Get inspired!

17,725 architecture projects

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

Exploring Gender Narratives Through Rotating Walls and Double-Height Spaces

Author:
Wu Xiangze
Exploring Gender Narratives Through Rotating Walls and Double-Height Spaces
Explore the full project presentation!
Subscribers only
The integration of a rotating wall and double-height spaces facilitates an immersive exploration of gender narratives while serving as a platform for exhibitions and office functions.
5 key facts about this project
01
The third-floor hall incorporates a rotating wall to enhance visitor engagement.
02
Exhibition spaces feature varied wall heights to symbolize historical gender narratives.
03
A four-story double-height entrance serves as a focal point for the building.
04
Interior design includes a unique "crack" that divides areas to emphasize themes of persecution.
05
Office functions are seamlessly integrated with interactive exhibition spaces.

The architectural design addresses important themes around gender equality in a multi-level structure. Situated thoughtfully to encourage interaction with its surroundings, the building has distinct functional areas. The fourth floor is designated mainly for office use, while the second and third floors house exhibition spaces that reflect on historical narratives. The overall concept integrates past experiences with present objectives, aiming to initiate conversations about societal changes in gender roles.

Exhibition Spaces

The third-floor exhibition hall stands out with its rotating wall, creating a unique experience for visitors. This feature allows for varied views and interactions with the displays, enriching how people engage with the material. The double-height area enhances visibility, encouraging exploration and participation in the themes presented. Visitors can easily move between displays, connecting historical insights with modern discussions.

Historical Context

On the second floor, the exhibition halls present walls of different heights, symbolizing the complexities faced by women throughout history, particularly during the Middle Ages. This arrangement serves a narrative purpose, guiding visitors through the various challenges women experienced, including unjust accusations of witchcraft against those who excelled in their fields. Each space reflects specific stories, illustrating the struggles and contributions of women in diverse contexts.

Spatial Organization

The entrance, which features a four-story double-height space, plays a critical role in linking the various parts of the building. This significant area acts as a focal point, reflecting the cultural impact of Notre Dame and the elevated status that some women historically held. The design promotes an easy flow between office spaces and exhibitions, ensuring that visitors can navigate the building with ease.

Design Detail

An interesting aspect of the interior design can be found in Node C, where a "crack" divides the space into two sections. This division highlights themes of persecution and separation, drawing attention to historical injustices. It invites visitors to consider the societal values depicted in the exhibits and encourages critical reflection on gender equality, making the building not just a place to visit but also a space for engagement with essential social themes.

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
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