook, one experiences a thoughtful arrangement of space, light, and nature. The meditation area, located at the vertex of the hexagonal design, is framed by large glass surfaces that offer expansive views of the forest. This arrangement encourages moments of quiet reflection and a deeper connection to the 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